The league was formed by the Iraq Football Association in 1974 as the Iraqi National Clubs First Division League, the first nationwide league of clubs in Iraq, and later became known as the Iraqi Premier League. In 2023, the competition was rebranded as the Iraq Stars League and transitioned into a fully professional competition. The current format sees 20 teams playing 38 matches each (playing each team in the league twice, home and away), totalling 380 matches in the season.
Of the 83 teams to have competed since the inception of the league in 1974, eleven have won the title. Al-Zawraa are the most successful club with 14 titles, followed by Al-Shorta (8), Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (8) and Al-Talaba (5); these four clubs together contest the Baghdad derbies. The current league champions are Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, who won the title in the 2025–26 season.
Up until 1973, leagues in Iraq were organised on a regional basis, reflecting the country's administrative and geographic divisions. The Central FA League (for teams in Baghdad and its neighbouring cities), the Basra League and the Kirkuk League were all founded in 1948, while the Mosul League was founded in 1950.
The first nationwide league was introduced in the 1973–74 season under the name of Iraqi National First Division League, in which Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya were crowned champions. This competition represented the first attempt to establish a unified national league championship. However, it included both clubs and institute-representative teams (such as military or ministry sides).
Foundation and early years (1974–1983)
On 18 August 1974, the Iraq Football Association (IFA) decided to restructure the domestic football pyramid by introducing a new National Clubs First Division League which was restricted to club sides only, thereby marking the transition to a fully club-based national league structure. The league held its first season in 1974–75 and was originally composed of ten clubs. The league's first ever goal was scored by Falah Hassan of Al-Tayaran (now known as Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya) in a 1–1 draw with Al-Sinaa. Al-Tayaran were crowned champions of the inaugural season, which featured the following teams:
Al-Zawraa established themselves as the league's first dominant force, winning the 1975–76 title and securing the first domestic double in Iraqi football history. The following season, 1976–77, was cut short due to scheduling difficulties, with the IFA declaring Al-Zawraa champions based on the standings at the halfway point.
Al-Minaa became the first team from outside Baghdad to win the league title in the 1977–78 season.
A key development came in 1977–78 when Al-Minaa won the league unbeaten, becoming the first club from outside Baghdad to claim the national title, demonstrating the potential for clubs from other provinces to compete at the highest level. However, by the end of the 1970s and the beginning of the 1980s, "Baghdad's Big Four" clubs (Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, Al-Shorta, Al-Talaba and Al-Zawraa) had begun to establish dominance over the competition. The 1980s were heavily influenced by the Iran–Iraq War, which disrupted sporting schedules. The 1980–81 season, for example, was reduced to a single round-robin format due to logistical constraints.
Politicisation of league football (1983–1990)
The 1980s saw increased politicisation of football in Iraq, with state-backed institutions playing a greater role in club organisation. This coincided with the rise of Al-Rasheed, a club founded in 1983 by Uday Hussein, the son of the Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, who would later become president of the Iraq Football Association. Al-Rasheed quickly emerged as a dominant force in Iraqi football, with the club assembling many of the country's leading players, including several members of the Iraq national football team and its coach Ammo Baba.
The 1984–85 season was cancelled due to conflicts with national team commitments, with Al-Rasheed leading the table at the time of cancellation. Between 1986–87 and 1988–89, Al-Rasheed won three consecutive league titles, becoming the first club in the league's history to achieve this feat. During this period, the club also secured two Iraq FA Cup titles and enjoyed success in regional competitions, including three consecutive Arab Club Champions Cup titles from 1985 to 1987.
Al-Rasheed's dominance over the league temporarily disrupted the traditional rivalry among Baghdad's Big Four, however the club was dissolved in 1990, and its players were redistributed among other leading sides, contributing to the re-establishment of the competitive landscape and leading to a resurgence among the traditional top clubs.
The league entered a period of relative structural stability and stronger competition during the 1990s. "Baghdad's Big Four" clubs — Al-Zawraa, Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, Al-Talaba and Al-Shorta who together contest the Baghdad derbies — dominated the competition almost entirely during this period. Between the 1989–90 and 2005–06 seasons, every league title was won by one of these four clubs.
