 | |
| Organising body | Iraqi Pro League Association |
|---|---|
| Founded | 18 August 1974; 51 years ago (1974-08-18) |
| Country | Iraq |
| Confederation | AFC |
| Number of clubs | 20 (since2014–15) |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Relegation to | Iraqi Premier Division League |
| Domestic cup(s) | Iraq FA Cup Iraqi Super Cup |
| International cup(s) | AFC Champions League Elite AFC Champions League Two Arab Club Champions Cup AGCFF Gulf Club Champions League |
| Current champions | Al-Shorta (8th title) (2024–25) |
| Most championships | Al-Zawraa (14 titles) |
| Top scorer | Amjad Radhi (180) |
| Broadcaster(s) | Al-Iraqiya TV Al-Kass Sports |
| Current:2025–26 Iraq Stars League | |
TheIraq Stars League (Arabic:دوري نجوم العراق,romanized: Dawrī Nujūm Al-'Irāq) is the highest level of theIraqi football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system ofpromotion and relegation with theIraqi Premier Division League. It is governed by theIraqi Pro League Association.
The league was formed by theIraq Football Association in 1974 as the Iraqi National Clubs First Division League, the first nationwide league of clubs in Iraq, and later became known as the Iraqi Premier League. In 2023, the competition was rebranded as the Iraq Stars League and transitioned into a fully professional competition. The current format sees 20 teams playing 38 matches each (playing each team in the league twice, home and away), totalling 380 matches in the season.
Of the 81 teams to have competed since the inception of the league in 1974, eleven have won the title.Al-Zawraa are the most successful club with 14 titles, followed byAl-Shorta (8),Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (7) andAl-Talaba (5); these four clubs together contest theBaghdad derbies. The current league champions are Al-Shorta, who won their fourth consecutive title in the2024–25 season.
Up until 1973, leagues in Iraq were contested at a regional level.[1] TheCentral FA League, theBasra League and theKirkuk League were all founded in 1948,[2] while the Mosul League was founded in 1950.[3] The first nationwide league to be held in the country was in the 1973–74 season when theIraqi National First Division League was formed,[4] withAl-Quwa Al-Jawiya being crowned champions.[5] The IFA then decided to replace the competition with a new National Clubs First Division League which would only be open to clubs and not institute-representative teams.[6]
The league held its first season in1974–75 and was originally composed of ten clubs.[7] The league's first ever goal was scored byFalah Hassan ofAl-Tayaran (now known as Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya) in a 1–1 draw withAl-Sinaa.[8] Al-Tayaran were crowned champions of the inaugural season which featured the following teams:[9]
On 4 June 2023,Iraq Football Association (IFA) signed a three-year partnership agreement withLiga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional (LaLiga) to transform the Iraqi Premier League into a professional league from the2023–24 season. The competition is named the Iraq Stars League and is designed to meet the licensing criteria set down by theAsian Football Confederation (AFC). A new association named theIraqi Pro League Association, chaired by Javier Jiménez Sacristán and Matteo Mantovani, was formed to operate the competition and supervise the associated youth leagues.[10] In addition, LaLiga began training an Iraqi management team to assume full operational control of the league once the partnership concludes.[11] A start date of 26 October 2023 was set for the first Stars League season.[12]
| Season | QWJ | SHR | TLB | ZWR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989–90 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 4 |
| 1990–91 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 1991–92 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| 1992–93 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 |
| 1993–94 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| 1994–95 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 1 |
| 1995–96 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 1 |
| 1996–97 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| 1997–98 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 3 |
| 1998–99 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| 1999–2000 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| 2000–01 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| 2001–02 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Top four | 11 | 8 | 10 | 13 |
| out of 13 | ||||
| League champions | ||||
Since the league's inception, it has been dominated by the four biggest clubs inBaghdad:Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya,Al-Shorta,Al-Talaba andAl-Zawraa, who together contest theBaghdad derbies.[13] From the1989–90 season until the2005–06 season, the league was won by one of the four Baghdad teams every time.[6]
After the2003 US invasion of Iraq, players started to leave theBaghdad-based clubs and join clubs in northern Iraq such asErbil andDuhok due to the economic instability and security issues in the capital city.[14] This migration of talent led to a shift in the dominance of the "Big Four" asErbil won three consecutive league titles from 2007 to 2009 withDuhok winning the league in 2010.[15] In the2008–09 season, none of Baghdad's Big Four clubs finished in the top four and this is the only time that this has happened in the history of the league; the top four spots were occupied byErbil,Al-Najaf,Duhok andAl-Amana.[16] However, Baghdad's Big Four have since returned to dominating the league, having won all titles since2015–16.
