Iraqi League 2026/27

The Iraq Stars League operates as the top-flight professional football competition in Iraq. Al-Shorta SC holds the current title after winning the 2024–25 season, securing their eighth championship overall. The league structure relies on a double round-robin format where each of the 20 clubs plays every other team twice. This arrangement results in 38 matches per team and a total of 380 fixtures across the full campaign.

Unlike systems that employ post-season play-offs, the champion is determined solely by the team accumulating the most points. Al-Zawraa SC remains the most successful club in the competition's history with 14 titles. A distinctive feature involves Baghdad-based "Popular Teams," including Al-Quwa Al Jawiya and Al Shorta SC, who have never faced relegation despite their presence in the top tier. This stability contrasts with the standard movement rules applied to other participants.

Promotion and relegation mechanisms link the league to the second tier, known as the Iraqi Premier Division League. The bottom two teams are automatically demoted, while the side finishing 18th enters a play-off for survival. Two clubs ascend from the lower division to maintain the squad size. The competition serves as the sole nationwide professional entity in Iraqi football, differing from previous regional setups. It was established in 1974 by the Iraq Football Association and rebranded in 2023 following a partnership with La Liga.