Season 2014–15 | ||
 | ||
Champions Naft Al-Wasat
1st Premier League title
1st Iraqi title AFC Cup Naft Al-Wasat
Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Top goalscorer Marwan Hussein
(15 goals) Biggest home win Al-Talaba 5–0 Al-Najaf
(24 December 2014) Biggest away win Al-Zawraa 0–4 Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
(28 November 2014) | ||
The 2014–2015 Iraqi Premier League was the 41st season of the Iraqi Premier League since its establishment in 1974. The season started on 30 September 2014 and ended on 11 July 2015. The season was played in a group stage format for the first time since 2010–11 and newly promoted side Naft Al-Wasat, founded in 2008, sensationally won the league in their first ever season in the top flight, defeating Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya in the final 6–5 on penalties after a 0–0 draw. Defending champions Al-Shorta secured the third place position and Al-Minaa finished in fourth.
Contents
Promoted teams
Teams promoted from 2013–14 Iraq Division 1
1. Naft Al-Wasat
2. Sulaymaniya FC
3. Al-Kahraba
4. Al-Hedood
Teams relegated to 2014–15 Iraq Division 1
None
Format
Last season saw no teams relegated as the league was ended early and four teams from the lower division were promoted, resulting in a 20-team league for this season.
The format has changed from the single-league system back to a group stage system. The competition has two stages. The first stage of the league consists of two groups of ten teams. Each team will play the other teams in their group twice (home and away) with the top four teams from each group advancing to the elite stage and the bottom team from each group being relegated.
The elite stage consists of two groups of four. Each team will play the other three teams in their group twice. The two teams who finish top of their groups will advance to the final to determine the champion of the league, while the two group runners-up will play a match for 3rd place.
The draw for the groups and the fixtures of the first stage was made on September 8, 2014. The winner and the runner-up will qualify to the 2016 AFC Champions League Qualifying play-off
Stadia and locations
Defending champions are in bold
Group 1 Table
Updated to games played on 4 May 2015.
Source: Goalzz.com
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.
Group 1 Results
Source: Goalzz.com
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
For coming matches, an a indicates there is an article about the match.
Group 2 Table
Updated to games played on 2 May 2015.
Source: Goalzz.com
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.
Group 2 Results
Source: Goalzz.com
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
For coming matches, an a indicates there is an article about the match.