Iraqi Premier League
 | |
| Country |
 Iraq |
|---|---|
| Confederation | AFC |
| Founded | August 1974 |
| Number of teams | 20 (from 2014–15) |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Relegation to | Iraq Division One |
| Domestic cup(s) | Iraq FA Cup |
| International cup(s) | AFC Cup |
| Current champions |
Naft Al-Wasat (1st title) (2014–15) |
| Most championships |
Al-Zawraa (12 titles) |
 2015–16 Iraqi Premier League | |
The Iraqi Premier League (Arabic: دوري النخبة العراقي, Dawri Al-Nokhba) is the highest league in the league system of Iraqi football and currently contains the top 20 Iraqi football clubs. It was founded in 1974 and is controlled by the Iraq Football Federation. The Iraqi Premier League is the top tier of an extensive pyramid-like structure, operating on a system of promotion and relegation with the Iraq Division One in which two teams get relegated and two teams get promoted each season.[1]
Seasons run from September to June, with the 20 teams split into two groups of 10. Each team plays each other home and away in their respective groups, with the top 4 from each group advancing to the final round, which is an 8-team group. Each of the eight teams play each other twice and the team who tops the group is crowned champions.[2] There are 236 games played in total each season. It is currently sponsored by Fuchs and thus officially known as the Fuchs Premier League.
Of the 73 teams to have competed since the inception of the league in 1974, 11 have won the title: Al-Zawraa (12), Al-Shorta (5), Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (5), Al-Talaba (5), Erbil (4), Al-Karkh (3), Naft Al-Wasat (1), Duhok (1), Al-Jaish (1), Salahaddin (1) and Al-Minaa (1). The current champions are Naft Al-Wasat, who won the title in 2014–15.[3]
History
Origins
The Iraq Football Association was founded in 1948, and soon after the foundation of the IFA, the first league was ever played in Iraq: the 1948–49 Iraq Championship. This was played in a group stage format and was won by Sharakat Nafat Al-Basra (Basra Petroleum Company). The Iraq FA Cup Championship ran from 1956 to 1961 but was played in a knockout format despite being considered the national championship.[4]
It wasn't until the "League of the Institutes of Baghdad" was created in 1961 that a league with a round-robin format was first played in Iraq. The introduction of this new league saw club football in Iraq become more popular and the clubs involved become much bigger. During its 12 seasons of existence, Al-Shorta won 5 titles, Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya won 3 titles, Baghdad FC won 2 titles, Al-Jaish won 1 title and one season was abandoned midway through.[5]
In 1973, the "League of the Institutes of Baghdad" became the "League of the Institutes of Iraq" as teams from all around the country were allowed to participate. 15 teams contested the 1973–74 season, and it was won by Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya.
Foundation
After the success of the 1973–74 League of the Institutes of Iraq, the IFA made a decision that changed the course of Iraqi club football forever. During an historic meeting in August 1974, the IFA decided to abandon the League of the Institutes and replace it with a nationwide league of clubs: the Iraqi Premier League. This decision was met with strong opposition, particularly from institutions such as the Police Games Directorate (PGD), who controlled the Al-Shorta club. As a result, the PGD sent a weak Al-Shorta team, full of unknown faces, to participate in the first ever Iraqi Premier League season. However, after suffering 3–0 and 11–0 defeats in their opening two games, the IFA and the PGD held talks and it was decided that all players from the side would be released, and replaced by players who had previously been representing Al-Shorta in the League of the Institutes era, and the club returned to being a powerhouse of Iraqi club football.
The league held its first season in 1974–75 and was originally composed of 10 clubs. The first ever Iraqi Premier League goal was scored by Falah Hassan of Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya in a 1–1 draw with Al-Sinaa. The 10 inaugural members of the new Iraqi Premier League were Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, Al-Shorta, Al-Naqil, Al-Samawa, Al-Jaish, Babil, Baghdad FC, Al-Rafidain, Al-Sinaa and Al-Muwasalat, and the league was won by Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya.[6] In the 1975–76 season, Raad Hammoudi became the first goalkeeper to score in the Iraqi Premier League when he scored a penalty in Al-Shorta's 5–0 win over Al-Samawa.[7]
Development
The format of the Iraqi League has changed multiple times throughout its existence. The first time that the Iraqi League was not held in the normal league format was when it was split into 4 regional groups in the 1988–89 season, which were followed by another group stage, semi-finals, a third place match and a final. During this season, if a match ended in a draw, it would go to extra time and then penalties if necessary. A team would earn 3 points if they won a game by 2 goals or more (after normal or extra time). They would earn 2 points if they won a game by just 1 goal (after normal or extra time), and they would gain 1 point for winning a penalty shootout. Al-Rasheed (now Al-Karkh) won the league this season by beating Al-Talaba on penalties in the final.[8]
In the 1986–87 season, each team played each other four times in a quadruple round-robin format; this is the only time that this has happened in the league's history. The 1992–93 Iraqi League saw each team play a huge 69 games as each team played each other three times, meaning that a total of 828 games were played in that season. Each player was only allowed to play 46 games in the season. The season afterwards, the number of teams increased by 2, but each team played each other just twice rather than three times meaning that each team played 50 games rather than 69.