The 1990s were particularly successful for Al-Zawraa, who emerged as the most decorated club of the era. The club won the league and cup double in three consecutive seasons from 1993–94 to 1995–96. During this period, the competition was rebranded several times, as the Iraq Football Association experimented with a number of different competition structures and rules, including the awarding of bonus points in the 1994–95 season and the introduction of regional qualifying rounds in the 2000–01 season. Despite these administrative changes, the competitive hierarchy remained largely unchanged. Clubs from outside Baghdad occasionally mounted challenges, but were generally unable to sustain title bids over an entire season. As a result, Baghdad's Big Four maintained near-total control of domestic honours.
Aftermath of invasion and war (2003–2011)
The 2003 invasion of Iraq and subsequent Iraq War marked a major turning point in the history of the league, and caused sustained disruption to Iraqi domestic football. The 2002–03 season was cancelled following the outbreak of conflict, while the 2003–04 campaign was also cancelled due to ongoing security concerns and organisational difficulties. From the 2003–04 season until the 2010–11 season, clubs were separated into regional groups rather than competing in the traditional round-robin format to facilitate easier travel and reduce the number of games for teams.
The instability in Baghdad caused by the war significantly altered the competitive landscape of the league. Many players left the capital in search of greater security and financial stability, joining clubs in the comparatively safer northern regions, particularly in the Kurdistan area. This migration of talent weakened the traditional Baghdad-based powerhouses and contributed to a temporary shift in competitive strength. Erbil became the dominant club of the late 2000s, winning three consecutive league titles from 2006–07 to 2008–09, while Duhok secured the 2009–10 championship. These successes represented the first sustained challenge to the dominance of the top Baghdad sides since the league's formative years.
The 2008–09 season was particularly notable as the only campaign in which none of Baghdad's Big Four finished in the top four positions. Instead, the leading places were occupied by Erbil, Al-Najaf, Duhok and Al-Amana, underlining the extent of the temporary shift in competitive balance.
Influx of foreign professionals (2011–2023)
Syrian forward Mahmoud Al-Mawas is the highest-scoring foreign player in the league's history.
The league returned to its traditional home and away round-robin format in the 2011–12 season and began to attract foreign players and coaches, particularly from Africa, South America and the Middle East. In 2012, Syrian coach Nizar Mahrous became the first foreign manager to win the league title and Cameroonian striker Jean Michel N'Lend became the first foreign player to score a hat-trick. The 2012–13 season saw Al-Shorta dethrone Erbil at the top of the table, as the traditional Baghdad-based clubs began to reassert their dominance, driven by improved security conditions, greater financial stability, and the renewed concentration of elite players in the capital.
Since the 2015–16 season, every league title has been won by either Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, Al-Shorta or Al-Zawraa, marking a return to the league's long-standing competitive structure. The 2010s also saw a series of incremental administrative reforms aimed at modernising Iraqi domestic football, as efforts were made to improve league organisation, infrastructure, and governance standards. In the 2013–14 season, matches began being broadcast in 16:9 aspect ratio for the first time by Waar TV, and Qatari network Al-Kass Sports Channels purchased the rights to broadcast a select number of high-profile matches from the league in high-definition to a wider audience in the region. Stadium licensing rules were gradually tightened, with modern stadiums such as Basra International Stadium, Karbala International Stadium, Zakho International Stadium and Al-Najaf International Stadium becoming regular venues for league matches. Prior to the start of the 2020–21 season, the Iraq Football Association unveiled the league's first ever logo and announced a partnership with Umbro to manufacture an official match ball for the first time in the league's history.
"Stars League" era (2023–present)
A major structural transformation occurred in 2023 when the Iraq Football Association (IFA) signed a three-year partnership agreement with Spain's Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional (LaLiga) to professionalise the Iraqi top flight. As part of this reform, the competition was rebranded as the Iraq Stars League and designed to meet the club licensing requirements set by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
A new governing body, the Iraqi Pro League Association, was established to operate the competition and oversee its associated youth systems. Chaired by Javier Jiménez Sacristán and Matteo Mantovani, the organisation was tasked with implementing professional standards in league management, commercial operations and infrastructure development. LaLiga also began training an Iraqi administrative team to assume full operational control of the league following the conclusion of the partnership.
