Has Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Secured the League Title or Not Yet?

Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya found itself in a complex situation despite its important 2-1 victory over Al-Zawraa in the top match of the 36th round of the Iraqi Stars League. The victory coincided with Al-Shorta's loss to Erbil 2-0, prompting the Falcons' players to celebrate winning the club’s eighth title in history, amid widespread fan celebrations in the streets of Baghdad, especially since the triumph came at the expense of the traditional rival.

But the Falcons' joy was incomplete; the Disciplinary Committee of the Iraqi Federation decided to consider Al-Shorta as the 3-0 winner against Naft Maysan, after it was proven that the Yemeni player Ahmed Al-Sarouri participated illegally. The match had ended on the field in a 2-2 draw in the 31st round.

The regulations stipulate that Iraqi clubs are prohibited from signing any Yemeni player who has not represented his national team in the last three years.

Al-Shorta's management filed a complaint to the committee, which in turn contacted the Yemeni Federation. After receiving the response and confirming Al-Sarouri’s non-participation internationally, the committee applied the violation-specific article and awarded the three points to Al-Shorta.

The decision reduced the gap between Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya and Al-Shorta to just 4 points with two rounds remaining, postponing the official title announcement by the federation.

Nonetheless, Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya declared itself the champion through its platforms, while the head of the Disciplinary Committee emphasized that matters are not yet settled.

Al-Shorta's actions did not stop at the Naft Maysan match. The club filed a complaint with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) regarding the Al-Talaba match that ended 3-3 in the 23rd round, claiming goalkeeper Fahd Talib participated while suspended.

Al-Shorta believes that the Iraqi Federation canceled the execution of the suspension penalty on the grounds that the notification arrived only 24 hours before the match, and decided to postpone it to Al-Talaba's next match, which the club considers a violation of the regulations. The complaint aims to gain the match points and reduce the gap with the leader.

Amidst this legal battle, the decision remains on the field. Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya needs to win the remaining two matches to ensure the title officially, regardless of the CAS decision or any administrative developments.

The current scenario has placed the Iraqi Stars League in a charged atmosphere, between on-field joy and a legal battle taking place in the corridors of the federation and the international arbitration court. The coming weeks will determine whether the title will remain in the Falcons' treasury, or if Al-Shorta will overturn the situation with a decision outside the green rectangle.