The Iraqi Premier Division League ( Arabic : دوري الدرجة الممتازة العراقي ) is the second-highest division of the Iraqi football league system after the Iraq Stars League . The league is contested by 20 clubs and is operated by the Iraq Football Association (IFA). Each season, the two top-finishing teams in the Premier Division League are automatically promoted to the Stars League, while the third-placed team enters a promotion play-off. The two lowest-finishing teams are relegated to the First Division League .
13-464: From the 2023–24 season, the competition's name was changed from First Division League to Premier Division League. In the 2023–24 season, Diyala won the title and was promoted alongside runners-up Al-Karma . Al-Minaa are the record holders in the tournament having won three titles. In November 2020, The Iraq FA announced that the number of teams will decrease from 28 to 24 in total starting from 2021 to 2022 season. To make these changes possible,
26-582: A bad shape. However, the league includes very talented players, and the competition in it is so strong that it exceeds the competition in the Stars League . 2023%E2%80%9324 Iraqi Premier Division League The 2023–24 Iraqi Premier Division League is the 50th season of the Iraqi Premier Division League, the second tier of the Iraqi football league system since its establishment in 1974, and
39-502: A place in next season's Stars League. 2023%E2%80%9324 Iraq Stars League The 2023–24 Iraq Stars League was the 50th season of the highest tier football league in Iraq since its establishment in 1974, and the first season since launching as a professional league under the name Iraq Stars League . The season started on 26 October 2023 and ended on 14 July 2024, with the post-season play-offs held from 19–24 July 2024. Al-Shorta won
52-464: A play-off, with the winner remaining in the Stars League and the loser advancing to the relegation play-off. If the scores were level after 90 minutes, 30 minutes of extra time would be played. If the scores were still level after extra time, the 18th-placed team would advance to the relegation play-off due to their inferior league position. The loser of the play-out round competed in a play-off with
65-519: The Iraq FA announced that in 2020–21 season, The top teams in each group are directly promoted to the top-tier , while 8 teams in total are directly relegated to third-tier . On April 8, 2023, the promotion and relegation mechanism was changed, and the Football Association announced the promotion of the winning team in each group directly to the top-tier, and the relegation of the last two teams in
78-687: The final and gain promotion to the Iraq Stars League , while the two group runners-up compete in a third place match, with the winner entering a promotion play-off. The following teams have changed division since the 2022–23 season: Promoted from Iraqi First Division League Relegated from the Iraq Stars League Promoted to the Iraq Stars League Relegated to Iraqi First Division League Withdrawn teams A total of 22 teams are contesting
91-493: The first under its new name. 22 teams are split into two groups in the first round, where the top four teams in each group qualify for the second round, and the bottom two teams in each group are directly relegated to the Iraqi First Division League . In the second round, the eight teams are split into two groups, with each team playing the other teams in their group home and away. The two group winners qualify for
104-607: The four teams Al-Karma , Ghaz Al-Shamal , Al-Gharraf and Al-Fahad were promoted from the First Division League (known as the Second Division League in the previous season). Al-Difaa Al-Madani and Al-Muroor were also considered to have withdrawn from the league after the Ministry of Interior officially dissolved them. The teams were divided into two groups, and the draw was held on November 19, 2023, and it
117-484: The league title for the third season in a row, sealing the title in the penultimate round of the season by defeating Duhok 1–0. Al-Shorta also won the Iraq FA Cup title to secure the double . 20 teams competed in the 2023–24 Iraq Stars League: 18 teams from the 2022–23 Iraqi Premier League , as well as Al-Minaa and Amanat Baghdad who were promoted from the 2022–23 Iraqi First Division League and both returned to
130-464: The league, including 16 sides from the 2022–23 season and the 2 relegated sides from the Iraq Stars League and the 4 promoted sides from the Iraqi First Division League , because of the recent changes necessary to adjustment to having 22 teams possible this season. Indeed, Al-Sinaa and Al-Diwaniya were relegated from the Stars League (known as the Premier League in the previous season), and
143-524: The standings in each group to the third-tier, as a result, two teams are promote and 4 teams are relegate. Iraqi Premier Division League is called in the media by the name of Dawri Al-Madhaleem (Oppressed League), because the media , the Football Association , and the Referees Committee do not care about it, and the teams that play in it suffer from poor financing, and their stadiums are in
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#1732859425474156-447: The top tier after a one-year absence. The four teams that finished 3rd to 6th competed in a play-off tournament to decide Iraq's participant in the 2024–25 AGCFF Gulf Club Champions League . If a match ended in a draw after 90 minutes, there would be no extra time played and the game would go straight to a penalty shootout. Duhok qualified for the 2024–25 AGCFF Gulf Club Champions League. The 17th and 18th-placed teams competed in
169-491: Was decided that the championship will start on December 1, 2023. The second-placed teams in both groups of second round will compete in a play-off, with the loser remaining in Premier Division League and the winner advancing to the promotion play-off. The winner of the play-out round will compete in a play-off with loser from the play-out round of 17th and 18th-placed teams of the Iraq Stars League for
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