Stars League (Iraq)

Iraq Stars League (Iraq) (Iraq Stars League) - Iraq’s top professional men’s club league organised under the Iraq Football Association. Regulations: the competition is played as a national league, typically with 20 clubs in a double round-robin format home and away, with 38 matches per team in a 20-club season, and points are awarded 3 for a win, 1 for a draw and 0 for a loss. If teams are level on points, the ranking is decided by head-to-head points, head-to-head goal difference, overall goal difference, goals scored, and number of wins, and if teams remain level and the tie affects the title, relegation or continental qualification, an additional play-off match is used. At season end, several bottom-placed clubs are relegated to the second tier and promotion is granted to top second-tier clubs under the season rules. The league champions qualify for the AFC Champions League Elite, while the Iraq FA Cup winners qualify for the AFC Champions League Two, and if the same club wins both, the remaining berth is reallocated to the next eligible league finisher under the entry rules.