Four Anticipated Scenes in the New Season of the Iraqi Stars League

The new season of the Iraqi Stars League 2025-2026 kicks off next Saturday, marking the third season under this name after previously being known as the Iraqi Premier League for football.

The Iraqi sports community is anticipating a different start filled with changes that have been announced in recent times, in a serious attempt by the Iraqi Football Association and the league association to make the championship more organized and professional.

The first round of competitions will begin with three matches; where the Baghdad Amanah team will meet Diyala Club in a match where the hosts are looking for a strong start with the help of their new professional, Sofiane Feghouli, who has caught attention since his arrival in the Iraqi capital, while the Diyala team hopes to record a positive start that reflects its good preparation for the season.

The second match will bring together Al-Student and Zakho in a public encounter expected to witness significant attendance and wide support from the fans of both teams.

Meanwhile, the third match will be between Nawruz and Al-Kahrabaa, which has entered an atmosphere of controversy following statements from Al-Kahrabaa coach Rady Shneishil, who expressed his dissatisfaction with the draw mechanism and his doubts about the readiness of Nawruz Stadium to host the match, adding an exciting dimension to the opening round.

The new season comes loaded with many fundamental changes, as new technologies will be introduced in terms of television broadcasting and live streaming to present the matches in a better and higher quality.

The federation will also require all clubs to hold press conferences before and after the matches alike, after being limited to post-match conferences in the past two seasons. Financial penalties will be imposed on any coach or player who fails to attend, aiming to raise the level of media interaction and increase the clubs' openness to the fans.

Among the notable steps is also the Iraqi federation's confirmation that the prizes this season will be guaranteed and valuable, after previous championships suffered from their absence or weakness due to financial problems.

An international company will distribute prizes immediately after the matches, while the federation will award monthly prizes for the best player and best coach. This step aims to raise competition and motivate players and coaches to present their best on the green rectangle.

The Iraqi stadiums will also witness an unprecedented addition with the presence of an internal commentator announcing the formations, names of goal scorers, substitutions, and all match details through modern sound systems covering all areas of the stadiums, reflecting a scene similar to famous European leagues.

The Iraqi league continues its steps towards professionalism thanks to the collaboration with the Spanish La Liga Association, which oversees the organization of the competition in cooperation with specialized Spanish television companies, to provide advanced services in organizational and media aspects, enhancing the image of the championship and raising its following level both locally and internationally.

With these fundamental changes and great ambitions, Iraqi football fans are looking forward to a distinctive start to the new season of the Stars League, hoping that the clubs will deliver high technical levels that reflect the strength of competition and restore the luster to Iraqi football on both local and continental levels.