Despite winning the Iraqi Premier League title for the 2024-2025 season and maintaining local dominance for the fourth consecutive year, Al-Shorta Club is seriously considering withdrawing from the upcoming edition of the AFC Champions League for reasons not yet officially announced, which has raised questions and concerns among the club's fans, as well as among followers of Iraqi football in general.

According to sources close to the club's management, internal discussions have been ongoing for days, specifically following the confirmation of winning the league title, regarding the feasibility of participating in the AFC Champions League for the upcoming season. It seems that there is a genuine inclination among some members of the administrative body to withdraw from the continental tournament, but the official decision has not yet been made, and matters remain under the category of "study".

Despite the management's official silence so far, this news has raised real fears about the consequences of the decision if it is taken, especially since Iraq currently has a direct seat in the group stage of the tournament, a seat that Al-Shorta Club earned through sports merit.

Withdrawing from the AFC Champions League is not considered a simple option in the eyes of the Asian Football Confederation. The regulations stipulate disciplinary penalties for clubs that withdraw after securing official qualification, which include a ban from continental participation for a season, in addition to heavy financial fines that may affect the clubs' budgets.

More dangerously, Al-Shorta's withdrawal would deprive Iraqi football of its direct seat in the upcoming editions, meaning that other clubs would have to go through preliminary rounds or be completely deprived of representation, which would be a significant blow to the Iraqi Football Association's efforts to improve the league's ranking both locally and continentally.

Sports sources indicate that one of the main reasons for the inclination towards withdrawal may be related to financial aspects, or difficulties in fulfilling the Asian organizational requirements, such as licensing files, preparing the stadium, and guarantees for participation, in addition to the lack of clarity regarding the technical contracting plan to support the team in continental competition. However, there is no official confirmation at this moment, and the management continues to study the situation.

On the other hand, the fans of Al-Shorta have expressed their dissatisfaction with the circulating news, pointing out that representing Iraq in Asia is part of the duty of popular clubs, and it is not fitting for the league champion to relinquish its legitimate right to compete. The fans also urged the club management to take action now to strengthen the team, instead of thinking about withdrawal, which could be perceived as an evasion of responsibility.

Up to this moment, no official position has been issued by Al-Shorta Club regarding participation or non-participation, but sources confirm that the coming days will be decisive, and intentions may become clear after the conclusion of the Iraq Cup, where some members of the administrative body promised to make the final decision thereafter.