Second Division (Qatar) 2026/27

The Qatari Second Division serves as the sole feeder league for the Qatar Stars League. It forms the second tier of the Qatari football league system, sitting directly below the top flight. Governed by the Qatar Football Association, the competition operates as a two-tier professional structure. This setup is distinctive for the country, as Qatar’s professional football consists only of the top two levels. Below the Second Division lies the Qatar Amateur League, which is not part of the formal promotion and relegation pyramid.

The league was founded in 1979, with its inaugural season won by Al-Ittihad. It experienced a temporary dissolution in 1990 when the Qatar Football Association disbanded several second-division clubs. The competition resumed in the 1996–97 season. A significant structural shift occurred in 2017 when the league was relaunched in a new format, later standardized to its current structure in the 2019–20 season.

Season participation typically ranges from eight to twelve teams. The format has historically been a round-robin league. Promotion to the Qatar Stars League follows a hybrid system. The champion of the Second Division secures automatic promotion. The runner-up competes in a single-match playoff against the 11th-placed team of the Qatar Stars League for a second promotion spot. There is no relegation from the Second Division to lower amateur leagues.

Reserve teams of Qatar Stars League clubs are not permitted to play in this division; they compete in a separate Qatar Football Association Reserve League. The Second Division consists of independent professional clubs. Al-Markhiya SC is the most successful club in the division's history, having won the title six times. Other multiple winners include Al-Sailiya, Al-Gharafa, Al-Shamal, and El-Jaish. Recent champions include Al Khor and Al Sailiya.