There are currently 20 clubs in the Iraq Stars League. Over the course of a season, each club plays the others twice (in a doubleround-robin system), once at home and once away, for a total of 38 games (however,Baghdad derbies are usually played at the neutral venue ofAl-Shaab Stadium to accommodate larger crowds).[17]
Teams receivethree points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Teams areranked by total points, followed by head-to-head points, head-to-headgoal difference, total goal difference, goals scored and number of wins.[17] If teams remain level after all these criteria, teams are deemed to occupy the same position. If there is a tie for the championship, for relegation, or for qualification to other competitions, a play-off match at a neutral venue decides rank.[17]
The two teams at the bottom of the league table are relegated to theIraqi Premier Division League, while the top two teams in the Premier Division League are promoted to the Stars League. The 18th-placed team in the Stars League competes in a play-off with the winner of the play-out round between the 3rd and 4th-placed teams from the Premier Division League for a place in the following season's Stars League. Each club must register a 25-man squad for the season, but are not required to register players who have been registered for their reserve or youth teams. Each club is allowed a maximum of six foreign outfield players in their squad (no foreign goalkeepers are allowed), and can register one additional foreign player of Yemeni nationality provided that the player has represented theYemen national team in the past three years. Only six foreign players including Yemeni players can play at any given time, and no more than two players from countries ranked below 90th in theFIFA Men's World Ranking can play at any given time. A maximum of five substitutions are available per match for each team.[18]
The winners of the league qualify for theIraqi Super Cup, a match played against the winners of theIraq FA Cup (if the league winners also win the Iraq FA Cup, they play the league runners-up instead).[19]
Twenty clubs are competing in the 2025–26 Iraq Stars League, including three promoted from thePremier Division League:
| 2025–26 Club | 2024–25 Position | First season in the league | Seasons in the league | First season of current spell in the league | Titles | Most recent title |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al-Gharrafb | 2nd (PDL) | 2025–26 | 1 | 2025–26 | 0 | – |
| Al-Kahrabaa | 13th | 2004–05 | 21 | 2014–15 | 0 | – |
| Al-Karkh | 15th | 1990–91 | 30 | 2018–19 | 0 | – |
| Al-Karmab | 8th | 2024–25 | 2 | 2024–25 | 0 | – |
| Al-Minaa | 16th | 1975–76 | 48 | 2023–24 | 1 | 1977–78 |
| Al-Mosul | 1st (PDL) | 1982–83 | 21 | 2025–26 | 0 | – |
| Al-Naftb | 6th | 1985–86 | 41 | 1985–86 | 0 | – |
| Al-Najafb | 14th | 1987–88 | 39 | 1987–88 | 0 | – |
| Al-Qasimb | 10th | 2019–20 | 7 | 2019–20 | 0 | – |
| Al-Quwa Al-Jawiyaa, b | 5th | 1974–75 | 52 | 1974–75 | 7 | 2020–21 |
| Al-Shortaa, b | 1st | 1974–75 | 52 | 1974–75 | 8 | 2024–25 |
| Al-Talabab | 4th | 1975–76 | 51 | 1975–76 | 5 | 2001–02 |
| Al-Zawraab | 2nd | 1975–76 | 51 | 1975–76 | 14 | 2017–18 |
| Amanat Baghdad | 4th playoffs (PDL) | 1977–78 | 28 | 2025–26 | 0 | – |
| Diyala | 17th | 1975–76 | 16 | 2024–25 | 0 | – |
| Duhok | 7th | 1988–89 | 23 | 2022–23 | 1 | 2009–10 |
| Erbil | 12th | 1987–88 | 34 | 2018–19 | 4 | 2011–12 |
| Naft Maysan | 11th | 2009–10 | 15 | 2013–14 | 0 | – |
| Newrozb | 9th | 2021–22 | 5 | 2021–22 | 0 | – |
| Zakho | 3rd | 2002–03 | 21 | 2019–20 | 0 | – |
a: Founding member of the league
b: Never been relegated from the league
Since its first season in1974–75 up until the2025–26 season (not counting the qualifying rounds of the2000–01 season), 81 teams have participated in at least one season of the top division. Teams in bold are competing in the Iraq Stars League in the 2025–26 season. Teams in italics represent defunct teams. The year in parentheses represents the most recent year of participation at this level.Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya andAl-Shorta are the only teams to have competed in every season.