The inaugural Iraq Stars League season began on 26 October 2023, marking the first fully professional campaign in the history of Iraqi domestic football. Al-Shorta won the first edition in 2023–24, securing their third consecutive league title and completing a domestic double. The club extended its dominance in 2024–25, becoming the first team in the competition's history to win four consecutive league championships.
Competition format
Competition
The Stars League season typically runs from August to May, although scheduling may vary slightly from year to year depending on climatic conditions and international commitments. There are currently 20 clubs in the Iraq Stars League. Over the course of a season, each club plays the others twice (in a double round-robin system), once at home and once away, for a total of 38 games (however, Baghdad derbies are sometimes played at the neutral venue of Al-Shaab Stadium to accommodate larger crowds).
Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Teams are ranked by points, followed by goal difference, goals scored, head-to-head points, head-to-head goal difference, head-to-head goals scored (if more than two teams are tied), number of wins, number of red cards and number of yellow cards. If teams remain level after all these criteria, a drawing of lots decides rank.
The winners and runners-up of the league qualify for the Iraqi Super Cup, along with the winners and runners-up of the Iraq FA Cup. If one of the FA Cup finalists finish in the league's top two positions, the third-placed team in the league enters the Super Cup, while if both FA Cup finalists finish in the league's top two positions, the third and fourth-placed teams in the league enter the Super Cup.
Squad registration
Each club must register a squad of at least 18 players up to a maximum of 30 players, which must include a minimum of five Iraqi players under the age of 21. Clubs can also use a maximum of five extra players from their youth teams who are not required to be registered for the first team. Each club is allowed a maximum of seven foreign outfield players in their squad, of which up to five can play at any given time, and no foreign goalkeepers are permitted. At least the first four foreign players in the squad must be from countries ranked in the top 90 positions in the FIFA Men's World Ranking as at the start of the summer transfer window.
Promotion and relegation
Typically, the bottom two teams in the Stars League are relegated to the Iraqi Premier Division League, while the top two teams from the Premier Division League are promoted to the Stars League. The team finishing 18th in the Stars League enters a two-legged play-off against the winner of the play-out round between the 3rd and 4th-placed teams from the Premier Division League for a spot in the next season’s Stars League. However, for the 2026–27 season, the bottom four teams in the Stars League will be relegated, while the top two teams from the Premier Division League will be promoted, in order to reduce the number of teams in the Stars League to 18 teams.
The video assistant referee (VAR) system was introduced in the Iraq Stars League at the start of the 2023–24 season as part of a broader effort to modernise officiating standards and align the competition with international best practices. Its implementation followed coordination between the Iraq Football Association (IFA) and FIFA, including the completion of technical, regulatory and training requirements necessary for its approval and operation.
VAR is used to assist the on-field referee in reviewing key match incidents, specifically in four situations: goals, penalty decisions, direct red card offences and cases of mistaken identity. The system relies on a team of video officials located in a centralised control environment, who analyse footage from multiple camera angles and communicate with the referee via a headset. Despite this assistance, the final decision in all cases remains with the on-field referee.
Clubs
2026–27 season
Twenty clubs are competing in the 2026–27 Iraq Stars League, including three promoted from the Premier Division League:
Location of clubs in Iraq for the 2026–27 Iraq Stars League season
Seasons
Since its first season in 1974–75 up until the 2026–27 season (not counting the qualifying rounds of the 2000–01 season), 83 teams have participated in at least one round of a top division season. Teams in bold are competing in the Iraq Stars League in the 2026–27 season. Teams in italics represent defunct teams. The year in parentheses represents the most recent year of participation at this level. Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya and Al-Shorta are the only teams to have competed in every season.
