2020–21 Iraqi First Division League Explained

Competition:Iraqi First Division League
Season:2020–21
Dates:3 May 2021 – 16 July 2021
Winners:Al-Sinaa
(1st title)
Promoted:Al-Sinaa
Newroz
Samarra
Relegated:Akkad
Al-Ettifaq
Al-Jaish
Brayati
Matches:184
Total Goals:469
League Topscorer:Samer Mohsin
(12 goals)
Biggest Home Win:
(8 June 2021)
Biggest Away Win:
(2 June 2021)
Highest Scoring:
(4 March 2021)
Al-Muroor 3–4 Samarra
(4 March 2021)
Longest Wins:6 matches
Al-Sinaa
Longest Winless:12 matches
Akkad
Maysan
Longest Losses:9 matches
Brayati
Prevseason:2019–20
Nextseason:2021–22
Updated:30 July 2021

The 2020–21 Iraqi First Division League was the 47th season of what is now called the Iraqi Premier Division League, the second tier of the Iraqi football league system, since its establishment in 1974. The number of clubs in the league have changed throughout history due to several factors, most recently in this season when the number of clubs increased from 12 to 28 in total. The top team from each group is directly promoted to the Premier League, while a third club can be promoted through play-offs, on the other hand, two clubs from each group are directly relegated to the Second Division League.[1]

Al-Sinaa won the title and were promoted alongside runners-up Newroz.

Format

Teams from all over Iraq participated in preliminary qualifications for the final stage. Total of 16 teams qualified for the final stage and 12 teams joined from previous season.[2]

There was no First Division League nor Premier League season completed in the prior year due to the Coronavirus Pandemic.

Teams

Stadiums and locations

A total of 28 teams are contesting the league, including 10 sides from the 2018-2019 season, 16 promoted teams from the preliminary qualifications for the final stage and the two relegated sides from the Premier League.[3]

TeamManagerLocationStadiumCapacity
Afak Haider HusseinAl-Qādisiyyah (Diwaniya)Al-Kifl Stadium10,000
Akkad Bassim ObaidDhi Qar (Al-Shatrah)Al Shatrah Stadium7,500
Al-Alam Ali JawadSaladinAl-Alam Stadium10,000
Al-Bahri Asaad Abdul RazzaqBasra (Al-Jubaila)Al-Bahri Stadium7,000
Mahdi KadhimBaghdadAl-Taji Stadium5,000
Al-Ettifaq Abdul Zahra Odeh Al-Qādisiyyah (Diwaniya)Al-Diwaniya Stadium5,000
Al-Hussein Kadhim YousefBaghdad (Sadr City)Five Thousand Stadium5,000
Al-Jaish Maher OhklaBaghdadAl-Jaish Stadium6,000
Al-Jinsiya Karim QumbilBaghdadAl-Jinsiya Stadium5,000
Al-Kufa Adel Ali Al-Aasam Najaf (Kufa)Najaf Stadium30,000
Al-Muroor Adel Ajer Baghdad (Sadr City)Al-Walaa Stadium5,000
Al-Nasiriya Ali WahaibDhi Qar (Nasiriya)An Nasiriya Stadium10,000
Al-Ramadi Khamis Hammoud Anbar (Ramadi)Al Ramadi Stadium15,000
Al-Shirqat Mohammed Attiya Saladin (Shirqat)Shirqat Stadium5,000
Sadeq Hanoon Baghdad (Sadr City)Al-Sinaa Stadium5,000
Al-Sulaikh Rashid SultanBaghdad (Suleikh)Al Sulaikh Stadium5,000
Fouad JawadBabilAl Kifl Stadium10,000
Brayati Mahmoud MajeedErbilFranso Hariri Stadium25,000
Diyala Ali Abdullah Diyala (Baquba)Ba'quba Stadium10,000
Duhok Adel NasserDuhokDuhok Stadium20,000
Ghaz Al-Shamal Walid Mohammed QaderKirkukKirkuk Olympic Stadium20,000
Karbalaa Ali WahabKarbalaKarbala Sports City30,000
Masafi Al-Janoob Nasser Talla DahilanBasra (Shaibah)Masafi Al-Janoob Stadium5,000
Maysan Ahmed ZuhairMaysanMaysan Stadium25,000
Newroz Wali KarimSulaymaniyahZanko Stadium15,000
Peshmerga Arsalan Jalal SulaymaniyahPeshmerga Stadium10,000
Samarra Ahmed KadhimSaladin (Samarra)Samarra Stadium10,000
Suq Al-Shuyukh Moayad TomehDhi Qar (Suq Al-Shuyukh)Souk Al-Shuyukh Stadium5,000

League table

Group 1

Results

Group 2

Results

Season statistics

Top scorers

RankPlayerClubGoals
1 Samer MohsinAfak12
2 Hussein Ibrahim Al-Alam10
Ahmed TurkiAkkad
4 Salih MotlaqSamarra9
5 Donatus EdafeAl-Nasiriya8
Fadhel WasmiMasafi Al-Janoob
Ahmed SabriDuhok
8 CisséAl-Ramadi7
Husham Ahmed Al-Difaa Al-Madani
Jean-Christian KekeAl-Sinaa

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: mo22. اعتماد تصنيف وآلية وموعد انطلاق دوري الدرجة الأولى. 2021-05-04. الاتحاد العراقي لكرة القدم. ar.
  2. Web site: mo22. لجنة المسابقات تجري قرعة دوري الدرجة الأولى. 2021-05-04. الاتحاد العراقي لكرة القدم. ar.
  3. Web site: دوري الدرجة الاولى – الاتحاد العراقي لكرة القدم. 2021-05-04. ar.