In the 1994–95 season, three points were awarded to a winning team, but 4 points were awarded to a team that won a game by 3 goals or more in order to encourage attacking football. Al-Zawraa won the league that year, finishing 13 points ahead of second place; each team played 46 games that season.[9]
Two seasons have had to be abandoned midway through without a winner being declared. These seasons are the 1984–85 and 2003–04 seasons. The 1984–85 season was abandoned due to Iraq's World Cup qualifying campaign, whilst the 2003–04 season was abandoned due to the 2003 US invasion of Iraq. Meanwhile, the 2013–14 season was not completed either due to the war situation in the country at the time. However, crucially, the IFA decided to 'end the league at its current stage' rather than abandoning the league altogether, crowning Al-Shorta as champions for the fifth time as they were top of the league at its premature end.[10][11] A similar situation occurred in the 1976–77 and 2002–03 seasons as the league was not completed both times, but instead the IFA decided to abandon the second half of the league and crowned whoever was top of the league at the halfway stage champions in both cases, meaning that Al-Zawraa were crowned champions of the 1976–77 season and Al-Shorta were crowned champions of the 2002–03 season.
The league had been played in the normal league format from 1989 until 2003, but after the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, the IFA decided to change the league system into a system consisting of group stages. The group stage system remained in place from 2003–04 up until 2010–11, and the normal league system returned in the 2011–12 season; it lasted for three seasons until the group stage format returned from the 2014–15 campaign.
Controversies
In the 1980–81 season, Al-Shorta managed to defeat Al-Zawraa 3–0 in their final match, which was exactly the result they needed in order retain their title and be crowned champions for the second time. They finished the season on equal points and equal goal difference with Al-Talaba but more goals scored and therefore expected to be given the trophy. However, the Iraqi FA did not officially announce who the champion was until the next day when they announced that Al-Talaba were the champions due to having won more matches than Al-Shorta. This rule had never been used before and was never used again, and the decision astonished everybody. Many Al-Shorta fans claimed there was a conspiracy against their club.
In the 1982–83 season, the two half-brothers of Saddam Hussein (Barzan Ibrahim and Watban Ibrahim) took control of the Salahaddin club, who had never won the league or cup in its history at that point. They became title challengers that season and the Ibrahims were accused of using their influence to intimidate opposition teams and cause referees to make deliberately incorrect decisions which favoured Salahaddin, such as when they were awarded a goal against Al-Shorta despite the ball not crossing the line which allowed them to win 1–0. Salahaddin needed to draw their final match of the season in order to win the league title, so the match was moved to their home in Tikrit rather than being played in Baghdad as scheduled. Salahaddin's opponents had two goals disallowed by the referee that game. They finished the season as champions without a single loss in the league.
The following season, it is believed that Saddam Hussein's son-in-law, Hussein Kamel, instructed the president of the Iraqi FA to ensure that Al-Jaish (Army Club) would win their first league title, in order to boost the morale of the Iraqi Army. Players were reportedly blackmailed into joining Al-Jaish in order to increase the quality of the team. If Al-Jaish were losing at 90 minutes, referees would add on significant amounts of stoppage time to allow them to tie the game. In the final game of the season, their opponents were given two red cards which allowed Al-Jaish to win the match and therefore win the title. They also finished the season without a single loss in the league.
After this season, Uday Hussein, the son of Saddam Hussein, established a new club called Al-Rasheed (now known as Al-Karkh) and placed them straight into the second division and they were promoted to the top division in their first season. Uday was able to transfer nearly every single player from the national team into Al-Rasheed, with the exception of Raad Hammoudi and Hussein Saeed, leading to Al-Rasheed dominating Iraqi football in the late 1980s. They won three consecutive league titles in 1986–87, 1987–88 and 1988–89.
