2023 Iraqi Republic Championship

The 2023 Iraqi Republic Championship was a newly-returned friendly tournament organised by the Iraq Football Association. All 18 governorates of Iraq were represented in this tournament. The tournament started in August 2023, during the off-season of the Iraqi Premier League. This was the tournament's first edition in over 30 years.[1][2][3] Salahaddin XI beat Baghdad Karkh XI in the final on 27 September to win the tournament.[4]

2023 Iraqi Republic Championship
بطولة الجمهورية العراقية
Tournament details
Host country Iraq
CityAll 18 provinces
Dates7 August – 27 September
Teams19
Final positions
ChampionsSalahaddin XI
Runners-upBaghdad Karkh XI
Tournament statistics
Matches played45
Goals scored140 (3.11 per match)

Format

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All 18 provinces of Iraq were represented in the tournament. Baghdad was represented by two teams from Karkh and Rusafa, the two sides of Baghdad city separated by the Tigris River. Each team, governed by the sub-federation in that province, formed a select team to compete and appointed both the coaching and administrative staff. The coaches then called up players, who play for the province that they are originally from.

Iraqi Republic Championship
Northern Region Western Region Baghdad Region Middle Euphrates Region Southern Region

Duhok XI

Erbil XI

Sulaymaniya XI

Kirkuk XI

Nineveh XI

Salahaddin XI

Diyala XI

Anbar XI

Baghdad Karkh XI

Baghdad Rusafa XI

Karbala XI

Babil XI

Najaf XI

Qadisiya XI

Muthanna XI

Wasit XI

Dhi Qar XI

Maysan XI

Basra XI

Each team played at the following stadiums:

Stadiums
Team/Province Stadium
Duhok XI Duhok Stadium
Erbil XI Franso Hariri Stadium
Sulaymaniya XI Sulaymaniya Stadium
Kirkuk XI Kirkuk Olympic Stadium
Nineveh XI Al-Amwaj Al-Mosuli Stadium
Salahaddin XI Tikrit University Stadium
Diyala XI Baquba Stadium
Anbar XI Al-Sufiya Stadium
Baghdad Karkh XI Al-Zawraa Stadium
Baghdad Rusafa XI Al-Shaab Stadium
Karbala XI Karbala Local Administrative Stadium
Babil XI Al-Kifl Stadium
Najaf XI Al-Najaf Stadium
Qadisiya XI Al-Diwaniya Stadium
Muthanna XI Al-Samawa Stadium
Wasit XI Al-Kut Olympic Stadium
Dhi Qar XI Suq Al-Shuyukh Stadium/Al-Shatra Stadium
Maysan XI Al-Maimouna Stadium
Basra XI Al-Minaa Olympic Stadium (secondary pitch)

Each team initially played against other teams within their own region as qualifiers for the knockout stages. The top two teams from each of the four regions qualified for the next round, joining the Karkh and Rusafa teams in the Baghdad region to make up the 10 teams in the next phase. They were divided into two groups, and the top of each group played against each other in the final of the tournament.[5]

Tie-breakers of groups relied on goals scored rather than goal difference to encourage offensive play in order to make the football played at the tournament more appealing.

Regional stage

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Northern Region

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Kirkuk XI 3 1 2 0 6 2 +4 5 Second stage
2 Erbil XI 3 1 2 0 6 3 +3 5
3 Sulaymaniya XI 3 1 2 0 5 2 +3 5
4 Duhok XI 3 0 0 3 1 11 −10 0
Source: Kooora
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) number of goals scored; 3) goal difference.
11 August 2023 GS MD1 Sulaymaniya XI 1–1 Kirkuk XI Sulaymaniya
16:30 UTC+3
  •   24'
Stadium: Zanko Stadium
Referee: Wmeedh Mahmoud
11 August 2023 GS MD1 Duhok XI 1–4 Erbil XI Duhok
16:30 UTC+3
  •   31'
  •   45+1'
  •   55' (pen.)
  •   79'
  •   83'
Stadium: Duhok Stadium
Referee: Ayad Zahim
16 August 2023 GS MD2 Erbil XI 1–1 Sulaymaniya XI Erbil
16:45 UTC+3 Stadium: Franso Hariri Stadium
16 August 2023 GS MD2 Kirkuk XI 4–0 Duhok XI Kirkuk
16:45 UTC+3
Stadium: Kirkuk Olympic Stadium
21 August 2023 GS MD3 Sulaymaniya XI 3–0 (w/o) Duhok XI Sulaymaniya
16:45 UTC+3 Stadium: Sulaymaniya Stadium
21 August 2023 GS MD3 Erbil XI 1–1 Kirkuk XI Erbil
16:45 UTC+3
  •   90+6'
Stadium: Franso Hariri Stadium

