Iraqi football league system explained

Country:Iraq
Sport:Association football
Pr:Yes
Federation:Iraq Football Association
Iraqi Pro League Association
Confederation:AFC
Top:Iraq Stars League
Second:Iraqi Premier Division League

The Iraqi football league system, also known as the football pyramid, is a series of interconnected leagues for men's association football clubs in Iraq. The system has a hierarchical format with promotion and relegation across leagues at different levels, allowing even the smallest club the theoretical possibility of ultimately rising to the very top of the system. There are 4 individual levels, containing 8 leagues. The top flight is governed by the Iraqi Pro League Association, while the other divisions are run by the Iraq Football Association (IFA).

History

See main article: Iraqi National First Division. Up until 1973, leagues in Iraq were played at a regional level. The Central FA League, the Basra League and the Kirkuk League were all founded in 1948,[1] while the Mosul League was founded in 1950.[2] The first nationwide league to be held in the country was in the 1973–74 season when the National First Division was formed, with Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya being crowned champions.[3] The IFA then decided to replace the competition with a new National Clubs League (later known as Iraqi Premier League) which would only be open to clubs and not institute-representative teams.[4]

Since the 2023–24 season, the Iraqi Premier League was transformed into a professional league under the name Iraq Stars League.[5] [6]

About the system

The system consists of a pyramid of leagues, bound together by the principle of promotion and relegation. A certain number of the most successful clubs in each league can rise to a higher league, whilst those that finish the season at the bottom of their league can find themselves sinking down a level. In addition to sporting performance, promotion is usually contingent on meeting criteria set by the higher league, especially concerning appropriate facilities and finances.[7]

In theory, it is possible for a lowly local amateur club to achieve annual promotions and within a few years rise to the pinnacle of the Iraqi game and become champions of the Stars League (previously known as the Premier League). While this may be unlikely in practice (at the very least, in the short run), there certainly is significant movement within the pyramid.[8]

Structure

At the top is the single division of the Stars League (level 1, which is often referred to as the "top-flight"), which contains 20 clubs, Premier Division League (level 2) which consists of 22 clubs, First Division League (level 3) which consists of 26 clubs, and Second Division League (level 4).

Promotion and relegation rules for All the levels

  1. Stars League (level 1, 20 teams): 2 teams are relegated directly (the bottom two teams), and 2 teams enter relegation play-offs.
  2. Premier Division League (level 2, 22 teams): 2 teams are promoted directly (the top two teams), and 1 team enters a promotion play-off. 4 teams are relegated (the bottom two from each First Round group).
  3. First Division League (level 3, 26 teams): 2 teams are promoted (the top two teams). 10 teams are relegated (the bottom three from each First Round group and one play-off loser).
  4. Second Division League (level 4, TBD teams)

The system

Level one in the pyramid, the top division of Iraq football, is the Stars League, the winners of which are regarded as the champions of Iraq and the contenders have access to the Asian premier football competition, AFC Champions League Elite. Level 1 to 4 are operated by the Iraq Football Association.

width=4%LevelLeague(s)/division(s)
1Stars League
20 teams

↓ 2 relegation spots + 2 relegation play-off spots

2Premier Division League
20 teams (starting with the 2024-25 season)

↑ 2 promotion spots + 2 promotion play-offs spots

↓ 2 relegation spots

3First Division League
20 teams (starting with the 2024-25 season)

↑ 2 promotion spots

↓ 4 relegation spots

4Second Division League
Northern Group
TBD clubs – TBD promotions
Baghdad Group
TBD clubs – TBD promotions
Middle Euphrates Group
TBD clubs – TBD promotions
Western Group
TBD clubs – TBD promotions
Southern Group
TBD clubs – TBD promotions

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Football leagues set up in Iraq's main centres. The Iraq Times. 16 October 1948.
  2. Web site: Mosul forms new football group. The Iraq Times. 11 December 1950.
  3. Book: Al-Sabti. Ali. Iraqi League History 1956-1974. 2018. Iraq.
  4. Book: Al-Sabti. Ali. Iraqi League History 1974-2011. 2014. Iraq.
  5. Web site: Dirjal reveals undisclosed details about the Iraqi Pro League. Winwin. 9 July 2023. ar.
  6. Web site: Iraq signs 2 contracts with Spanish La Liga to develop Iraqi football. Xinhua. 9 July 2023.
  7. Web site: نظام المسابقات في الدوري العراقي موسم ۲۰۲٠ - ۲۰۲١. Iraq Football Association. 10 July 2022. 8 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220708162051/https://ifa.iq/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/%D9%86%D8%B8%D8%A7%D9%85-%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%82%D9%8A-2020-1.pdf. live.
  8. Web site: Dirjal: Iraq's qualification for the 2026 World Cup begins with the establishment of a professional league. Sports Asharq. 9 July 2023. ar.