Competition: | Iraqi Premier Division League |
Season: | 2023–24 |
Dates: | 1 December 2023 – 20 July 2024 |
Winners: | Diyala (2nd title) |
Promoted: | Diyala Al-Karma |
Relegated: | Samarra Al-Shirqat Al-Kufa Al-Diwaniya |
Prevseason: | 2022–23 (Iraqi First Division League) |
Nextseason: | 2024–25 |
The 2023–24 Iraqi Premier Division League is the 50th season of the Iraqi Premier Division League, the second tier of the Iraqi football league system since its establishment in 1974, and the first under its new name.
22 teams are split into two groups in the first round, where the top four teams in each group qualify for the second round, and the bottom two teams in each group are directly relegated to the Iraqi First Division League.
In the second round, the eight teams are split into two groups, with each team playing the other teams in their group home and away. The two group winners qualify for the final and gain promotion to the Iraq Stars League, while the two group runners-up compete in a third place match, with the winner entering a promotion play-off.[1]
The following teams have changed division since the 2022–23 season:
Promoted from Iraqi First Division League
Relegated from the Iraq Stars League
Promoted to the Iraq Stars League
Relegated to Iraqi First Division League
Withdrawn teams
A total of 22 teams are contesting the league, including 16 sides from the 2022–23 season[2] and the 2 relegated sides from the Iraq Stars League and the 4 promoted sides from the Iraqi First Division League, because of the recent changes necessary to adjustment to having 22 teams possible this season. Indeed, Al-Sinaa and Al-Diwaniya were relegated from the Stars League (known as the Premier League in the previous season),[3] [4] [5] and the four teams Al-Karma, Ghaz Al-Shamal, Al-Gharraf and Al-Fahad were promoted from the First Division League (known as the Second Division League in the previous season).[6] [7] Al-Difaa Al-Madani and Al-Muroor were also considered to have withdrawn from the league after the Ministry of Interior officially dissolved them.[8]
The teams were divided into two groups, and the draw was held on November 19, 2023,[9] and it was decided that the championship will start on December 1, 2023.[10]
Team | Manager | Location | Stadium | Capacity | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Afak | Adel Acher | Al-Kifl Stadium | 8,000 | ||
Al-Bahri | Qusay Hashim | Al-Bahri Stadium | 7,000 | ||
Al-Diwaniya | Haider Abu Ajjah | Al-Qādisiyyah | Al-Kut Olympic Stadium | 20,000 | |
Rashid Sultan | Baghdad | Al-Taji Stadium | 5,000 | ||
Al-Fahad | Anmar Salam | Al-Ramadi Stadium | 15,000 | ||
Al-Gharraf | Moayad Tauma | Al-Shatra Stadium | 7,500 | ||
Al-Hussein | Haider Abdul-Zahra | Baghdad | Five Thousand Stadium | 5,000 | |
Al-Jolan | Jumaa Jedaya | Al-Anbar | Al-Fallujah Stadium | 7,000 | |
Al-Karma | Haidar Mahmoud | Al-Anbar | Al-Fallujah Stadium | 7,000 | |
Al-Kufa | Maitham Jaber | Najaf Stadium | 30,000 | ||
Haider Obeid | Dhi Qar | An Nasiriya Stadium | 10,000 | ||
Al-Ramadi | Mahmoud Majeed | Al-Anbar | Al Ramadi Stadium | 15,000 | |
Safwan Abdul-Ghani | Baghdad | Al-Sinaa Stadium | 10,000 | ||
Al-Sinaat Al-Kahrabaiya | Khalid Mohammed Sabbar | Baghdad | Al-Sinaa Stadium | 5,000 | |
Al-Shirqat | Farhan Hamad | Al-Shirqat Stadium | 5,000 | ||
Diyala | Sadeq Hanoon | Diyala | Diyala Stadium | 350,000 | |
Ghaz Al-Shamal | Mustafa Karim | Ghaz Al-Shamal Stadium | 5,000 | ||
Masafi Al-Junoob | Uday Ismail | Basra | Masafi Al-Junoob Stadium | 5,000 | |
Masafi Al-Wasat | Ali Wahab | Baghdad | Al-Masafi Stadium | 5,000 | |
Maysan | Mizher Rahim | Maysan | Maysan Stadium | 25,000 | |
Peshmerga Sulaymaniya | Ammar Hussein | Sulaymaniyah | Peshmerga Stadium | 10,000 | |
Samarra | Ayoub Younes | Saladin | Samarra Stadium | 10,000 |
The second-placed teams in both groups of second round will compete in a play-off, with the loser remaining in Premier Division League and the winner advancing to the promotion play-off.
The winner of the play-out round will compete in a play-off with loser from the play-out round of 17th and 18th-placed teams of the Iraq Stars League for a place in next season's Stars League.