Wikipedia

Football in Iraq

The sport of football in the country of Iraq is run by the Iraq Football Association.[1][2] The association administers the national football team as well as the Iraq Stars League.[3][4][5][6][7] Football is the most popular sport in Iraq.[8]

Football in Iraq
CountryIraq
Governing bodyIraq Football Association
National team(s)men's national team
National competitions
Club competitions
International competitions

National teams

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Bashar Resan with Iraq

The national team have qualified for the final tournament of the World Cup once in 1986 which was held in Mexico. Success in the Asian Cup has been more widespread, winning the tournament in 2007 and finishing fourth in 1976 and 2015. As of 2015 the women's national team have not entered either of these competitions.[citation needed]

The under-23 side has had success at the Asian Games winning silver at the 2006 edition in Qatar and bronze in the 2014 tournament, held in South Korea. Their best placing in Olympic football has been fourth at Athens in 2004.[citation needed]

As of 18 July 2024 the men's team were ranked 55th in the world[9] while the women's team are ranked 172nd[10]

Football stadiums in Iraq

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The Ministry of Youth and Sports developed plans to drastically improve sports infrastructure and have decided to build big stadiums in every governorate of Iraq. The government gave them a $2.5bn package for this cause, and plans have been drawn up to build most of the stadiums below. They have also used some of this budget to improve football on a local level in areas of the country. Most stadiums listed below have been funded by this package, unless they are one of the older stadiums, or the proposed Baghdad Sports City, which will be funded by the Saudi king, King Salman.[citation needed]


