2025–26 Iraq Stars League
| Season | 2025–26 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 13 September 2025 – 2 June 2026 |
| Champions | Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (8th title) |
| Relegated | Amanat Baghdad Al-Najaf Al-Qasim |
| AFC Champions League Elite | Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya |
| AFC Champions League Two | Al-Shorta |
| GFF Gulf Club Champions League | Erbil Al-Zawraa |
| Matches | 380 |
| Goals | 932 (2.45 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Sherzod Temirov (28 goals) |
| Biggest home win | Zakho 4–0 Newroz (4 October 2025) Al-Karma 4–0 Al-Kahrabaa (25 October 2025) Al-Minaa 4–0 Amanat Baghdad (21 April 2026) |
| Biggest away win | Al-Qasim 1–7 Al-Shorta (8 January 2026) |
| Highest scoring | Al-Qasim 1–7 Al-Shorta (8 January 2026) |
| Longest winning run | 11 matches Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya |
| Longest unbeaten run | 24 matches Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya |
| Longest winless run | 38 matches Al-Qasim |
| Longest losing run | 26 matches Al-Qasim |
← 2024–25 2026–27 → | |
The 2025–26 Iraq Stars League was the 52nd season of the highest tier football league in Iraq since its establishment in 1974, and the third season since launching as a professional league under the name Iraq Stars League.[1] The season started on 13 September 2025 and ended on 2 June 2026, with the relegation play-off held from 8–13 June 2026.[2]
Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya won the league title for the eighth time, securing the title with a 2–0 win away to Naft Maysan in the penultimate round of the season. Four-time defending champions Al-Shorta finished as runners-up, with Erbil securing third place.
Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya equalled the league record of eleven consecutive matches won (first achieved by Al-Shorta in the 1997–98 season) on their way to the title.[3]
Overview
20 teams competed in the 2025–26 Iraq Stars League: 17 teams from the previous season,[4] as well as Al-Mosul, Al-Gharraf and Amanat Baghdad who were promoted from the 2024–25 Iraqi Premier Division League, replacing Naft Al-Basra, Al-Hudood and Karbala who were relegated.[5] Al-Mosul returned to the top flight after a 14-year absence, while Amanat Baghdad returned after a one-year absence. Al-Gharraf played in the top flight for the first time in history this season.[6]
Teams

Clubs and locations
Managerial changes
| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in the table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al-Qasim | Resigned | 16 September 2025 | 20th | 23 September 2025 | ||
| Duhok | Mutual consent | 23 September 2025 | 18th | 14 October 2025 | ||
| Al-Zawraa | Mutual consent | 6 October 2025 | 16th | 11 October 2025 | ||
| Naft Maysan | Mutual consent | 7 October 2025 | 15th | 13 October 2025 | ||
| Al-Karma | Sacked | 13 October 2025 | 8th | 13 October 2025 | ||
| Al-Najaf | Sacked | 15 October 2025 | 19th | 15 October 2025 | ||
| Newroz | Sacked | 26 October 2025 | 16th | 28 October 2025 | ||
| Al-Kahrabaa | Resigned | 26 October 2025 | 19th | 28 October 2025 | ||
| Al-Talaba | Mutual consent | 8 November 2025 | 11th | 28 November 2025 | ||
| Amanat Baghdad | Resigned | 9 November 2025 | 15th | 28 November 2025 | ||
| Al-Najaf | Resigned | 24 January 2026 | 19th | 25 January 2026 | ||
| Al-Qasim | Sacked | 26 January 2026 | 20th | 1 February 2026 | ||