The champions of the Iraq Stars League qualify for the subsequent season'sAFC Champions League Elite league stage, while the winners of theIraq FA Cup qualify for theAFC Champions League Two group stage. If the same team wins both the Stars League and the FA Cup, the Stars League runners-up qualify for the AFC Champions League Two group stage. The number of places allocated to Iraqi clubs inAFC competitions depends on the country's position in theAFC club competitions ranking, which is calculated based on the performance of clubs in AFC competitions over the previous four years.[20]
Collectively, Iraqi teams have reached nine finals of Asian club competitions. Before the foundation of the national league,Aliyat Al-Shorta were the first Iraqi team to participate in theAsian Champion Club Tournament in1971 and they reached the final, but they refused to play Israeli sideMaccabi Tel Aviv and took the runner-up spot.[21]Al-Rasheed reached the final of theAsian Club Championship in1989 but they lost a two-legged final on away goals toAl-Saad ofQatar.[21]Al-Talaba reached the final of the1995 Asian Cup Winners' Cup but they lost it 2–1 toBellmare Hiratsuka,[22] and five years later,Al-Zawraa lost the final of the same competition 1–0 toShimizu S-Pulse in2000.[23]Erbil reached the final of Asia's secondary tournament, theAFC Cup, twice in2012 and2014 but lost both times toAl-Kuwait andAl-Qadsia respectively.[14]Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya managed to win the AFC Cup when they beatIndian clubBengaluru FC 1–0 in the2016 final, and they won the competition for the second consecutive season in2017 by beatingFC Istiklol by the same scoreline. They earned a joint-record third AFC Cup title with a 2–0 defeat ofAltyn Asyr in2018.[24]
Iraqi clubs also participate in theArab Club Champions Cup, which is organised by theUnion of Arab Football Associations, and theAGCFF Gulf Club Champions League, which is organised by theArab Gulf Cup Football Federation.
Al-Shorta won the inaugural edition of the Arab Club Champions Cup in1982 by defeatingAl-Nejmeh 4–2 on aggregate in the final,[25] andAl-Rasheed won the Arab Club Champions Cup three times in a row in1985,1986 and1987 making them the competition's joint-most successful side.[26] Meanwhile,Duhok won the AGCFF Gulf Club Champions League in the2024–25 season by defeatingAl-Qadsia 2–1 on aggregate in the final.[27]
The league was founded as the National Clubs First Division League and has been renamed several times, with the current name of Stars League remaining in place since 2023. The competition has had title sponsorship rights sold to three companies:Zain Iraq in the 2009–10 season,[28]Asiacell in the 2010–11 and 2011–12 seasons[29] andFuchs in the 2015–16 season.[30]
| Period | Sponsor | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1974–1988 | No sponsor | National Clubs First Division League |
| 1988–1989 | Pan-National Clubs First Division League | |
| 1989–1995 | National Clubs First Division League | |
| 1995–1996 | Advanced League | |
| 1996–1999 | Premier League | |
| 1999–2000 | First Division League | |
| 2000–2002 | Elite League | |
| 2002–2003 | First Division League | |
| 2003–2009 | Premier League | |
| 2009–2010 | Zain Iraq | Zain Iraq League |
| 2010–2012 | Asiacell | Asiacell Elite League |
| 2012–2013 | No sponsor | Elite League |
| 2013–2015 | Premier League | |
| 2015–2016 | Fuchs | Fuchs Premier League |
| 2016–2023 | No sponsor | Premier League |
| 2023–present | Stars League |