In the 1991–92 season, Al-Zawraa played against Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya on the last day of the season. If Al-Zawraa won or drew the match, they would be champions, but if Jawiya won then they would be champions. Jawiya took an early 1–0 lead, but Al-Zawraa managed to get an equaliser in the second half. However, the linesman disallowed the goal due to offside, but this was clearly the incorrect decision. Jawiya won 1–0 and were crowned champions, meaning that incorrect decision deprived Al-Zawraa of the league title.
The 1997–98 season saw one of the most exciting ends to a title race in history. Al-Shorta needed a win against Al-Sulaikh in order to be crowned champions, otherwise Jawiya would win the league. Al-Shorta were losing 2–1 with six minutes remaining. In the 84th minute they managed to get an equaliser through Mafeed Assem's goal, with the referee deeming that the ball had crossed the line despite the goalkeeper managing to parry it away. In what was a similar situation to that of the 1966 FIFA World Cup Final, the lack of a camera on the goalline meant that nobody could tell if the referee got the decision right, although the fact the Al-Sulaikh players barely protested would suggest that the referee was actually correct. Then, in the third minute of stoppage time, the referee awarded Al-Shorta a penalty, which they scored, and therefore they won the league.[12][13]
List of champions
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Most successful clubs
| # | Club | Winners | Runners-up | Winning Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Al-Zawraa | 12 | 6 | (1975–76, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1990–91, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2005–06, 2010–11) |
| 2 | Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya | 5 | 10 | (1974–75, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1996–97, 2004–05) |
| 3 | Al-Talaba | 5 | 8 | (1980–81, 1981–82, 1985–86, 1992–93, 2001–02) |
| 4 | Al-Shorta | 5 | 2 | (1979–80, 1997–98, 2002–03, 2012–13, 2013–14) |
| 5 | Erbil | 4 | 3 | (2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2011–12) |
| 6 | Al-Karkh | 3 | 2 | (1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89) |
| 7 | Al-Jaish | 1 | 2 | (1983–84) |
| 8 | Duhok | 1 | 1 | (2009–10) |
| 9 | Al-Minaa | 1 | 1 | (1977–78) |
| 10 | Naft Al-Wasat | 1 | 0 | (2014–15) |
| 11 | Salahaddin | 1 | 0 | (1982–83) |
"Baghdad's Big Four" dominance
| Season | Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya | Al-Shorta | Al-Talaba | Al-Zawraa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990–91 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 1991–92 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| 1992–93 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 |
| 1993–94 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| 1994–95 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 1 |
| 1995–96 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 1 |
| 1996–97 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| 1997–98 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 3 |
| 1998–99 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| 1999–2000 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| 2000–01 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| 2001–02 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 2002–03 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Top four finishes | 10 | 8 | 11 | 13 |
| out of 13 | ||||
| This table indicates the results of 'Baghdad's Big Four' in the Iraqi League in the 1990s and early 2000s. | ||||
Ever since the Iraqi Premier League began, it has been dominated by the 4 biggest clubs in Baghdad: Al-Shorta, Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, Al-Zawraa and Al-Talaba.
Of the 4 teams, Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya have earned more top-four finishes (30) than any other side over the 39 completed seasons, meanwhile Al-Zawraa have won the league title 12 times, far more than any of the other sides, and Al-Shorta have won the league more recently than any of the other 3 teams having been crowned champions in both the 2012–13 and 2013–14 seasons.
From the 1989–90 season until the 2005–06 season, the league was won by one of the 4 Baghdad teams every single time and this was the greatest period of dominance that the 4 clubs enjoyed. Even before and after this period, the league title was usually won by one the clubs.
After the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, players started to leave the Baghdad-based clubs and join clubs in the North such as Erbil and Duhok in order to escape the danger of the capital city. This led to a shift in the structure of the "Big Four" and Erbil won the league three times in a row between 2007 and 2009 with Duhok winning the league in 2010. In the 2008–09 season, none of Baghdad's Big Four clubs finished in the top 4 and this was the first (and only) time that this had ever happened in the history of the league; the top 4 spots were occupied by Erbil, Najaf, Duhok and Baghdad.[19] The following season, Erbil broke the record for the most consecutive games without conceding a goal which was previously shared by Al-Quwa Al Jawiya and Al-Zawraa, as they went 14 matches in a row without conceding between 16 July 2009 and 20 March 2010.
