Iraq Stars League Clubs Achieve Unprecedented Feat

Iraq Stars League clubs have succeeded in setting a new record in administrative matters, keeping pace with the development witnessed by the competition since its technical and organizational management was entrusted to the Spanish League 'La Liga' at the beginning of the 2022-2023 season. The collaboration with La Liga has clearly reflected on the level of professionalism of the clubs and how they manage their internal affairs.

The competition committee in the Iraq Stars League is currently working on improving the quality of competition from technical, administrative, and marketing perspectives, especially since most clubs have already started applying professional standards in their daily operations. These steps contribute to transitioning Iraqi football to a new phase, making it capable of keeping up with advanced leagues in the region.

Ammar Abdul Rahman, Director of the Licensing Department in the Iraqi Football Association, announced that the licensing committee conducted field visits to all clubs that applied for the Asian license over the past few days. After completing the visits, the committee held an extensive meeting to discuss and thoroughly review the files submitted under the continental licensing system.

Abdul Rahman added that the committee voted, after completing the review process, to grant the Asian license to eight clubs: Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, Al-Zawraa, Al-Shorta, Erbil, Al-Kahraba, Al-Karma, Zakho, and Duhok. This number is the largest since the adoption of the licensing system in Iraq, reflecting the development of the administrative structure within the clubs.

The Iraq Stars League secures two spots in continental competitions for the next season. The league champion will directly qualify for the elite Asian Champions League, while the Iraq Cup winner will represent the country in the Asian Champions League 2. 

In the previous edition, Al-Shorta and Al-Zawraa participated as representatives of Iraqi football continentally, but the number of representatives might expand in the future with the increase in clubs obtaining the license and meeting the standards required by the Asian Federation.

This step confirms that the Iraq Stars League is steadily moving towards full professionalism, and that investment in the administrative aspect is starting to bear fruit on the ground, which will later reflect on the technical and competitive level on the field.