Western Region

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Salahaddin XI 3 2 1 0 12 5 +7 7 Second stage
2 Nineveh XI 3 2 1 0 4 1 +3 7
3 Anbar XI 3 1 0 2 7 8 −1 3
4 Diyala XI 3 0 0 3 2 11 −9 0
Source: Kooora
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) number of goals scored; 3) goal difference.
10 August 2023 GS MD1 Anbar XI 4–1 Diyala XI Ramadi
17:00 UTC+3
Stadium: Al-Sufiya Stadium
Referee: Jamal Abdul-Ridha
10 August 2023 GS MD1 Salahaddin XI 1–1 Nineveh XI Tikrit
17:00 UTC+3
Stadium: Tikrit University Stadium
14 August 2023 GS MD2 Diyala XI 1–5 Salahaddin XI Baquba
17:00 UTC+3
Stadium: Baquba Stadium
Referee: Twana Othman
14 August 2023 GS MD2 Nineveh XI 1–0 Anbar XI Mosul
17:00 UTC+3 Stadium: Al-Amwaj Al-Mosuli Stadium
18 August 2023 GS MD3 Anbar XI 3–6 Salahaddin XI Ramadi
17:00 UTC+3
Stadium: Al-Sufiya Stadium
18 August 2023 GS MD3 Diyala XI 0–2 Nineveh XI Baquba
17:00 UTC+3 Stadium: Baquba Stadium

Middle Euphrates Region

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Karbala XI 4 3 0 1 8 4 +4 9 Second stage
2 Najaf XI 4 2 1 1 6 5 +1 7
3 Qadisiya XI 4 1 1 2 6 8 −2 4
4 Babil XI 4 1 1 2 5 7 −2 4
5 Muthanna XI 4 0 3 1 2 3 −1 3
Source: Kooora
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) number of goals scored; 3) goal difference.
7 August 2023 GS MD1 Muthanna XI 0–0 Najaf XI Samawa
17:00 UTC+3 Stadium: Al-Samawa Stadium
Referee: Hayder Adwan
7 August 2023 GS MD1 Qadisiya XI 0–2 Karbala XI Afak
17:00 UTC+3
Stadium: Afak Stadium
Referee: Sajjad Khalid
11 August 2023 GS MD2 Babil XI 0–0 Muthanna XI Al-Kifl
17:00 UTC+3 Stadium: Al-Kifl Stadium
11 August 2023 GS MD2 Najaf XI 3–1 Qadisiya XI Najaf
17:00 UTC+3
Stadium: Al-Najaf Stadium
15 August 2023 GS MD3 Karbala XI 3–1 Najaf XI Karbala
17:00 UTC+3
  •   61'
Stadium: Karbala Local Administrative Stadium
15 August 2023 GS MD3 Qadisiya XI 3–1 Babil XI Al-Diwaniya
17:00 UTC+3
Stadium: Al-Diwaniya Stadium
19 August 2023 GS MD4 Muthanna XI 2–2 Qadisiya XI Samawa
17:00 UTC+3 Stadium: Al-Samawa Stadium
19 August 2023 GS MD4 Babil XI 3–2 Karbala XI Al-Kifl
17:00 UTC+3
Stadium: Al-Kifl Stadium
23 August 2023 GS MD5 Karbala XI 1–0 Muthanna XI Karbala
17:00 UTC+3
Stadium: Karbala Local Administrative Stadium
23 August 2023 GS MD5 Najaf XI 2–1 Babil XI Najaf
17:00 UTC+3
Stadium: Al-Najaf Stadium

Southern Region

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Wasit XI 3 3 0 0 8 2 +6 9 Second stage
2 Maysan XI 3 2 0 1 6 4 +2 6
3 Basra XI 3 1 0 2 7 9 −2 3
4 Dhi Qar XI 3 0 0 3 2 8 −6 0
Source: Kooora
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) number of goals scored; 3) goal difference.
10 August 2023 GS MD1 Dhi Qar XI 1–2 Wasit XI Suq Al-Shuyukh
17:00 UTC+3
  •  
  •  
Stadium: Suq Al-Shuyukh Stadium
Referee: Hamid Ali
10 August 2023 GS MD1 Maysan XI 4–2 Basra XI Amara
17:00 UTC+3
Stadium: Al-Maimouna Stadium
Referee: Alaa Khalil
15 August 2023 GS MD2 Wasit XI 2–0 Maysan XI Kut
17:00 UTC+3 Stadium: Al-Kut Olympic Stadium
16 August 2023 GS MD2 Basra XI 4–1 Dhi Qar XI Basra
17:00 UTC+3
Stadium: Al-Minaa Olympic Stadium (secondary pitch)
20 August 2023 GS MD3 Dhi Qar XI 0–2 Maysan XI Al-Shatra
17:00 UTC+3 Stadium: Al-Shatra Stadium
20 August 2023 GS MD3 Basra XI 1–4 Wasit XI Basra
17:00 UTC+3
Stadium: Al-Minaa Olympic Stadium (secondary pitch)

