List of Iraqi football champions explained

Iraqi League (1st tier)
Iraqi National First Division (1973–1974)
Iraq Stars League (1974–present)
Country
Founded
1973
Number of teams
20 (since 2014–15 season)
Current champions
Al-Shorta (2023–24)
Most successful club
Al-Zawraa (14 championships)

The Iraqi football champions are the winners of the highest league in Iraqi football. Following the establishment of the Iraq Football Association (IFA) in 1948, a regional league called the Iraq Central FA Premier League was held for teams from Baghdad and its neighbouring cities, alongside other regional leagues including the Basra, Kirkuk and Mosul leagues. These regional league championships lasted until 1973,[1] when the IFA established the first nationwide football league in Iraq by the name of Iraqi National First Division, which featured a mixture of clubs and institute teams.

After one season, a new clubs-only league competition was established, with many of the institute teams merging together or being replaced by sports clubs. The first season saw Al-Tayaran (now known as Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya) achieving the league title.[2] The four "Popular Teams" of Baghdad (Al-Zawraa, Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, Al-Shorta and Al-Talaba), have dominated the now-called Iraq Stars League over the years. Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya and Al-Shorta have appeared in every season of the top-flight, while Al-Zawraa and Al-Talaba have also never been relegated.

Al-Zawraa have won 14 titles, the most of any club.[3] Erbil are the only club outside of Baghdad to achieve more than one title, having won four titles, all in the 21st century.[4] [5]

List of champions

Key to list of winners
width=40px align=center style="background-color:#FBCEB1"Champions also won the Iraq FA Cup that season for a double
width=40px align=center style="background-color:#D8BFD8"Champions also won the Iraq FA Cup and Arab Club Champions Cup that season for a treble
width=40px align=center style="background-color:#add8e6"Champions also won the Iraq FA Cup and Umm al-Ma'arik Championship that season for a domestic treble
width=40px align=center style="background-color:#ffa500"Champions also won the Umm al-Ma'arik Championship that season
width=40px align=center style="background-color:#fff4a7"Champions also won the AFC Cup that season

1974–present: Iraq Stars League

Season Champions (number of titles) Runners-up Third place Winning manager
Iraqi National Clubs League
1974–75Al-Tayaran (2)Al-NaqilAl-Muwasalat Abdelilah Mohammed Hassan
1975–76Al-ZawraaAl-TayaranAl-Shorta Saadi Salih
1976–77Al-Zawraa (2)Al-JamieaAl-Shorta Saadi Salih
1977–78Al-MinaaAl-ZawraaAl-Sinaa Jamil Hanoon
1978–79Al-Zawraa (3)Al-ShortaAl-Talaba Anwar Jassam
1979–80Al-ShortaAl-ZawraaAl-Talaba Douglas Aziz
1980–81Al-TalabaAl-ShortaAl-Tayaran Ammo Baba
1981–82Al-Talaba (2)Al-TayaranAl-Sinaa Jamal Salih
1982–83SalahaddinAl-TalabaAl-Tayaran Wathiq Naji
1983–84Al-JaishAl-TalabaAl-Tayaran Munthir Al-Waadh
1984–85align=center colspan=4 Cancelled due to FIFA World Cup qualification
1985–86Al-Talaba (3)Al-RasheedAl-Tayaran Yahya Alwan
1986–87Al-RasheedAl-JaishAl-Shabab Nasrat Nassir
1987–88Al-Rasheed (2)*Al-JaishAl-Tayaran Jamal Salih
Iraqi Pan-National Clubs League
1988–89Al-Rasheed (3)Al-TalabaAl-Tayaran Jamal Salih
Iraqi National Clubs League
1989–90Al-Tayaran (3)Al-RasheedAl-Shorta Amer Jameel
1990–91Al-Zawraa (4)Al-TalabaAl-Shorta Falah Hassan
1991–92Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (4)Al-ZawraaAl-Karkh Adil Yousef
1992–93Al-Talaba (4)Al-ZawraaAl-Quwa Al-Jawiya Ayoub Odisho
1993–94Al-Zawraa (5)Al-Quwa Al-JawiyaAl-Talaba Ammo Baba
1994–95Al-Zawraa (6)Al-Quwa Al-JawiyaAl-Najaf Hadi Mutanash
Iraqi Advanced League
1995–96Al-Zawraa (7)Al-NajafAl-Shorta Adnan Hamad
Iraqi Premier League
1996–97Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (5)Al-ZawraaAl-Talaba Ayoub Odisho
1997–98Al-Shorta (2)Al-Quwa Al-JawiyaAl-Zawraa Abdelilah Abdul-Hameed
1998–99Al-Zawraa (8)Al-TalabaAl-Quwa Al-Jawiya Amer Jameel
Iraqi First Division League
1999–2000Al-Zawraa (9)Al-Quwa Al-JawiyaAl-Shorta Adnan Hamad
Iraqi Elite League
2000–01Al-Zawraa (10)Al-Quwa Al-JawiyaAl-Shorta Sabah Abdul-Jalil
2001–02Al-Talaba (5)Al-Quwa Al-JawiyaAl-Shorta Thair Ahmed
Iraqi First Division League
2002–03align=center colspan=4 Cancelled due to the Iraq War
Iraqi Premier League
2003–04align=center colspan=4 Cancelled due to scheduling and security issues
2004–05Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (6)Al-MinaaAl-Talaba Sabah Abdul-Jalil
2005–06Al-Zawraa (11)Al-NajafErbil Salih Radhi
2006–07ErbilAl-Quwa Al-JawiyaAl-Najaf Akram Salman
2007–08Erbil (2)Al-ZawraaAl-Quwa Al-Jawiya Thair Ahmed
2008–09Erbil (3)Al-NajafDuhok Thair Ahmed
2009–10DuhokAl-TalabaAl-Zawraa Basim Qasim
Iraqi Elite League
2010–11Al-Zawraa (12)ErbilAl-Sinaa Radhi Shenaishil
2011–12Erbil (4)DuhokAl-Quwa Al-Jawiya Nizar Mahrous
2012–13Al-Shorta (3)ErbilAl-Quwa Al-Jawiya Thair Jassam
Iraqi Premier League
2013–14align=center colspan=4 Ended prematurely without awarding title
2014–15Naft Al-WasatAl-Quwa Al-JawiyaAl-Shorta Abdul-Ghani Shahad
2015–16Al-Zawraa (13)Naft Al-WasatAl-Talaba Basim Qasim
2016–17Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (7)#Al-NaftAl-Shorta Basim Qasim
2017–18Al-Zawraa (14)Al-Quwa Al-JawiyaAl-Naft Ayoub Odisho
2018–19Al-Shorta (4)Al-Quwa Al-JawiyaAl-Zawraa Nebojša Jovović
2019–20align=center colspan=5 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (8)Al-ZawraaAl-Najaf Ayoub Odisho
2021–22Al-Shorta (5)Al-Quwa Al-JawiyaAl-Talaba Moamen Soliman
2022–23Al-Shorta (6)Al-Quwa Al-JawiyaAl-Zawraa Ahmed Salah
Iraq Stars League
2023–24Al-Shorta (7)Al-Quwa Al-JawiyaAl-Zawraa Moamen Soliman