# Image Stadium Location Current Capacity Sport Home team(s) Year Built Coordinates Ref.
1   Basra International Stadium Basra 65,227 Football Iraq national football team 2013 30°26′23.6″N 47°46′47.3″E / 30.439889°N 47.779806°E / 30.439889; 47.779806 (Basra International Stadium) [11][12][13]
2   Al-Shaab Stadium Baghdad 35,700 Football Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, Al-Shorta SC, Al-Talaba SC 1966 33°19′29.53″N 44°26′07.09″E / 33.3248694°N 44.4353028°E / 33.3248694; 44.4353028 (Al-Shaab Stadium) [14][15][16]
3 Al-Madina Stadium Al Habibya, Baghdad 32,000 Football Iraq national football team 2021 33°21′15.8″N 44°27′20.1″E / 33.354389°N 44.455583°E / 33.354389; 44.455583 (Al-Madina Stadium) [17][18][19]
4   Karbala International Stadium Karbala 30,000 Football Karbala SC 2016 32°33′53.4″N 44°00′15.4″E / 32.564833°N 44.004278°E / 32.564833; 44.004278 (Karbala International Stadium) [20][21][22]
5 Al-Najaf International Stadium Najaf 30,000 Football Al-Najaf SC, Naft Al-Wasat SC 2018 32°03′58.7″N 44°19′01″E / 32.066306°N 44.31694°E / 32.066306; 44.31694 (Al-Najaf International Stadium) [23][24][25]
6   Al-Minaa Olympic Stadium Basra 30,000 Football Al-Minaa SC 2022 30°33′08.6″N 47°46′41.5″E / 30.552389°N 47.778194°E / 30.552389; 47.778194 (Al-Minaa Olympic Stadium) [26][27][28]
7   Franso Hariri Stadium Erbil 25,000 Football Erbil SC 1956 36°10′21.1″N 44°00′42″E / 36.172528°N 44.01167°E / 36.172528; 44.01167 (Franso Hariri Stadium) [29][30][31]
8 Kirkuk Olympic Stadium Kirkuk 25,000 Football Kirkuk SC 1982 35°26′35.4″N 44°25′16.7″E / 35.443167°N 44.421306°E / 35.443167; 44.421306 (Kirkuk Olympic Stadium) [32][33][34]
9 Maysan Stadium Amarah 25,000 Football Naft Maysan SC, Maysan SC 1987 31°50′07.2″N 47°07′37.1″E / 31.835333°N 47.126972°E / 31.835333; 47.126972 (Maysan Stadium) [35][36][37]
10   Duhok Stadium Duhok 22,800 Football Duhok SC 1986 36°51′06.9″N 42°59′47.1″E / 36.851917°N 42.996417°E / 36.851917; 42.996417 (Duhok Stadium) [38][39][40]
11   Zakho International Stadium Zakho 20,000 Football Zakho SC 2015 37°08′45.5″N 42°40′20″E / 37.145972°N 42.67222°E / 37.145972; 42.67222 (Zakho Stadium) [41][42][43]
12 Al-Kut Olympic Stadium Al Kut 20,000 Football Al-Kut SC 2018 32°30′08.6″N 45°50′06.2″E / 32.502389°N 45.835056°E / 32.502389; 45.835056 (Al-Kut Olympic Stadium) [44][45][46]
13 Sulaymaniyah Stadium Sulaymaniyah 18,000 Football Sulaymaniyah SC, Newroz SC 35°32′59.4″N 45°25′44.4″E / 35.549833°N 45.429000°E / 35.549833; 45.429000 (Sulaymaniyah Stadium) [47][48][49]
14 Al-Zawraa Stadium Baghdad 15,443 Football Al-Zawraa SC 2022 33°20′39.2″N 44°22′05.5″E / 33.344222°N 44.368194°E / 33.344222; 44.368194 (Al-Zawraa Stadium) [50][51][52]
15 Al Ramadi Stadium Ramadi 15,000 Football Al-Ramadi SC, Al-Fahad SC 33°25′13.4″N 43°19′18.3″E / 33.420389°N 43.321750°E / 33.420389; 43.321750 (Al-Ramadi Stadium) [53][54][55]
16 Al-Samawah Stadium Al Muthanna 15,000 Football Al-Samawa SC, Uruk SC 31°19′58.9″N 45°17′20.2″E / 31.333028°N 45.288944°E / 31.333028; 45.288944 (Al-Samawah Stadium) [56][57][58]
17 Al-Kashafa Stadium Al Kasrah, Baghdad 14,000 Football 1931 33°21′34″N 44°22′49.5″E / 33.35944°N 44.380417°E / 33.35944; 44.380417 (Al-Kashafa Stadium) [59][60][61]
18 Al Fayhaa Stadium Basra 10,000 Football Naft Al-Basra SC, Al-Minaa SC 2013 30°26′33.3″N 47°46′47.3″E / 30.442583°N 47.779806°E / 30.442583; 47.779806 (Al Fayhaa Stadium) [62][63][64]
19 Al-Najaf old Stadium Najaf 10,000 Football Al-Najaf SC 1970 32°00′43.6″N 44°19′39.9″E / 32.012111°N 44.327750°E / 32.012111; 44.327750 (Al-Najaf old stadium) [65][66][67]
20 Suq Al-Shuyukh Stadium Dhi Qar 10,000 Football Al-Furat SC, Suq Al-Shuyukh SC 2015 30°54′12.6″N 46°27′09.4″E / 30.903500°N 46.452611°E / 30.903500; 46.452611 (Suq Al-Shuyukh Stadium) [68][69][70]
21 Delal Stadium Zakho 10,000 Football Zakho SC 37°10′06.3″N 42°41′30.2″E / 37.168417°N 42.691722°E / 37.168417; 42.691722 (Delal Stadium)
22 Al Aziziyah Stadium Wasit 10,000 Football Al-Aziziyah SC 2019 32°50′41.7″N 45°08′09.3″E / 32.844917°N 45.135917°E / 32.844917; 45.135917 (Al-Aziziyah Stadium) [71][72][73]
23 Al-Nasiriyah Stadium Nasiriyah 10,000 Football Al-Nasiriya SC, Akkad SC 31°01′17.8″N 46°15′04.7″E / 31.021611°N 46.251306°E / 31.021611; 46.251306 (Al-Nasiriyah Stadium)
24 Ba'quba Stadium Baqubah 10,000 Football Diyala SC 33°44′53.1″N 44°39′27.1″E / 33.748083°N 44.657528°E / 33.748083; 44.657528 (Ba'quba Stadium)
25 Tikrit Stadium Tikrit 10,000 Football Salahaddin SC, Tikrit SC 34°35′46.6″N 43°41′01.7″E / 34.596278°N 43.683806°E / 34.596278; 43.683806 (Tikrit Stadium)

Club tournaments

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Aliyat Al-Shorta reached the final of the AFC Champions League, the biggest tournament in Asian football, in 1971 but withdrew from the final due to it being against an Israeli team. Al-Rasheed also reached the final in 1989 but lost on away goals. Al-Shorta won the first ever edition of the Arab Club Champions Cup in 1982 with Al-Rasheed winning that competition three times in a row (1985, 1986, 1987). Al-Talaba and Al-Zawraa both lost the final of the Asian Cup Winners' Cup in 1995 and 2000 respectively, before Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya won Asia's second-tier tournament, the AFC Cup, three consecutive times in 2016, 2017 and 2018.

Domestic league titles won by club

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Main article: List of Iraqi football champions § Total titles won

See also

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References

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