| Al-Mosul | Sacked | 28 January 2026 | 15th | 28 January 2026 | ||
| Zakho | Sacked | 13 February 2026 | 8th | 13 February 2026 | ||
| Al-Najaf | Resigned | 20 February 2026 | 19th | 3 March 2026 | ||
| Al-Minaa | Resigned | 22 February 2026 | 15th | 27 February 2026 | ||
| Al-Zawraa | Mutual consent | 24 February 2026 | 6th | 25 February 2026 | ||
| Naft Maysan | Sacked | 24 February 2026 | 17th | 25 February 2026 | ||
| Al-Karma | Sacked | 2 March 2026 | 3rd | 3 March 2026 | ||
| Amanat Baghdad | Resigned | 7 March 2026 | 15th | 7 March 2026 | ||
| Al-Qasim | Resigned | 11 March 2026 | 20th | 11 March 2026 | ||
| Duhok | Resigned | 19 March 2026 | 9th | 19 March 2026 | ||
| Al-Gharraf | Resigned | 20 March 2026 | 10th | 23 March 2026 | ||
| Al-Najaf | Resigned | 5 April 2026 | 19th | 5 April 2026 | ||
| Al-Shorta | Mutual consent | 27 April 2026 | 2nd | 27 April 2026 | ||
| Al-Kahrabaa | Resigned | 28 April 2026 | 17th | 28 April 2026 | ||
| Al-Karma | Sacked | 1 May 2026 | 6th | 2 May 2026 | ||
| Zakho | Resigned | 16 May 2026 | 8th | 18 May 2026 |
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (C) | 38 | 27 | 8 | 3 | 62 | 28 | +34 | 89 | Qualification for the AFC Champions League Elite league stage |
| 2 | Al-Shorta | 38 | 25 | 7 | 6 | 71 | 29 | +42 | 82 | Qualification for the AFC Champions League Two group stage |
| 3 | Erbil | 38 | 23 | 10 | 5 | 59 | 32 | +27 | 79 | Qualification for the GFF Gulf Club Champions League group stage |
| 4 | Al-Zawraa | 38 | 17 | 15 | 6 | 50 | 32 | +18 | 66 | |
| 5 | Al-Karma | 38 | 17 | 14 | 7 | 53 | 26 | +27 | 65[a] | |
| 6 | Al-Talaba | 38 | 18 | 11 | 9 | 53 | 38 | +15 | 65[a] | |
| 7 | Al-Karkh | 38 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 51 | 41 | +10 | 60 | |
| 8 | Newroz | 38 | 16 | 6 | 16 | 48 | 47 | +1 | 54 | |
| 9 | Zakho | 38 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 49 | 45 | +4 | 53 | |
| 10 | Duhok | 38 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 44 | 45 | −1 | 50 | |
| 11 | Al-Naft | 38 | 11 | 15 | 12 | 33 | 34 | −1 | 48[b] | |
| 12 | Diyala | 38 | 13 | 9 | 16 | 39 | 46 | −7 | 48[b] | |
| 13 | Al-Mosul | 38 | 11 | 14 | 13 | 46 | 49 | −3 | 47 | |
| 14 | Al-Gharraf | 38 | 11 | 11 | 16 | 40 | 43 | −3 | 44 | |
| 15 | Al-Minaa | 38 | 10 | 12 | 16 | 41 | 47 | −6 | 42[c] | |
| 16 | Naft Maysan | 38 | 11 | 9 | 18 | 46 | 58 | −12 | 42[c] | |
| 17 | Al-Kahrabaa | 38 | 12 | 5 | 21 | 47 | 56 | −9 | 41 | |
| 18 | Amanat Baghdad (R) | 38 | 10 | 7 | 21 | 47 | 68 | −21 | 37 | Qualification for the relegation play-off |
| 19 | Al-Najaf (R) | 38 | 7 | 4 | 27 | 33 | 70 | −37 | 25 | Relegation to the Iraqi Premier Division League |
| 20 | Al-Qasim (R) | 38 | 0 | 5 | 33 | 20 | 98 | −78 | 5 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Goal difference; 5) Number of goals scored; 6) Number of wins.
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Notes:
- 1 2 Al-Karma finished ahead of Al-Talaba on overall goal difference: Al-Karma +27, Al-Talaba +15. The two teams were tied on head-to-head points and goal difference: Al-Karma 1–1 Al-Talaba, Al-Talaba 1–1 Al-Karma.
- 1 2 Al-Naft finished ahead of Diyala on overall goal difference: Al-Naft –1, Diyala –7. The two teams were tied on head-to-head points and goal difference: Al-Naft 2–1 Diyala, Diyala 1–0 Al-Naft.
- 1 2 Al-Minaa finished ahead of Naft Maysan on head-to-head goal difference: Naft Maysan 1–3 Al-Minaa, Al-Minaa 0–1 Naft Maysan.