Total titles won

There are 11 clubs who have won the Iraqi title.

Teams in bold compete in the Stars League as of the 2024–25 season.

RankClubWinnersWinning seasons
1Al-Zawraa147
28151973–74, 1974–75, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1996–97, 2004–05, 2016–17, 2020–21
3Al-Shorta721979–80, 1997–98, 2012–13, 2018–19, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24
4Al-Talaba571980–81, 1981–82, 1985–86, 1992–93, 2001–02
5Erbil422006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2011–12
6Al-Rasheed321986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89
7Al-Jaish121983–84
Al-Minaa111977–78
Duhok112009–10
Naft Al-Wasat112014–15
Salahaddin101982–83

By region

RegionChampionshipsClubs
BaghdadAl-Zawraa (14), Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (8), Al-Shorta (7), Al-Talaba (5), Al-Rasheed (3), Al-Jaish (1)
KurdistanErbil (4), Duhok (1)
SouthAl-Minaa (1)
CentralSalahaddin (1)
Central EuphratesNaft Al-Wasat (1)

By city

City / TownChampionshipsClubs
BaghdadAl-Zawraa (14), Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (8), Al-Shorta (7), Al-Talaba (5), Al-Rasheed (3), Al-Jaish (1)
ErbilErbil (4)
BasraAl-Minaa (1)
DuhokDuhok (1)
NajafNaft Al-Wasat (1)
TikritSalahaddin (1)

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Story of the Iraqi Football League. Kooora Forums. Abu Baqer Al-Ahmed. Arabic. 11 February 2007.
  2. Web site: Hashim. Refel. Iraq 1975/76. RSSSF.
  3. Web site: Al-Nasser. Falah. Al-Zawra'a Are the Champions of the Premier League for the 13th Time in Their History. As-Sabah Al-Jadeed. Arabic. 22 May 2016.
  4. Book: Al-Sabti. Ali. Iraqi League History 1974–2011. 2014. Iraq.
  5. Book: Al-Munshi. Dr.Dhia. Iraqi Football Encyclopedia: Chico.. Jamoli… and football in Iraq. 2005. Citadel Printing & Design, Al-Saadoun, Baghdad.