In total, Baghdad's Big Four clubs have won 27 of the 39 Iraqi Premier League titles in history.
Competition format
Competition
There are 20 clubs in the Iraqi Premier League, split into two groups of 10. The draw for these two groups is conducted in August. In the first group stage round, each team plays the other teams in their group twice (a double round-robin system), once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents, for a total of 18 games. Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, then goal difference, then head-to-head and then goals scored. If still equal, teams are deemed to occupy the same position. If there is a tie for relegation or for qualification to the next round, a play-off match at a neutral venue decides rank. The two teams who finish bottom of their groups are relegated to the Iraq Division One and are replaced by the two promoted teams from the lower division.
The top 4 teams from each group qualify to the final stage, making a total of 8 teams in the final stage. These eight teams play a double round-robin system, with the team on top of the 8-team group at the end of it being crowned champions; the tiebreakers are the same as in the first round.[20] Each club is allowed 4 foreign players in their squad.
Qualification for Asian competitions
The winners of the Iraqi Premier League (and the winners of the Iraq FA Cup) are admitted into the AFC Cup group stage. If the league champions also win the Iraq FA Cup, then the league runners-up are admitted into the AFC Cup instead.
Iraqi Premier League clubs in international competition
Only two Iraqi clubs have ever won a major international club competition. Al-Shorta won the 1982 Arab Champions League by defeating Al-Nejmeh 4–2 on aggregate in the final, meanwhile Al-Rasheed (now Al-Karkh) won the Arab Champions League three times in a row in 1985, 1986 and 1987.
No Iraqi club has ever won an AFC tournament but they have collectively reached six finals of AFC competitions. Al-Shorta and Al-Rasheed are the only Iraqi teams ever to reach the final of Asia's biggest club tournament, the AFC Champions League. Al-Shorta reached the final in 1971 but withdrew from the final against Maccabi Tel-Aviv for political reasons, therefore being handed an automatic 0–2 defeat. Al-Rasheed reached the final in 1989 but lost on away goals to Al-Saad of Qatar.
Al-Talaba lost the final of the 1995 Asian Cup Winners' Cup 1–2 to Bellmare Hiratsuka, and Al-Zawraa lost the final of the 1999–2000 Asian Cup Winners' Cup 0–1 to Shimizu S-Pulse. Meanwhile, Erbil lost both the 2012 AFC Cup and 2014 AFC Cup finals to Al-Kuwait and Al-Qadsia respectively.
Sponsorship
The Iraqi Premier League has been sponsored by two different companies: Asia Cell and Fuchs Petrolub.
- 2011–2012: Asia Cell (Asia Cell Premier League)[21]
- 2015–2016: Fuchs Petrolub (Fuchs Premier League)[22]
Clubs
Seasons in Iraqi Premier League
73 teams have taken part in the Iraqi Premier League since its first season in 1974–75 up until the 2015–16 season. The teams in bold currently compete in the Iraqi Premier League. Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya and Al-Shorta are the only teams to have played in every single one of the 42 Iraqi Premier League seasons.
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Clubs for 2015–16 season
The following 20 clubs are competing in the Iraqi Premier League during the 2015–16 season.