The champions of the Iraq Stars League qualify for the subsequent season's AFC Champions League Elite preliminary stage, while the winners of the Iraq FA Cup qualify for the AFC Champions League Two group stage. If the same team wins both the Stars League and the FA Cup, the Stars League runners-up qualify for the AFC Champions League Two group stage. The number of places allocated to Iraqi clubs in AFC competitions depends on the country's position in the AFC club competitions ranking, which is calculated based on the performance of clubs in AFC competitions over the previous eight seasons.
Al-Shorta won the inaugural edition of the Arab Club Champions Cup in 1982 by defeating Al-Nejmeh 4–2 on aggregate in the final, and Al-Rasheed won the Arab Club Champions Cup three times in a row in 1985, 1986 and 1987 making them the competition's joint-most successful side. Meanwhile, Duhok won the GFF Gulf Club Champions League in the 2024–25 season by defeating Al-Qadsia 2–1 on aggregate in the final.
Sponsorship
The league was founded as the National Clubs First Division League and has been renamed several times, with the current name of Stars League remaining in place since 2023. The competition has had title sponsorship rights sold to three companies: Zain Iraq in the 2009–10 season, Asiacell in the 2010–11 and 2011–12 seasons and Fuchs in the 2015–16 season.
The television rights for the Iraq Stars League are held by the Iraqi state broadcaster Al-Iraqiya through its sports channel, Al-Iraqiya Sports. In 2025, Al-Iraqiya Sports acquired the broadcasting rights for multiple domestic competitions, including the Iraq Stars League, the Iraqi Premier Division League, the Iraq FA Cup, the Iraqi Super Cup, and the Iraqi Futsal Pro League. The agreement, which also includes production rights, was reportedly valued at approximately 17 billion Iraqi dinars (around US$13 million) and involves both the Iraqi Pro League Association and its commercial partner, Ishtar Company.
Several Arab broadcasters have entered into negotiations with Al-Iraqiya Sports to obtain secondary rights. These include the Qatari network Al-Kass Sports Channels for selected high-profile matches and MBC Group for highlights coverage. Access to stadiums and media activities is regulated by Al-Iraqiya Sports, with other broadcasters required to reach agreements in order to provide on-site coverage and sports programming.
Bold denotes players still playing in the Iraq Stars League.
Awards
Trophy
The current Iraq Stars League trophy was unveiled on 2 June 2026 and was designed and sculpted by the Iraqi painter and sculptor Ahmed Albahrani. It is a silver structure with curved, textured forms rising upward in a spiral shape. The trophy features an outline of the map of Iraq engraved towards the bottom, while it is topped by a stylised silver football. Its base is circular and bears an engraved plaque displaying the competition’s logo.
Individual awards
After each round of matches, fans vote for the 'Player of the Round' from a five-man shortlist posted on the Iraq Stars League's social media channels, while 'Player of the Month' and 'Manager of the Month' awards are handed out at the end of each month, selected by a panel of experts. At the end of each season, the 'Golden Boot' is awarded to the top scorer, while the 'Player of the Season' is selected by an expert panel and the 'Goal of the Season' is voted for by fans.
The all-time Iraqi top-flight table is a cumulative record of all match results, points and goals of every club that has played in the Iraqi top division since its nationwide club era began in 1974. The table that follows is accurate as of the end of the 2025–26 season using three points for a win.
Results from the regional stage of the 1988–89 season, the qualifying rounds of the 2000–01 season, and any annulled results from other seasons are not included in the all-time table.
Teams in bold competed in the Iraq Stars League in the 2026–27 season. Numbers in bold are the highest values in each column.
↑"Arbil favourites to retain crown". FIFA.com. 18 October 2012. Archived from the original on 3 February 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
12"Roll of honour". Asian Football Confederation. 21 February 2011. Archived from the original on 23 May 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
↑"Asian Cup Winner's Cup". Asian Football Confederation. 28 April 1999. Archived from the original on 28 April 1999. Retrieved 19 June 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
↑Al-Adhari, Mundher (8 September 2013). "نهايات مثيرة للدوري العراقي" (in Arabic). Kooora. Archived from the original on 19 June 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
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