Results
Relegation play-off
The 18th-placed team in the Stars League competed in a two-legged play-off with the winner of the play-out round between the 3rd and 4th-placed teams from the Premier Division League for a place in next season's Stars League. If the tie ended in a draw on aggregate, there would be no extra time played and the game would go straight to a penalty shootout.[19]
| Amanat Baghdad | 0–1 | Karbala |
|---|---|---|
| Turky |
| Karbala | 1–0 | Amanat Baghdad |
|---|---|---|
| Kadiri |
Karbala won 2–0 on aggregate.
Karbala are promoted to Iraq Stars League, while Amanat Baghdad are relegated to the Iraqi Premier Division League.
Season statistics
Top scorers
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Erbil | 28 | |
| 2 | Al-Mosul | 20 | |
| 3 | Duhok | 19 | |
| 4 | Al-Karkh | 18 | |
| 5 | Al-Gharraf | 17 | |
| Al-Shorta |
Hat-tricks
| Player | For | Against | Result | Date | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al-Shorta | Al-Karkh | 3–0 (H) | 20 November 2025 | [20] | |
| Al-Gharraf | Amanat Baghdad | 3–2 (H) | 26 January 2026 | [21] | |
| Al-Kahrabaa | Amanat Baghdad | 5–0 (A) | 22 February 2026 | [22] | |
| Erbil | Al-Minaa | 3–2 (H) | 13 March 2026 | [23] | |
| Al-Minaa | Amanat Baghdad | 4–0 (H) | 21 April 2026 | [24] | |
| Al-Mosul | Diyala | 4–0 (A) | 26 April 2026 | [25] | |
| Al-Karkh | Al-Najaf | 5–2 (A) | 20 May 2026 | [26] |
- Notes
4 Player scored 4 goals
(H) – Home team
(A) – Away team
Awards
Manager of the Month
| Month | Manager | Team | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| October | Erbil | [27] | |
| November | Al-Mosul | [28] | |
| December | Duhok | [29] | |
| January | Al-Karma | [30] | |
| February | Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya | [31] | |
| March | Newroz | [32] | |
| April | Al-Zawraa | [33] | |
| May | Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya | [34] |
References
- ↑ "الدوري العراقي ينطلق في 13 سبتمبر" (in Arabic). Al-Khaleej. 25 August 2025.
- ↑ "تحديد موعد انطلاق الموسم الجديد لدوري نجوم العراق حيث سينطلق بتاريخ ٢٠٢٥/٩/١٣ وينتهي ٢٠٢٦/٦/١ " (in Arabic). IQ Pro Players. 19 June 2025.
- ↑ "أنهى احتكار نادي الشرطة.. القوة الجوية يستعيد لقب الدوري العراقي" (in Arabic). Al-Araby. 28 May 2026.
- ↑ "الدوري العراقي يعزز قوته بـ7 نجوم من منتخب الأردن المتأهل لكأس العالم" (in Arabic). Al-Jazeera. 10 August 2025.
- ↑ "رئيس الوزراء يهنئ ناديي الموصل والغراف لتأهلهما إلى دوري نجوم العراق" (in Arabic). INA. 6 July 2025.
- ↑ "دوري نجوم العراق.. 5 معلومات قبل انطلاق الموسم الجديد" (in Arabic). Al-Ain. 21 August 2025.
- ↑ "صراع تدريبي بين مدارس مختلفة في الدوري العراقي" (in Arabic). Al-Khaleej. 26 August 2025.
- ↑ "الاستئناف تحسم الجدل.. النجف خاسراً أمام الكهرباء وغرامات بالملايين الدنانير" (in Arabic). Shafaq. 3 May 2026.
- ↑ "بقرار تحكيمي.. الموصل يفوز على القاسم بثلاثية نظيفة في ختام دوري النجوم" (in Arabic). Shafaq News. 1 June 2026.
- ↑ "نادي النجف يعلن عن كسب قرار الاستئناف بخصوص مباراتهم مع نفط البصرة وكسبهم ثلاثديالى يتصدر الدوري العراقي بقرار من لجنة الانضباط" (in Arabic). Al-Khaleej. 9 October 2025.
- ↑ "الانضباط تعد الطلبة خاسراً أمام النفط 0-3" (in Arabic). Iraqi Media Network. 29 September 2025.
