Iraq - List of Champions

Baghdad League (Iraq FA League for the Baghdad region)

The Iraq FA was formed in 1948 with a central Football Association in Baghdad and branches in the provinces of Kirkuk and Basra and there were leagues in each of these provinces. The winners below are from the Baghdad League (short for its official name, Iraq FA League for the Baghdad region). The league started on November 5, 1948.

In 1956 the format of the Baghdad League was changed to a cup competition. In 1961 it returned to a league format. However, from 1948 to 1973 it was the same competition.

League Format
1948/49   Kuliya Al-Askariya
1949/50   Haris Al-Maliki
1950/51   Haris Al-Maliki
1951/52   Haris Al-Maliki
1952/53   Haris Al-Maliki
1953/54   Haris Al-Maliki
1954/55   Haris Al-Maliki
1955/56   Haris Al-Maliki
NB: in 1949 an additional national tournament was held involving the best
    sides from Baghdad, Kirkuk and Basra, won by Sharakat Nafat Al-Basra.
Cup Format (aka Iraqi FA Cup Championship)
1956/57   Al-Maslaha Naqil Al-Rakab 
1957/58   Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 
1958/59   Amana Al-Asama 
1959/60   Nadi Athori                      [aka Assyrian SC]
1960/61   Al-Maslaha Naqil Al-Rakab 
NB: see also FA Cup tournament after 1972.
League of the Institutes (Dawr Al-Nadi wa Muassasat) of Baghdad
1961/62   Al-Quwa Al-Jawia 
1962/63   Madrasa Al-Shurta
1963/64   Al-Quwa Al-Jawia 
1964/65   Al-Maslaha Naqil Al-Rakab 
1965/66   Al-Farqa Al-Thalatha
1966/67     abandoned after Six-Day War in June 1967  
1967/68   Aliyat Al-Shurta
1968/69   Aliyat Al-Shurta           
1969/70   Aliyat Al-Shurta
1970/71   Al-Maslaha Naqil Al-Rakab 
1971/72   Aliyat Al-Shurta
1972/73   Al-Tayaran (= Al-Quwa Al-Jawia)

League of the Institutes (Dawr Al-Nadi wa Muassasat) of Iraq 1973/74

1973/74   Al-Tayaran

For detailed information on the changes between the 1973/74 and 1974/75 seasons, see Changes of August 1974 and Mergers and Name Changes before the 1974/75 Season.

League of Iraqi Clubs

1974/75   Al-Tayaran
1975/76   Al-Zawra
1976/77   Al-Zawra
1977/78   Al-Mina
1978/79   Al-Zawra
1979/80   Al-Shurta
1980/81   Al-Talaba
1981/82   Al-Talaba
1982/83   Salah-Al-Deen
1983/84   Al-Jaish 
1984/85     abandoned
1985/86   Al-Talaba
1986/87   Al-Rasheed
1987/88   Al-Rasheed
1988/89   Al-Rasheed
1989/90   Al-Tayaran
1990/91   Al-Zawra
1991/92   Al-Quwa Al-Jawia 
1992/93   Al-Talaba 
1993/94   Al-Zawra
1994/95   Al-Zawra
1995/96   Al-Zawra
1996/97   Al-Quwa Al-Jawia 
1997/98   Al-Shurta
1998/99   Al-Zawra
1999/00   Al-Zawra
Premier League (Dawri Al-Nokba)
2000/01   Al-Zawra
2001/02   Al-Talaba 
2002/03     abandoned
2003/04     abandoned
2004/05   Al-Quwa Al-Jawia 
2005/06   Al-Zawra
2006/07   Arbil
2007/08   Arbil
2008/09   Arbil
2009/10   Duhok
2010/11   Al-Zawra
2011/12   Arbil
2012/13   Al-Shurta
2013/14     abandoned
2014/15   Nafit Al-Wasat
2015/16   Al-Zawra
2016/17   Al-Quwa Al-Jawia 
2017/18   Al-Zawra
2018/19   Al-Shurta
2019/20     abandoned
2020        abandoned
2020/21   Al-Quwa Al-Jawia 
2021/22   Al-Shurta
2022/23   Al-Shurta
2023/24   Al-Shurta
2024/25  

Number of Titles (45; since 1974/75)

 14  Al-Zawra (Baghdad)

  7  Al-Quwa Al-Jawia (Baghdad) [includes Al-Tayaran]
     Al-Shurta (Baghdad)

  5  Al-Talaba (Baghdad)

  4  Arbil (Arbil)

  3  Al-Rasheed (Baghdad)

  1  Duhok (Duhok)
     Al-Jaish (Baghdad) 
     Al-Mina (Basra)
     Nafit Al-Wasat (Najaf)
     Salah-Al-Deen (Tikrit)

Some notes on team names:

Haris Al-Maliki (Royal Guards) were disbanded in 1956;
Kuliya Al-Askariya (Military Academy) had its FA membership withdrawn in 1974 but
  continued as an army team up until 1991;
Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (Air Force) renamed Al-Tayaran (Airlines) in 1968 and reverted
  to Air Force at the beginning of season 1991-92;
Maslaha Naqil Al-Rakab (Passenger Transport Department);
Fareeka Al-Thalatha (Third Battalion) renamed Salah-Al-Deen in 1973 and next season
  merged with Al-Jaish (Army);
Al-Jamiaa (University) renamed Al-Talaba (Students) in 1978;
Al-Shurta (Police) were named Quwat Al-Emen Al-Dakhili (Internal Security Forces)
  in 1984;
Al-Rasheed renamed Al-Karkh at the beginning of 1991;
Baladiyat (Municipalities) renamed Amana in 1977;
Iktisad renamed Tijara (Trade) in 1978;
Wahid Huzairan (First of June) renamed Kirkuk;
The Kurdish name for the city of Arbil is Hawlar.

NB: for more details on the name changes and mergers before the 1974/75 season,
    see the notes in the 1974/75 season file.

About this document

Thanks to Atsushi Fujioka and Refel Hashim

Prepared and maintained by Hassanin Mubarak for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation

Author: Hassanin Mubarak
Last updated: 12 Oct 2024