The 2000–01 Iraqi Elite League was the 27th season of the competition since its foundation in 1974. The name of the league was changed from Iraqi First Division League to Iraqi Elite League. Instead of relegating teams from the 1999–2000 season and promoting teams from the lower division in order to decide which teams were playing in the competition, the Iraq Football Association decided that every eligible team in the country should play qualifying games in order to decide who participated.
The qualifying rounds saw a total of 135 teams being split into regional groups, all competing for the 16 places in the league. After all the qualifiers were over in December, the league competition itself was held with each team playing 30 matches. In the end, Al-Zawraa won their third league title in a row, finishing eight points clear at the top.
Regional qualifiers First round In the first qualifying round, each province apart from Baghdad and Sulaymaniya had its own qualifying tournament with the winner advancing to the second qualifying round. ProvinceWinnerNotesAl-AnbarAl-RamadiAl-QadisiyaAl-DiwaniyaOther competing teams included Al-Yaqdha, Afak, Al-Daghara, Al-Shamiya, Al-Rafidain and GhammasBabilAl-QasimAl-Qasim played Babil in a play-off over two legs which ended 1–1 and 0–0; Al-Qasim qualified on away goals. Other competing teams included Al-HillaBasraAl-MinaaAl-Minaa played Al-Basra in a two-legged play-off; both legs ended in draws and Al-Minaa won 1–0 via a golden goal in extra-time. Other competing teams included Al-Bahri, Al-Ittihad, Al-Zubair, Kahrabaa Al-Hartha, Al-Junoob, Abi Al-Khaseeb, Al-Khor, Al-Qurna, Al-Dair, Umm Qasr, Al-Midaina and Al-RumailaDhi QarAl-NasiriyaDiyalaAl-KhalisOther competing teams included Diyala (who withdrew), Jalawla, Al-Miqdadiya, Khanaqin, Balad Ruz and Al-Shaheed ArkanDuhokDuhokOther competing teams included Zakho and PiresErbilErbilKarbalaKarbalaOther competing teams included Al-Hindiya, Al-Jamahir and Al-HusseiniyaKirkukKirkukOther competing teams included Al-Thawra, Al-Hawija, Al-Dibis and DaquqMaysanMaysanOther competing teams included Al-AmaraMuthannaAl-SamawaOther competing teams included Al-Khidhir, Al-Muthanna and Al-RumaithaNajafAl-NajafNinevehAl-MosulAl-Mosul played Hikna in a two-legged play-off; both legs ended in draws (one of which was 3–3) and Al-Mosul qualified on away goals. Other competing teams included Al-Qayara, Al-Intisar, Zummar, Hamam Al-Alil, Tel Afar and BashiqaSalahaddinSamarraOther competing teams included Salahaddin, Al-Alam, Al-Dawr Al-Ahli, Al-Shirqat and BaijiWasitAl-KutOther competing teams included Wasit, Al-Mutasim, Al-Hay, Al-Aziziya, Al-Numaniya and Al-SuwairaBaghdad – All 35 teams admitted directly to second qualifying roundSulaymaniya – Sulaymaniya admitted directly to second qualifying round
Second round In the second qualifying round, which started in September and ended in December, the remaining teams were split into five regional groups. The two Baghdad groups were played in a single round-robin format (teams played each other once) while the other three groups were played in a double round-robin format (teams played each other twice).
North Group TeamResultDuhokQualified to Elite LeagueSamarraErbilKirkukAl-MosulSulaymaniya
Central Group TeamResultAl-NajafQualified to Elite LeagueAl-RamadiKarbalaAl-KhalisAl-Qasim
South Group TeamResultAl-KutQualified to Elite LeagueAl-SamawaAl-MinaaMaysanAl-NasiriyaAl-Diwaniya
Baghdad Group 1
Results
Baghdad Group 2
Results
Play-off round In the play-off round, the two fourth-placed teams from the Baghdad Groups faced off in a two-legged tie to determine the seventh qualifying team from Baghdad.
2–2 on aggregate. Al-Difaa Al-Jawi won on away goals and qualified for the Elite League.
League table
Results
Season statistics Top scorers PosScorerGoalsTeam1Hussein Abdullah21Duhok2Ahmed Khudhair19Al-Shorta3Ammar Ahmed14Al-Zawraa
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Al-Zawraa Karbala 8–0 Al-Shorta Al-Najaf 3–0 Samarra Al-Ramadi 4–0 4Al-Samawa Al-Ramadi 9–0 Al-Samawa Al-Ramadi 9–0 Al-Zawraa Al-Kut 6–1 Duhok Karbala 5–1 Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Karbala 5–1 4Al-Karkh Karbala 7–0 Al-Shorta Al-Difaa Al-Jawi 3–1 5Al-Shorta Al-Kut 5–1 Al-Shorta Karbala 7–0
Notes 4 Player scored 4 goals 5 Player scored 5 goals
References
External links Iraq Football Association