Managers in the Iraq Stars League are involved in the day-to-day running of the team, including the training, team selection and player acquisition. Their influence varies from club-to-club. Managers are required to have anAFC Pro-Diploma which is the highest level ofcoachingaccreditation issued by theAsian Football Confederation (AFC).[31]
| Manager | Nationality | Club | Appointed | Time as manager |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adel Nima |  Iraq | Al-Naft | 8 August 2024 | 1 year, 191 days |
| Yamen Zelfani |  Tunisia | Diyala | 12 November 2024 | 1 year, 95 days |
| Moamen Soliman |  Egypt | Al-Shorta | 17 March 2025 | 335 days |
| Ayman Hakeem |  Syria | Al-Karkh | 3 July 2025 | 227 days |
| Haider Obeid | Iraq | Al-Gharraf | 14 July 2025 | 216 days |
| Luay Salah | Iraq | Al-Minaa | 21 July 2025 | 209 days |
| Rashid Jaber |  Oman | Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya | 29 July 2025 | 201 days |
| Basim Qasim | Iraq | Erbil | 6 August 2025 | 193 days |
| Emad El Nahhas | Egypt | Al-Zawraa | 10 October 2025 | 128 days |
| Hassan Ahmed | Iraq | Naft Maysan | 13 October 2025 | 125 days |
| Antonio Cazorla |  Spain | Al-Karma | 13 October 2025 | 125 days |
| Abdul-Ghani Shahad | Iraq | Duhok | 14 October 2025 | 124 days |
| Wali Kareem | Iraq | Newroz | 28 October 2025 | 110 days |
| Ahmed Abdul-Jabar | Iraq | Al-Kahrabaa | 28 October 2025 | 110 days |
| Alireza Mansourian |  Iran | Al-Talaba | 28 November 2025 | 79 days |
| Ahmed Khalef | Iraq | Amanat Baghdad | 28 November 2025 | 79 days |
| Qahtan Chathir | Iraq | Al-Najaf | 25 January 2026 | 21 days |
| Haitham Al-Shboul |  Jordan | Al-Mosul | 28 January 2026 | 18 days |
| Haidar Aboodi | Iraq | Al-Qasim | 1 February 2026 | 14 days |
| Ayoub Odisho | Iraq | Zakho | 13 February 2026 | 2 days |
| Rank | Player | Goals | First app | Last app | Club(s) (goals) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amjad Radhi | 180[b] | 2007 | 2024 | Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (97),Erbil (75),Al-Najaf (8) |
| 2 | Sahib Abbas | 177 | 1988 | 2012 | Salahaddin (42),Al-Zawraa (62),Al-Talaba (18),Karbala (50),Al-Sinaa (5) |
| 3 | Karim Saddam | 171 | 1979 | 1996 | Al-Sinaa (23),Al-Jaish (11),Al-Rasheed (4),Al-Zawraa (127),Al-Shorta (6) |
| 4 | Ali Hashim | 170 | 1987 | 2004 | Al-Najaf (149),Al-Karkh (21) |
| 5 | Alaa Abdul-Zahra | 169 | 2004 | present | Al-Zawraa (54),Duhok (26),Al-Shorta (78),Al-Minaa (11) |
| 6 | Hussein Abdullah | 167 | 1991 | 2010 | Al-Sinaa (32),Al-Naft (16),Diyala (40),Duhok (58),Erbil (14),Kirkuk (2),Peris (5) |
| 7 | Hammadi Ahmed | 162[c] | 2005 | 2023 | Samarra (19),Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (143) |
| 8 | Younis Abid Ali | 157 | 1983 | 2000 | Al-Shorta (135),Al-Rasheed (15),Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (3),Al-Difaa Al-Jawi (4) |
| 9 | Ahmed Radhi | 146 | 1981 | 1999 | Al-Zawraa (103),Al-Rasheed (43) |
| 10 | Alaa Kadhim | 145 | 1988 | 2007 | Al-Sinaa (8),Al-Talaba (137) |
Bold denotes players still playing in the Iraq Stars League.
The current Iraq Stars League trophy was unveiled on 13 July 2024 and was designed and sculpted by the Iraqi painter and sculptorAhmed Albahrani. The trophy is predominantly silver in colour and features a silver and gold football at the top. It has a silver base engraved with the words "Iraq Stars League" in both English and Arabic, alongside the competition’s logo and the season.[32][33]
The following managers have won multiple titles:[50]
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link){{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link){{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
|
| National teams |
| ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| League competitions |
| ||||||||
| Cup competitions |
| ||||||||
| Lists | |||||||||