| Club | Position in 2014–151 |
First season in Premier League |
Seasons in Premier League |
First season of current spell in Premier League |
Premier League titles |
Last Premier League title |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al-Hedood | 13th | 2008–09 | 5 | 2014–15 | 0 | n/a |
| Al-Kahraba | 18th | 2004–05 | 11 | 2014–15 | 0 | n/a |
| Al-Karkh | 9th | 1984–85 | 27 | 2013–14 | 3 | 1988–89 |
| Al-Minaa | 4th | 1975–76 | 39 | 1990–91 | 1 | 1977–78 |
| Al-Naftb | 15th | 1985–86 | 31 | 1985–86 | 0 | n/a |
| Al-Quwa Al-Jawiyaa, b | 2nd | 1974–75 | 42 | 1974–75 | 5 | 2004–05 |
| Al-Samawaa | 1st in Iraq Division 1 | 1974–75 | 13 | 2015–16 | 0 | n/a |
| Al-Shortaa, b | 3rd | 1974–75 | 42 | 1974–75 | 5 | 2013–14 |
| Al-Sinaaa | 2nd in Iraq Division 1 | 1974–75 | 37 | 2015–16 | 0 | n/a |
| Al-Talabab | 10th | 1975–76 | 41 | 1975–76 | 5 | 2001–02 |
| Al-Zawraab | 8th | 1975–76 | 41 | 1975–76 | 12 | 2010–11 |
| Baghdada | 5th | 1974–75 | 222 | 2008–09 | 0 | n/a |
| Duhok | 7th | 1988–89 | 19 | 1998–99 | 1 | 2009–10 |
| Erbil | 11th | 1987–88 | 24.53 | 1999–2000 | 4 | 2011–12 |
| Karbalaa | 16th | 1992–93 | 18 | 2003–04 | 0 | n/a |
| Naft Al-Janoob | 6th | 2004–05 | 11 | 2012–13 | 0 | n/a |
| Naft Al-Wasatb | 1st | 2014–15 | 2 | 2014–15 | 1 | 2014–15 |
| Naft Maysan | 12th | 2009–10 | 5 | 2013–14 | 0 | n/a |
| Najafb | 17th | 1987–88 | 29 | 1987–88 | 0 | n/a |
| Zakho | 14th | 2002–03 | 12 | 2009–10 | 0 | n/a |
a: Founding member of the Iraqi Premier League
b: Never been relegated from Iraqi Premier League
League records
- Titles
- Most titles: 12, Al-Zawraa
- Most consecutive title wins: 3 – joint record:
- Biggest title-winning margin: 17 points, 1995–96; Al-Zawraa (55 points) over Najaf (38 points)
- Smallest title-winning margin: 0 points and 2 wins – 1980–81; Al-Talaba (8 wins) over Al-Shorta (6 wins). Both finished on 17 points and +14 goal difference, but Al-Talaba won the title due to having won two more games than Al-Shorta.
- Wins
- Losses
- Most losses in a season: 52, Sulaymaniya (1992–93)
- Fewest losses in a season: 0 – joint record:
- Draws
- Goals
- Most goals scored in a season: 134, Al-Zawraa (1992–93)
- Fewest goals scored in a season: 1 – joint record:
- Most goals conceded in a season: 162, Sulaymaniya (1992–93)
- Fewest goals conceded in a season: 5 – joint record:
- Most consecutive matches without conceding a goal: 14, Erbil (16 July 2009 – 20 March 2010)
- Best goal difference in a season: 96, Al-Talaba (1992–93)
- Most goals scored in a season by a relegated team: 74, Karbalaa (1994–95)
- Fewest failures to score in a match in a season: 0 (scored in every game) – joint record:
- Points
- Most points in a season: 120, Al-Zawraa (1994–95)
- Fewest points in a season: 1 – joint record:
- Most points in a season without winning the league: 107 – joint record:
- Fewest points in a season while winning the league: 17, Al-Talaba (1980–81)
- Most points in a season while being relegated: 64, Diyala (1994–95)
Player records
- Appearances
- Youngest player: Amjad Kalaf, 13 years and 101 days (for Al-Kut v. Al-Basra, 14 January 2005)
- Goals
- First Premier League goal: Falah Hassan (for Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya v. Al-Sinaa, 4 October 1974)
- Most Premier League goals: Sahib Abbas (175)
- Most goals in a season: 36, Younis Abid Ali (1993–94)
- Fastest goal: 7 seconds, Alaa Abdul-Sattar (for Al-Zawraa v. Al-Kadhimiya, 25 January 2002)
- First non-Iraqi player to score a hat-trick: Jean Michel N'Lend (for Al-Shorta v. Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, 18 November 2012)
- First goalkeeper to score a goal: Raad Hammoudi (for Al-Shorta v. Al-Samawa, 1975–76)
- All-time top goalscorers
| Player | Period | Club(s) | Goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sahib Abbas |
1994–2011 | Salahaddin, Al-Zawraa, Al-Talaba, Karbalaa, Al-Sinaa, Al-Hindiya | 175 |
| 2 | .svg.png){kind=small} Karim Saddam |
1980–1996 | Al-Sinaa, Al-Jaish, Al-Rasheed, Al-Zawraa, Al-Shorta | 165 |
| 3 | .svg.png){kind=small} Ali Hashim |
