Qatari Second Division Explained

Upright:0.7
Country:Qatar
Confed:AFC
Teams:8
Levels:2
Promotion:Qatar Stars League
Domest Cup:Sheikh Jassem Cup
Qatari Second Division Cup
Most Successful Club:Al-Markhiya
(6 titles)
Champions:Al-Khor SC
Season:2023–24
Current:2023-24 Qatari Second Division

The Qatari Second Division (Arabic: دوري الدرجة الثانية القطري), QSD or Second Division League, also was known as Qatargas League due to sponsorship reasons, is the second tier of football league competition in Qatar. Contested by 8 teams, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Qatar Stars League (QSL), the top-tier football league in the country. The QSD seasons run from September to April.

The league's first season was played in 1979 which was won by Al-Ittihad. The club with the most QSD wins is Al-Markhiya which has won 6 QSD titles. According to the league's development strategy, starting with the 2022–23 season, the first-placed club of this league will play a relegation match against the tenth-placed club of the first league to decide which club will participate in the first league next season.[1] There is no relegation from the second division.[2]

History

In 1990, the Qatar Football Association dissolved three second division clubs: Al Nasr, Al Tadamon, and Al Nahda. The clubs' players and staff were distributed to first division clubs. As a result, the Qatari Second Division was unofficially dissolved on a temporary basis.[3] The competition resumed operations in the 1996–97 season.[4] The first promotion play-off took place in the 1999–00 season, between Second Division champions Muaither SC and the bottom-ranked team of the Qatar Stars League, Al Shamal. Muaither lost the match.[5]

It was announced on 15 April 2009 that no clubs would be relegated from the top flight in the 2008–09 season, due to expansion reasons, however the announcement was made with only one game remaining.[6] This meant that the Qatari Second Division would remain with the same number of teams despite the recent formation of Lekhwiya SC and El Jaish SC, while the top flight would expand to 12 teams.

On 6 October 2013 it was announced Qatari Second Division had a sponsorship with Qatargas.[7]

An annual competition known as the Qatari Second Division Cup is played by all second division clubs.[8]

Clubs

Champions

Source:[9]

ClubChampionsWinning years
Al-Markhiya61994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 2016–17, 2021–22
Al-Sailiya42002–03, 2004–05, 2006–07, 2011–12
Al-Gharafa1979–80, 1981–82, 1983–84, 1986–87
Al-Shamal1985–86, 2002–03, 2014–15, 2020–21
El-Jaish32007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11
Umm-Salal1997–98, 1999–2000, 2005–06
2
Al-Khor1982–83, 2023–24
Al-Wakrah1984–85, 2018–19
Al-Rayyan1988–89, 2014–15
Muaither2015–16, 2022–23
Al-Shahania12017–18
Al-Mesaimeer2000–01
Al-Ahli2012–13
Al-Duhail2009–10
Al-Nahda1980–81

2022–23 season

Qatari Second Division
ClubLocationStadiumYear Formed
Al Bidda SCDoha2015
Al KharaitiyatAl KharaitiyatAl Khor SC Stadium1996
Al-KhorAl KhorAl-Khor SC Stadium1961
Al-MesaimeerAl-Rayyan,1996
Al-ShahaniaAl-Rayyan, Grand Hamad Stadium1998
Al-WaabAl Waab, Doha2019
LusailLusail, Al Daayen2014
Muaither SCMuaither, Al-Rayyan1996

Championship history

Total titles won by town or city

Town or cityNumber of titlesClubs
Al RayyanAl-Sailiya SC (4), Al-Gharafa SC (4), Al-Rayyan SC (2), Muaither SC (2), Mesaimeer (1), Al-Shahania (1)
DohaAl-Markhiya (6), Al-Jaish (3), Lekhwiya SC (1), Al Ahli (1), Al-Nahda (1)
Umm SalalUmm Salal SC (3), Al Kharaitiyat (2)
Al ShamalAl-Shamal (4)
Al WakrahAl-Wakrah SC (2)
Al KhorAl-Taawun (Al Khor) (1)

Top scorers

YearBest scorersTeamGoals
1998–99Osama Adam? 13[10]
2007–0815
2008–0914
2010–11 12
2011–12 16
2012–13 13
2013–14 19
2014–15 20
2015–16 20
2016–1719
2017–18 15
2018–19

10
2019–20 18
2020–21
17
2021–22 8
2022–23 11
2023–24
Mesaimeer10

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Second Division League . 2023-01-31.
  2. Web site: Second Division League. 2019-06-01. Qatar Football Association. en-US.
  3. Web site: http://mail.asiancup2011.qa/users/COMPETITIONSAr/QSLAR.aspx. ar:دوري نجوم قطر. mail.asiancup2011.qa. 30 July 2015. ar. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304130757/http://mail.asiancup2011.qa/users/COMPETITIONSAr/QSLAR.aspx. 4 March 2016. dead.
  4. Web site: Diliberto wants more teams in Second Division League. Qatar Tribune. 17 April 2018. 22 June 2023.
  5. Web site: http://muaitherclub.blogspot.com/2012/04/blog-post_19.html. ar:نادي معيذر يدخل معسكر مغلق استعدادا لام صلال في الفاصله. Muaither SC. ar. 28 July 2013. 1 July 2023.
  6. http://www.the-afc.com/eng/articles/viewArticle.jsp_168625429.html Q-League expands to 12
  7. Web site: Qatargas and QFA Sign 3 Year Sponsorship Agreement. QFA. 6 October 2013. 6 October 2013. https://archive.today/20131008010924/http://www.qfa.com.qa//qatargas-and-qfa-sign-3-year-sponsorship-agreement.aspx. 8 October 2013. dead.
  8. Web site: Qatar Cup 2nd Division. Goalzz. 22 June 2023.
  9. http://new.qfa.com.qa/QFAServicesXP/CompetitionDetailsAr.asp?IdCompetition=8&Type=ListOfChampion List of Champions – 2nd Division – QFA
  10. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20160304091812/http://daharchives.alhayat.com/issue_archive/Hayat%20INT/1999/7/1/%D8%AD%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B3%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%83%D8%B1%D9%88%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%B7%D8%B1%D9%8A-98-99-%D8%B1%D9%82%D9%85-%D9%82%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%B3%D9%8A-%D8%AC%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%AF-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%AA%D8%B3%D8%AC%D9%8A%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%87%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%81-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%88%D9%83%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%83%D8%AB%D8%B1-%D8%AD%D8%B5%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%8B-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%94%D9%84%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%A8.html. حصاد الموسم الكروي القطري 98 – 99 : رقم قياسي جديد في تسجيل الاهداف والوكرة الاكثر حصولاً على الألقاب. daharchives.alhayat.com. Arabic. 7 January 1999. 4 March 2016.