The 2023–24 Iraq Stars League was the 50th season of the highest tier football league in Iraq since its establishment in 1974, and the first season since launching as a professional league under the name Iraq Stars League. The season started on 26 October 2023 and ended on 14 July 2024, with the post-season play-offs held from 19–24 July 2024.
Al-Shorta won the league title for the third season in a row, sealing the title in the penultimate round of the season by defeating Duhok 1–0. Al-Shorta also won the Iraq FA Cup title to secure the domestic double.
Overview 20 teams competed in the 2023–24 Iraq Stars League: 18 teams from the 2022–23 Iraqi Premier League, as well as Al-Minaa and Amanat Baghdad who were promoted from the 2022–23 Iraqi First Division League and both returned to the top tier after a one-year absence.
Teams
Clubs and locations Team Manager Location Stadium Capacity Al-Hudood Adel Nima Baghdad Al-Saher Ahmed Radhi Stadium5,150 Al-Kahrabaa Luay Salah Baghdad Al-Zawraa Stadium15,443 Al-Karkh Haitham Shaaban Baghdad Al-Saher Ahmed Radhi Stadium5,150 Al-Minaa Hassan Ahmed Basra Al-Minaa Olympic Stadium30,000 Al-Naft Basim Qasim Baghdad Al-Madina Stadium32,000 Al-Najaf Abdul-Ghani Shahad Najaf Al-Najaf International Stadium30,000 Al-Qasim Ayman Hakeem Babil Karbala International Stadium30,000 Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Razzaq Farhan Baghdad Al-Shaab Stadium35,700 Al-Shorta Moamen Soliman Baghdad Al-Shaab Stadium35,700 Al-Talaba Qahtan Chathir Baghdad Al-Shaab Stadium35,700 Al-Zawraa Essam Hamad Baghdad Al-Zawraa Stadium15,443 Amanat Baghdad Abbas Obeid Baghdad Al-Madina Stadium32,000 Duhok Ahmed Khalaf Duhok Duhok Stadium22,800 Erbil Samir Babo Erbil Franso Hariri Stadium25,000 Karbala Chasib Sultan Karbala Karbala International Stadium30,000 Naft Al-Basra Haitham Al-Shboul Basra Al-Minaa Olympic Stadium30,000 Naft Al-Wasat Emad Aoda Najaf Al-Najaf International Stadium30,000 Naft Maysan Ali Abdul-Jabbar Maysan Maysan Olympic Stadium25,000 Newroz Nizar Mahrous Sulaymaniya Sulaymaniya Stadium15,000 Zakho Talal Al-Bloushi Duhok Zakho International Stadium20,000
League table
Results
Regional competition play-offs The four teams that finished 3rd to 6th competed in a play-off tournament to decide Iraq's participant in the 2024–25 AGCFF Gulf Club Champions League. If a match ended in a draw after 90 minutes, there would be no extra time played and the game would go straight to a penalty shootout.
Play-off semi-finals
Play-off final
Duhok qualified for the 2024–25 AGCFF Gulf Club Champions League.
Relegation play-offs Play-out round The 17th and 18th-placed teams competed in a play-off, with the winner remaining in the Stars League and the loser advancing to the relegation play-off.
If the scores were level after 90 minutes, 30 minutes of extra time would be played. If the scores were still level after extra time, the 18th-placed team would advance to the relegation play-off due to their inferior league position.
Relegation play-off The loser of the play-out round competed in a play-off with the 3rd-placed team from the Premier Division League for a place in next season's Stars League. If the match ended in a draw after 90 minutes, there would be no extra time played and the game would go straight to a penalty shootout.
Al-Qasim remained in the Iraq Stars League, while Peshmerga Sulaymaniya remained in the Iraqi Premier Division League.
Season statistics Top scorers Rank Player TeamGoals1 Aymen HusseinAl-Quwa Al-Jawiya272 Mahmoud Al-MawasAl-Shorta203 Alaa Al DaliNaft Maysan18 Ibrahim GhaziAl-Hudood5 Mohanad AliAl-Shorta16 Ibrahim TomiwaNewroz Mohammed Qasim NassifErbil
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Alaa Al Dali Naft Maysan Al-Talaba 4–0 (A) Alaa Al Dali Naft Maysan Al-Minaa 3–0 (H) Aymen Hussein Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Al-Minaa 4–2 (H) Okiki Afolabi Al-Naft Naft Al-Wasat 4–0 (A) Mohammed Qasim Nassif Erbil Karbala 5–3 (A) Aymen Hussein Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Al-Naft 4–1 (A) Marwan Hussein Newroz Al-Minaa 4–1 (A) Ibrahim Tomiwa Newroz Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 4–2 (H) William Jebor4 Al-Minaa Naft Al-Wasat 4–2 (H)
Notes 4 Player scored 4 goals (H) – Home team(A) – Away team
Awards Award Winner Club Player of the Season Mahmoud Al-Mawas Al-Shorta Goal of the Season Bassam Shakir Al-Shorta
References
External links Official website Iraq Football Association