List of Iraqi football champions

Iraqi League (1st tier)
Iraqi National First Division (1973–1974)
Iraq Stars League (1974–present)
Country
 Iraq
Founded
1973
Number of teams
20 (since 2014–15 season)
Current champions
Al-Shorta (2024–25)
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 League, 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.[2]

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
† Champions also won the Iraq FA Cup that season for a double
* Champions also won the Iraq FA Cup and Arab Club Champions Cup that season for a treble
† Champions also won the Iraq FA Cup and Baghdad Championship that season for a domestic treble
‡ Champions also won the Baghdad Championship that season
# Champions also won the AFC Cup that season

1973–1974: Iraqi National First Division

Season Champions (number of titles) Runners-up Third place Winning manager
1973–74 Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Aliyat Al-Shorta Al-Minaa Abdelilah Mohammed Hassan

1974–present: Iraq Stars League

Season Champions (number of titles) Runners-up Third place Winning manager
1974–75 Al-Tayaran[a] (2) Al-Naqil Al-Muwasalat Abdelilah Mohammed Hassan
1975–76 Al-Zawraa† Al-Tayaran Al-Shorta Saadi Salih
1976–77 Al-Zawraa (2) Al-Jamiea Al-Shorta Saadi Salih
1977–78 Al-Minaa Al-Zawraa Al-Sinaa Jamil Hanoon
1978–79 Al-Zawraa (3)† Al-Shorta Al-Talaba Anwar Jassam
1979–80 Al-Shorta Al-Zawraa Al-Talaba Douglas Aziz
1980–81 Al-Talaba Al-Shorta Al-Tayaran Ammo Baba
1981–82 Al-Talaba (2) Al-Tayaran Al-Sinaa Jamal Salih
1982–83 Salahaddin Al-Talaba Al-Tayaran Wathiq Naji
1983–84 Al-Jaish Al-Talaba Al-Tayaran Munthir Al-Waadh
1984–85 Cancelled due to FIFA World Cup qualification
1985–86 Al-Talaba (3) Al-Rasheed Al-Tayaran Yahya Alwan
1986–87 Al-Rasheed* Al-Jaish Al-Shabab Nasrat Nassir
1987–88 Al-Rasheed (2)* Al-Jaish Al-Tayaran Jamal Salih
1988–89 Al-Rasheed (3) Al-Talaba Al-Tayaran Jamal Salih
1989–90 Al-Tayaran[a] (3) Al-Rasheed Al-Shorta Amer Jameel
1990–91 Al-Zawraa (4)† Al-Talaba Al-Shorta Falah Hassan
1991–92 Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (4)† Al-Zawraa Al-Karkh Adil Yousef
1992–93 Al-Talaba (4)‡ Al-Zawraa Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Ayoub Odisho
1993–94 Al-Zawraa (5)† Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Al-Talaba Ammo Baba
1994–95 Al-Zawraa (6)† Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Al-Najaf Hadi Mutanash
1995–96 Al-Zawraa (7)† Al-Najaf Al-Shorta Adnan Hamad
1996–97 Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (5)† Al-Zawraa Al-Talaba Ayoub Odisho
1997–98 Al-Shorta (2) Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Al-Zawraa Abdelilah Abdul-Hameed
1998–99 Al-Zawraa (8)† Al-Talaba Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Amer Jameel
1999–2000 Al-Zawraa (9)† Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Al-Shorta Adnan Hamad
2000–01 Al-Zawraa (10) Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Al-Shorta Sabah Abdul-Jalil
2001–02 Al-Talaba (5)† Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Al-Shorta Thair Ahmed
2002–03 Cancelled due to the Iraq War
2003–04 Cancelled due to scheduling and security issues
2004–05 Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (6) Al-Minaa Al-Talaba Sabah Abdul-Jalil
2005–06 Al-Zawraa (11) Al-Najaf Erbil Salih Radhi
2006–07 Erbil Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Al-Najaf Akram Salman
2007–08 Erbil (2) Al-Zawraa Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Thair Ahmed
2008–09 Erbil (3) Al-Najaf Duhok Thair Ahmed
2009–10 Duhok Al-Talaba Al-Zawraa Basim Qasim
2010–11 Al-Zawraa (12) Erbil Al-Sinaa Radhi Shenaishil
2011–12 Erbil (4) Duhok Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Nizar Mahrous
2012–13 Al-Shorta (3) Erbil Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Thair Jassam
2013–14 Ended prematurely without awarding title
2014–15 Naft Al-Wasat Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Al-Shorta Abdul-Ghani Shahad
2015–16 Al-Zawraa (13) Naft Al-Wasat Al-Talaba Basim Qasim
2016–17 Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (7)# Al-Naft Al-Shorta Basim Qasim
2017–18 Al-Zawraa (14) Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Al-Naft Ayoub Odisho
2018–19 Al-Shorta (4) Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Al-Zawraa Nebojša Jovović
2019–20 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21 Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (8)† Al-Zawraa Al-Najaf Ayoub Odisho
2021–22 Al-Shorta (5) Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Al-Talaba Moamen Soliman
2022–23 Al-Shorta (6) Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Al-Zawraa Ahmed Salah
2023–24 Al-Shorta (7)† Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Al-Zawraa Moamen Soliman
2024–25 Al-Shorta (8) Al-Zawraa Zakho 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.

