Football in Iraq

Last updated

Football in Iraq
CountryIraq
Governing body Iraq Football Association
National team(s) men's national team
National competitions
Club competitions
International competitions

The sport of football in the country of Iraq is run by the Iraq Football Association. [1] [2] The association administers the national football team as well as the Iraq Stars League. [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] Football is the most popular sport in Iraq. [8]

Contents

National teams

Bashar Resan with Iraq Bashar Resan in 2019 AFC Asian Cup.jpg
Bashar Resan with Iraq

The national team have qualified for the final tournament of the World Cup once in 1986 which was held in Mexico. Success in the Asian Cup has been more widespread, winning the tournament in 2007 and finishing fourth in 1976 and 2015. As of 2015 the women's national team have not entered either of these competitions.[ citation needed ]

The under-23 side has had success at the Asian Games winning silver at the 2006 edition in Qatar and bronze in the 2014 tournament, held in South Korea. Their best placing in Olympic football has been fourth at Athens in 2004.[ citation needed ]

As of 18 July 2024 the men's team were ranked 55th in the world [9] while the women's team are ranked 172nd [10]

Football stadiums in Iraq

The Ministry of Youth and Sports developed plans to drastically improve sports infrastructure and have decided to build big stadiums in every governorate of Iraq. The government gave them a $2.5bn package for this cause, and plans have been drawn up to build most of the stadiums below. They have also used some of this budget to improve football on a local level in areas of the country. Most stadiums listed below have been funded by this package, unless they are one of the older stadiums, or the proposed Baghdad Sports City, which will be funded by the Saudi king, King Salman.[ citation needed ]