1987–2004 | Najaf, Al-Karkh | 162 |
| 4 | Younis Abid Ali |
1982–2001 | Al-Shorta, Al-Rasheed, Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, Al-Difaa Al-Jawiya | 153 |
| 5 | Ahmed Radhi |
1982–1999 | Al-Zawraa, Al-Rasheed | 136 |
| 6 | Alaa Kadhim |
1987–2007 | Al-Sinaa, Al-Talaba | 134 |
| 7 | Amjad Radhi |
2007–2015 | Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, Erbil | 116 |
| 8 | Ahmed Khudhair |
1994–2012 | Al-Zawraa, Al-Jaish, Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, Al-Shorta, Duhok, Al-Talaba | 115 |
| 9 | Waleed Dhahid |
1991–2007 | Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya | 112 |
| 10 | Natik Hashim |
1978–1995 | Al-Amana, Al-Jaish, Al-Rasheed, Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, Al-Khutoot | 110 |
- Golden Boot award
%3B_Flag_of_Syria_(1963-1972).svg.png){kind=small}
Match records
- Scorelines
- Biggest win: Al-Naqil 11–0 Al-Shorta (12 October 1974)
Managerial records
- Medals
- Most Premier League winners' medals: 3 – joint record:
- Thair Ahmed (with Erbil and Al-Talaba)
- Jamal Salih (with Al-Rasheed and Al-Talaba)
- List of winning managers
See also
- All-time Iraqi Premier League table
- Baghdad derby (Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya–Al Shorta)
- Baghdad derby (Al Shorta–Al-Talaba)
- Baghdad derby (Al Shorta–Al-Zawraa)
- Iraqi clubs in the AFC Club Competitions
References
- ↑ http://www.goalzz.com/main.aspx?c=11428 Goalzz.com
- ↑ http://alshorta.webs.com/iraqi-premier-league-tables Al Shorta Website
- ↑ http://www.goalzz.com/main.aspx?g=305&winners=true Goalzz.com
- ↑ http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/iraqchamp.html RSSSF
- ↑ http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/iraqhist.html RSSSF
- ↑ http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/iraq74.html RSSSF
- ↑ http://forum.kooora.com/f.aspx?t=35561511 Kooora Forums
- ↑ http://forum.kooora.com/f.aspx?t=35755825 Kooora Forums
- ↑ http://www.niiiis.com/94-95.html NIIIIS.com
- ↑ http://alshorta.webs.com/2013-14-season-review Al Shorta Website
- ↑ http://www.kooora.com/default.aspx?c=9566
- ↑ IraqSport
- ↑ Kooora Forums
- ↑ The 2002/3 season was cut short due to hostilities, with Al Shorta declared winners
- ↑ The crowd watched in bright sunshine, as the Iraqi champions al-Shurta edged their rivals by one goal
- ↑ Soccer fans in Baghdad watch a match between national champions Al Shurta and fourth-placed Al-Zawra in the first football match since the downfall of Saddam Hussein
- ↑ Baghdad club Al-Zawraa were beaten by defending champion Al-Shurta, 2-1
- ↑ Police won the last league championship last year. Al-Zawra placed fourth in that championship
- ↑ http://www.goalzz.com/main.aspx?c=4070 Goalzz.com
- ↑ http://alshorta.webs.com/iraqi-premier-league-tables
- ↑ http://www.goalzz.com/main.aspx?c=7781 Goalzz.com
- ↑ http://www.goalzz.com/main.aspx?c=11428 Goalzz.com
- ↑ Al-Jaish withdrew at the halfway stage of the 1990–91 season, but their results were not annulled.
- ↑ Erbil withdrew at the halfway stage of the 1990–91 season, but their results were not annulled.
- ↑ Duhok withdrew from the first stage of the 2015–16 season after 12 games, but their results from their first 9 games (half of the group stage) were not annulled.
- ↑ Al-Bahri withdrew at the halfway stage of the 1990–91 season, but their results were not annulled.
- ↑ Zeravani withdrew at the halfway stage of the 2009–10 season, but their results were not annulled.
- ↑ The Iraq youth team played the second half of the 1990–91 season after the withdrawals of Al-Jaish, Al-Bahri and Erbil but they did not adopt the results of any of the withdrawing teams, so this counts as half a season. They also played the second half of the 1993–94 season after the withdrawal of Babil, but they adopted the results that Babil achieved during the first half of the season meaning that this counts as a full season; therefore overall they have participated in 1.5 seasons.
External links
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