Iraqi soccer championship

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Iraqi soccer championship
Association Iraq Football Association
First edition 1974
Teams 20th
master al-Zawraa SC
Record champions al-Zawraa SC (14 wins)
Current season 2018/19
Qualification for AFC Cup
↓ 2nd division

The Iraqi Football Championship ( Arabic الدوري العراقي الممتاز, DMG ad-Daurī al-ʿirāqī al-mumtāz ) is the top division in Iraqi football and has been organized annually by the Iraq Football Association since the 1974/75 season . In the 2016/17 season , 20 clubs were represented that determined the champions in the championship system.

history

For a long time there was no uniform football league in Iraq, but rather various regional leagues in the north and south of the country and in the capital Baghdad . Although the two champions played a final in 1949, it should only be this game. In the 1956/57 season, the newly created Iraqi Cup was the first national football competition to be held. Six teams took part in the first edition, in 1961 - when the tournament was last played - there were already twelve.

Baghdad League and the introduction of the uniform football league (1962–1974)

In 1962 the first league was finally named under the name دوري المؤسسات / Dawrī al-Muʾassasāt (in German: League of Institutions) founded. In it, teams belonging to Iraqi ministries or other institutions played against each other for the title. Some examples are teams like Al-Shorta (police), Al-Talaba (students) or Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (air force). However, this league was limited to Baghdad teams only.

Single track league (1974-2003)

In 1974 it was decided to expand this league to include teams outside the capital in order to create a uniform league.

Finally, the following teams were selected for the first season:

  • Al-Tayaran (Baghdad, 1931–68 and from 1991 Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya)
  • Al-Shorta (Baghdad)
  • Al-Naqil (Baghdad)
  • Samawa (samawa)
  • Al-Jaish (Baghdad)
  • Babil (Babil)
  • Al-Baladiyat (Baghdad)
  • Al-Rafadin (Diwania)
  • Al-Sinaa (Baghdad)
  • Al-Muwasalat (Baghdad)

The first game took place on October 4, 1974 between Al-Tayaran and Al-Sinaa and ended in a 1-1 draw between the two teams. Tayaran became the first champion, one point ahead of Al-Naqil. Al-Rafadin finished last and was relegated. The first top scorer was Thamir Youssif with 13 goals.

In the following season 1975/76 the number of participants was increased from 10 to 13 teams, promoted Zawraa won the second season confidently before the reigning champions Al-Tayaran, a year later they could defend their title. In 1978, Al-Minaa from Basra won the league, making it the first national champion not to come from Baghdad. So far, only Salaheddeen (1983) and Erbil (2007-2009) have been able to repeat this success .

Up to the 1979/80 season, each team played only one game against the other team, but from this season the round trip was introduced. The league was single-track until 2004, but the number was increased from ten teams (1974) to 26 (1999). In 2000 the Iraqi Super League was reorganized and again limited to 16 teams.

Championship system (2003-2008)

After the Iraq war , the staging system was changed again. From 2004 to 2008, the participating teams played the champions in a system consisting of three levels. First of all, the last 30 teams taking part were geographically divided into the three divisions (Northern Iraq with KRG , Baghdad and South). The teams played one home and one away game against the other teams in their group in a championship system. The leagues in northern and southern Iraq each had nine teams in the group, of which four teams then moved into the second round, while the bottom two of the group were relegated. From Baghdad, which had a total of twelve teams, six teams moved into the second round, while three were relegated.

In the second round ( Arabic دوري النخبة, DMG Dawri al-Nokhba ) the teams were drawn into three groups regardless of their geographical affiliation, with the first two groups each having five teams, while the third group consisted of four teams. Again, the teams played home and away games in their respective groups. The three group winners and the best runner-up in the group made it to the semi-finals. The two winners of the semi-finals met each other in the final and played the Iraqi champions. The final held in this system for the last time took place on August 24, 2008 in the Baghdad al-Shaab stadium between Erbil and Zawraa. The game itself set a post-war record with 50,000 spectators watching the game in the stadium. Erbil won the final 1-0 after extra time and defended his title.

Mode changes 2008–2010

The mode was changed for the 2008/09 season, now the 28 participating teams were divided into two groups of 14 teams each. The geographical demarcation between the north and the south was retained, but a number of teams from Baghdad were drawn to each of the two groups. The two group winners contested the final of the state championship. The final between Erbil SC and FC Najaf , which took place on July 16, 2009 in Baghdad's Al-Shaab Stadium , ended with a 3-2 win on penalties for reigning champions Erbil. The Northern Iraqis thus secured their third title in a row.

The mode was changed again in the following season. The number of teams rose in the 2009/10 season to 36 participants from all over the country. The teams were drawn into two groups of 18 teams each and had to compete in home and away games. The six best teams in each case reached the second round, which was again played in a group stage with three groups of four teams. The three group winners and the best runner-up then qualified for the semi-finals, which were played in home and return games. The two winners ultimately played for the championship title.

In the 2010/11 season, 36 teams were again represented, which were divided into two groups. The two group winners who should contest the final for the championship title were determined within the groups in the first and second legs. In the Al-Shaab Stadium, Al-Zawraa finally prevailed on penalties against Erbil and thereby secured his twelfth title. It was also the first win by a team from Baghdad since 2006.

Return to the league system in 2011

For the 2011/12 season, the Iraqi association decided to reintroduce the league system. The eight best teams from each group of the previous season as well as four promoted teams formed the 20 teams that now determined the champions in home and return matches. The first champion was the team from Erbil, which was able to secure their fourth title. The system was retained in the following season, but the number of participating clubs was reduced to 18. In the 2013/14 season, the number of participants was reduced again, this time to 16.

The champion and runner-up qualified for the AFC Champions League until 2008 , but after the reforms of the Asian association, they have been competing in the AFC Cup since 2009 . The third-placed player plays in the Arab Champions League .

statistics

Record champions

No. society city number Master years
1 Al-Zawraa Baghdad 14th 1976, 1977, 1979, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, 2018
2 Al-Quwa al-Jawiya Baghdad 6th 1975, 1990, 1992, 1997, 2005, 2017
3 al-Shorta Baghdad 5 1980, 1998, 2003, 2013, 2014
Al-Talaba Baghdad 5 1981, 1982, 1986, 1993, 2002
5 Erbil SC Erbil 4th 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012
6th Al-Rasheed Baghdad 3 1987, 1988, 1989
7th Al-Minaa Basra 1 1978
Salahaddin Tikrit 1 1983
al-Jaish Baghdad 1 1984
SC Dohuk Dohuk 1 2010
Naft Al-Wasat Najaf 1 2015

Previous title holder

See also

Web links