The 2026–27 Iraq Stars League is the 53rd season of the highest tier football league in Iraq since its establishment in 1974, and the fourth season since launching as a professional league under the name Iraq Stars League. The season started on 14 August 2026 and will end on 28 May 2027
Overview 20 teams are competing in the 2026–27 Iraq Stars League: 17 teams from the previous season, as well as Al-Jolan, Ghaz Al-Shamal and Karbala who were promoted from the 2025–26 Iraqi Premier Division League, replacing Amanat Baghdad, Al-Najaf and Al-Qasim who were relegated. Karbala are returning to the top flight after a one-year absence, while Al-Jolan and Ghaz Al-Shamal are playing in the top flight for the first time in history this season.
New rules For the first time since the 2019–20 season, goal difference is being used as the first tiebreaker for teams level on points. This is followed by number of goals scored, head-to-head points, head-to-head goal difference, head-to-head number of goals scored (if more than two teams are tied), number of wins, number of red cards, number of yellow cards and finally a drawing of lots.
The bottom four teams in the Stars League will be relegated this season, while the top two teams from the Premier Division League will be promoted, in order to reduce the number of teams in the Stars League to 18 teams.
Teams
Clubs and locations Team Manager Location Stadium Capacity Al-Gharraf Yamen Zelfani Dhi Qar Al-Nasiriya International Stadium20,000 Al-Jolan Anmar Salam Al-Anbar Al-Jolan Stadium6,000 Al-Kahrabaa Hassan Ahmed Baghdad Al-Zawraa Stadium15,443 Al-Karkh Ayman Hakeem Baghdad Sharar Haidar Stadium5,150 Al-Karma Moamen Soliman Al-Anbar Al-Jolan Stadium6,000 Al-Minaa Miodrag Radulović Basra Al-Minaa Olympic Stadium30,000 Al-Mosul Haitham Al-Shboul Mosul Franso Hariri Stadium25,000 Al-Naft Adel Nima Baghdad Sharar Haidar Stadium5,150 Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Rashid Jaber Baghdad Al-Madina Stadium32,000 Al-Shorta Sami Trabelsi Baghdad Al-Shorta Stadium10,089 Al-Talaba Alireza Mansourian Baghdad Al-Madina Stadium32,000 Al-Zawraa Basim Qasim Baghdad Al-Zawraa Stadium15,443 Diyala Kais Yaâkoubi Diyala Diyala Stadium10,000 Duhok Yahya Golmohammadi Duhok Duhok Stadium22,800 Erbil Luay Salah Erbil Franso Hariri Stadium25,000 Ghaz Al-Shamal Raafat Mohammad Kirkuk Newroz Stadium14,500 Karbala Qahtan Chathir Karbala Karbala International Stadium30,000 Naft Maysan Haider Obeid Maysan Maysan Olympic Stadium25,000 Newroz Wali Kareem Sulaymaniya Newroz Stadium14,500 Zakho Laurent Banide Duhok Zakho International Stadium20,000
League table
Results
Season statistics Top scorers
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Reference Saif Rasheed Al-Talaba Duhok 3–3 (A) Ifeanyi Eze Erbil Karbala 3–0 (A)
Notes (H) – Home team(A) – Away team
References
External links Official website Iraq Football Association