Rank Club Winners Runners-up Winning seasons
1 Al-Zawraa 14 8 1975–76, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1990–91, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2005–06, 2010–11, 2015–16, 2017–18
2 Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 8 15 1973–74, 1974–75, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1996–97, 2004–05, 2016–17, 2020–21
3 Al-Shorta 8 2 1979–80, 1997–98, 2012–13, 2018–19, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24, 2024–25
4 Al-Talaba 5 7 1980–81, 1981–82, 1985–86, 1992–93, 2001–02
5 Erbil 4 2 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2011–12
6 Al-Rasheed 3 2 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89
7 Al-Jaish 1 2 1983–84
Al-Minaa 1 1 1977–78
Duhok 1 1 2009–10
Naft Al-Wasat 1 1 2014–15
Salahaddin 1 0 1982–83
Titles won by club (%)
  1. Al-Zawraa – 14 (30%)
  2. Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya – 8 (17%)
  3. Al-Shorta – 8 (17%)
  4. Al-Talaba – 5 (11%)
  5. Erbil – 4 (8%)
  6. Al-Rasheed – 3 (6%)
  7. Other clubs – 5 (11%)

By region

Region Championships Clubs
Baghdad
39
 Al-Zawraa (14), Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (8), Al-Shorta (8), Al-Talaba (5), Al-Rasheed (3), Al-Jaish (1)
Kurdistan
5
 Erbil (4), Duhok (1)
South
1
 Al-Minaa (1)
Central
1
 Salahaddin (1)
Central Euphrates
1
 Naft Al-Wasat (1)

By city

City / Town Championships Clubs
Baghdad
39
 Al-Zawraa (14), Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (8), Al-Shorta (8), Al-Talaba (5), Al-Rasheed (3), Al-Jaish (1)
Erbil
4
 Erbil (4)
Basra
1
 Al-Minaa (1)
Duhok
1
 Duhok (1)
Najaf
1
 Naft Al-Wasat (1)
Tikrit
1
 Salahaddin (1)

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya were known as Al-Tayaran from 1974 until 1991.

References

  1. ^ "Story of the Iraqi Football League". Kooora Forums (in Arabic). Abu Baqer Al-Ahmed. 11 February 2007.
  2. ^ a b Hashim, Refel. "Iraq 1975/76". RSSSF.
  3. ^ Al-Nasser, Falah (22 May 2016). "Al-Zawra'a Are the Champions of the Premier League for the 13th Time in Their History". As-Sabah Al-Jadeed (in Arabic).
  4. ^ Al-Sabti, Ali (2014). Iraqi League History 1974–2011. Iraq.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  5. ^ Al-Munshi, Dr.Dhia (2005). Iraqi Football Encyclopedia: Chico.. Jamoli… and football in Iraq. Citadel Printing & Design, Al-Saadoun, Baghdad.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
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