- ↑ "الانضباط تعد نادي القاسم خاسراً أمام النجف ضمن دوري النجوم" (in Arabic). Shafaq. 10 February 2026.
- ↑ "لعدم وجود بدلاء.. الحكم ينهي مباراة القاسم والكهرباء في الدوري العراقي" (in Arabic). Erem News. 23 December 2025.
- ↑ "بأمر لجنة الانضباط.. ديالى خاسر أمام الشرطة في دوري نجوم العراق" (in Arabic). Shafaq. 27 February 2026.
- ↑ "بسبب المحترفين.. أربيل "خاسراً" أمام نادي أمانة بغداد في دوري النجوم" (in Arabic). Shafaq. 4 February 2026.
- ↑ "زاخو يخسر بثلاثية أمام أمانة بغداد بقرار انضباطي" (in Arabic). Shafaq. 5 April 2026.
- ↑ "لجنة الانضباط تقرر فوز الميناء على ديالى" (in Arabic). Al-Khaleej. 19 November 2025.
- ↑ "لجنة الانضباط تؤكد: لقب دوري نجوم العراق لم يحسم بعد وتعديل نتيجة نفط ميسان يعيد الحسابات" (in Arabic). Ashour Land. 21 May 2026.
- ↑ "دوري نجوم العراق 2025- 2026.. موسم جديد بتقنيات أوروبية ووداع لعقد الأزمات" (in Arabic). Obersever Iraq. 25 August 2025.
- ↑ "قبل موقعة الهلال.. أتيبا يقود الشرطة العراقي لإسقاط الكرخ" (in Arabic). Kooora. 20 November 2025.
- ↑ "نجوم العراق.. الغراف يهزم أمانة بغداد بـ"هاتريك" من ركلات الجزاء" (in Arabic). Shafaq. 26 January 2026.
- ↑ "دوري النجوم.. نادي الكهرباء يصعق أمانة بغداد بخماسية" (in Arabic). Shafaq. 22 February 2026.
- ↑ "الزوراء يتعادل مع نفط ميسان وأربيل يتغلب على الميناء بدوري النجوم" (in Arabic). Iraqi News Agency. 13 March 2026.
- ↑ "الميناء يهزم أمانة بغداد برباعية نظيفة في دوري نجوم العراق" (in Arabic). Alssaa. 21 April 2026.
- ↑ "دوري النجوم.. أمانة بغداد يخطف تعادلاً قاتلاً من الزوراء والموصل يقسو على ديالى" (in Arabic). Shafaq. 26 April 2026.
- ↑ "الكرخ يهزم النجف ونوروز يقلب النتيجة على زاخو والميناء يتجاوز الموصل في دوري النجوم" (in Arabic). Iraqi News Agency. 20 May 2026.
- ↑ "باسم قاسم يُتوج بلقب مدرب شهر أكتوبر" (in Arabic). Iraq Stars League. 5 November 2025.
- ↑ "مدرب الموصل جاسب سلطان.. بصمة فنية تحصد لقب الأفضل في نوفمبر" (in Arabic). Iraq Stars League. 7 December 2025.
- ↑ "عبد الغني شهد يُتوج بجائزة أفضل مدرب لشهر ديسمبر" (in Arabic). Iraq Stars League. 2 January 2026.
- ↑ "أنطونيو كازورلا يتوَّج بجائزة مدرب الشهر، بعد انتصارات متتالية وضعت فريقه في الصدارة" (in Arabic). Iraq Stars League. 30 January 2026.
- ↑ "مدرب القوة الجوية رشيد جابر يتوج بلقب مدرب الشهر" (in Arabic). Iraq Stars League. 1 March 2026.
- ↑ "مدرب نوروز ولي كريم يتوج بلقب مدرب الشهر" (in Arabic). Iraq Stars League. 2 April 2026.
- ↑ "مدرب الزوراء لؤي صلاح يتوج بلقب مدرب الشهر " (in Arabic). Iraq Stars League. 1 May 2026.
- ↑ "بعد تعادلهما في عدد مرات الفوز.. فارق الأهداف المسجلة يرجّح كفة رشيد على صلاح" (in Arabic). Iraq Stars League. 1 June 2026.
External links
- Official website (in Arabic)
- Iraq Football Association