#ImageStadiumLocationCurrent CapacitySportHome team(s)Year BuiltCoordinatesRef.
1 ml`b jdh` lnkhl@ 2022.jpg Basra International Stadium Basra 65,227Football Iraq national football team 2013 30°26′23.6″N47°46′47.3″E / 30.439889°N 47.779806°E / 30.439889; 47.779806 (Basra International Stadium) [11] [12] [13]
2 Al-Shaab Stadium3 (3).JPG Al-Shaab Stadium Baghdad 35,700Football Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, Al-Shorta SC, Al-Talaba SC 1966 33°19′29.53″N44°26′07.09″E / 33.3248694°N 44.4353028°E / 33.3248694; 44.4353028 (Al-Shaab Stadium) [14] [15] [16]
3 Al-Madina Stadium Al Habibya, Baghdad 32,000Football Iraq national football team 2021 33°21′15.8″N44°27′20.1″E / 33.354389°N 44.455583°E / 33.354389; 44.455583 (Al-Madina Stadium) [17] [18] [19]
4 ml`b krbl ldwly.jpg Karbala International Stadium Karbala 30,000Football Karbala SC 2016 32°33′53.4″N44°00′15.4″E / 32.564833°N 44.004278°E / 32.564833; 44.004278 (Karbala International Stadium) [20] [21] [22]
5 Al-Najaf International Stadium Najaf 30,000Football Al-Najaf SC, Naft Al-Wasat SC 2018 32°03′58.7″N44°19′01″E / 32.066306°N 44.31694°E / 32.066306; 44.31694 (Al-Najaf International Stadium) [23] [24] [25]
6 ml`b lmyn.jpg Al-Minaa Olympic Stadium Basra 30,000Football Al-Minaa SC 2022 30°33′08.6″N47°46′41.5″E / 30.552389°N 47.778194°E / 30.552389; 47.778194 (Al-Minaa Olympic Stadium) [26] [27] [28]
7 Franso Hariri Stadium.JPG Franso Hariri Stadium Erbil 25,000Football Erbil SC 1956 36°10′21.1″N44°00′42″E / 36.172528°N 44.01167°E / 36.172528; 44.01167 (Franso Hariri Stadium) [29] [30] [31]
8 Kirkuk Olympic Stadium Kirkuk 25,000Football Kirkuk SC 1982 35°26′35.4″N44°25′16.7″E / 35.443167°N 44.421306°E / 35.443167; 44.421306 (Kirkuk Olympic Stadium) [32] [33] [34]
9 Maysan Stadium Amarah 25,000Football Naft Maysan SC, Maysan SC 1987 31°50′07.2″N47°07′37.1″E / 31.835333°N 47.126972°E / 31.835333; 47.126972 (Maysan Stadium) [35] [36] [37]
10 Duhokstadium.jpg Duhok Stadium Duhok 22,800Football Duhok SC 1986 36°51′06.9″N42°59′47.1″E / 36.851917°N 42.996417°E / 36.851917; 42.996417 (Duhok Stadium) [38] [39] [40]
11 ZaxggStadium.jpg Zakho International Stadium Zakho 20,000Football Zakho SC 2015 37°08′45.5″N42°40′20″E / 37.145972°N 42.67222°E / 37.145972; 42.67222 (Zakho Stadium) [41] [42] [43]
12 Al-Kut Olympic Stadium Al Kut 20,000Football Al-Kut SC 2018 32°30′08.6″N45°50′06.2″E / 32.502389°N 45.835056°E / 32.502389; 45.835056 (Al-Kut Olympic Stadium) [44] [45] [46]
13 Sulaymaniyah Stadium Sulaymaniyah 18,000Football Sulaymaniyah SC, Newroz SC 35°32′59.4″N45°25′44.4″E / 35.549833°N 45.429000°E / 35.549833; 45.429000 (Sulaymaniyah Stadium) [47] [48] [49]
14 Al-Zawraa Stadium Baghdad 15,443Football Al-Zawraa SC 2022 33°20′39.2″N44°22′05.5″E / 33.344222°N 44.368194°E / 33.344222; 44.368194 (Al-Zawraa Stadium) [50] [51] [52]
15 Al Ramadi Stadium Ramadi 15,000Football Al-Ramadi SC, Al-Fahad SC 33°25′13.4″N43°19′18.3″E / 33.420389°N 43.321750°E / 33.420389; 43.321750 (Al-Ramadi Stadium) [53] [54] [55]
16 Al-Samawah Stadium Al Muthanna 15,000Football Al-Samawa SC, Uruk SC 31°19′58.9″N45°17′20.2″E / 31.333028°N 45.288944°E / 31.333028; 45.288944 (Al-Samawah Stadium) [56] [57] [58]
17 Al-Kashafa Stadium Al Kasrah, Baghdad 14,000Football1931 33°21′34″N44°22′49.5″E / 33.35944°N 44.380417°E / 33.35944; 44.380417 (Al-Kashafa Stadium) [59] [60] [61]
18 Al Fayhaa Stadium Basra 10,000Football Naft Al-Basra SC, Al-Minaa SC 2013 30°26′33.3″N47°46′47.3″E / 30.442583°N 47.779806°E / 30.442583; 47.779806 (Al Fayhaa Stadium) [62] [63] [64]
19 Al-Najaf old Stadium Najaf 10,000Football Al-Najaf SC 1970 32°00′43.6″N44°19′39.9″E / 32.012111°N 44.327750°E / 32.012111; 44.327750 (Al-Najaf old stadium) [65] [66] [67]
20 Suq Al-Shuyukh Stadium Dhi Qar 10,000Football Al-Furat SC, Suq Al-Shuyukh SC 2015 30°54′12.6″N46°27′09.4″E / 30.903500°N 46.452611°E / 30.903500; 46.452611 (Suq Al-Shuyukh Stadium) [68] [69] [70]
21 Delal Stadium Zakho 10,000Football Zakho SC 37°10′06.3″N42°41′30.2″E / 37.168417°N 42.691722°E / 37.168417; 42.691722 (Delal Stadium)
22 Al Aziziyah Stadium Wasit 10,000Football Al-Aziziyah SC 2019 32°50′41.7″N45°08′09.3″E / 32.844917°N 45.135917°E / 32.844917; 45.135917 (Al-Aziziyah Stadium) [71] [72] [73]
23 Al-Nasiriyah Stadium Nasiriyah 10,000Football Al-Nasiriya SC, Akkad SC 31°01′17.8″N46°15′04.7″E / 31.021611°N 46.251306°E / 31.021611; 46.251306 (Al-Nasiriyah Stadium)
24 Ba'quba Stadium Baqubah 10,000Football Diyala SC 33°44′53.1″N44°39′27.1″E / 33.748083°N 44.657528°E / 33.748083; 44.657528 (Ba'quba Stadium)
25 Tikrit Stadium Tikrit 10,000Football Salahaddin SC, Tikrit SC 34°35′46.6″N43°41′01.7″E / 34.596278°N 43.683806°E / 34.596278; 43.683806 (Tikrit Stadium)

Club tournaments

Aliyat Al-Shorta reached the final of the AFC Champions League, the biggest tournament in Asian football, in 1971 but withdrew from the final due to it being against an Israeli team. Al-Rasheed also reached the final in 1989 but lost on away goals. Al-Shorta won the first ever edition of the Arab Club Champions Cup in 1982 with Al-Rasheed winning that competition three times in a row (1985, 1986, 1987). Al-Talaba and Al-Zawraa both lost the final of the Asian Cup Winners' Cup in 1995 and 2000 respectively, before Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya won Asia's second-tier tournament, the AFC Cup, three consecutive times in 2016, 2017 and 2018.

Domestic league titles won by club

See also

Related Research Articles

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