Second stage

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Qualified Teams

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Iraqi Republic Championship
Northern Region Western Region Baghdad Region Middle Euphrates Region Southern Region

Kirkuk XI

Erbil XI

Salahaddin XI

Nineveh XI

Baghdad Karkh XI (bye)

Baghdad Rusafa XI (bye)

Karbala XI

Najaf XI

Wasit XI

Maysan XI

Group 1

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Salahaddin XI 4 3 0 1 9 4 +5 9 Final
2 Karbala XI 4 2 1 1 8 5 +3 7
3 Baghdad Rusafa XI 4 2 1 1 3 4 −1 7
4 Erbil XI (H) 4 1 1 2 5 7 −2 4
5 Maysan XI 4 0 1 3 1 6 −5 1
Source: Kooora
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) number of goals scored; 3) goal difference.
(H) Hosts
15 September 2023 SR MD1 Karbala XI 3–0 Baghdad Rusafa XI Erbil
15:30 UTC+3 Stadium: Al-Shamal Stadium
15 September 2023 SR MD1 Salahaddin XI 2–1 Erbil XI Erbil
15:30 UTC+3 Stadium: Al-Shamal Stadium
17 September 2023 SR MD2 Erbil XI 1–1 Baghdad Rusafa XI Erbil
17 September 2023 SR MD2 Karbala XI 0–0 Maysan XI Erbil
19 September 2023 SR MD3 Baghdad Rusafa XI 1–0 Salahaddin XI Erbil
16:45 UTC+3 Stadium: Ararat Stadium
19 September 2023 SR MD3 Erbil XI 2–1 Maysan XI Erbil
16:45 UTC+3 Stadium: Brayati Stadium
21 September 2023 SR MD4 Maysan XI 0–3 Salahaddin XI Erbil
21 September 2023 SR MD4 Karbala XI 3–1 Erbil XI Erbil
23 September 2023 SR MD5 Salahaddin XI 4–2 Karbala XI Erbil
23 September 2023 SR MD5 Maysan XI 0–1 Baghdad Rusafa XI Erbil

Group 2

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Baghdad Karkh XI 3 2 0 1 7 5 +2 6 Final
2 Kirkuk XI (H) 3 2 0 1 4 3 +1 6
3 Nineveh XI 3 1 1 1 4 4 0 4
4 Wasit XI 3 0 1 2 3 6 −3 1
5 Najaf XI[a] 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Withdrew
Source: Kooora
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) number of goals scored; 3) goal difference.
(H) Hosts
Notes:
  1. ^ Najaf XI withdrew from the tournament due to a lack of available players.
16 September 2023 SR MD1 Wasit XI 2–4 Baghdad Karkh XI Kirkuk
15:30 UTC+3 Stadium: Ghaz Al-Shamal Stadium
16 September 2023 SR MD1 Kirkuk XI 2–1 Nineveh XI Kirkuk
15:30 UTC+3 Stadium: Naft Al-Shamal Stadium
19 September 2023 SR MD2 Nineveh XI 0–0 Wasit XI Kirkuk
15:30 UTC+3 Stadium: Ghaz Al-Shamal Stadium
19 September 2023 SR MD2 Baghdad Karkh XI 1–0 Kirkuk XI Kirkuk
15:30 UTC+3 Stadium: Naft Al-Shamal Stadium
22 September 2023 SR MD3 Nineveh XI 3–2 Baghdad Karkh XI Kirkuk
15:30 UTC+3 Stadium: Ghaz Al-Shamal Stadium
22 September 2023 SR MD3 Wasit XI 1–2 Kirkuk XI Kirkuk
15:30 UTC+3 Stadium: Naft Al-Shamal Stadium

Final

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Salahaddin XI2–1Baghdad Karkh XI
Iraqi Republic Championship
2023 winner
Salahaddin XI

References

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  1. ^ "الاتحاد العراقي يعيد إحياء بطولة الجمهورية لمحافظات العراق" (in Arabic). kooora.com. 2023-07-18.
  2. ^ "اتحاد الكرة يطلق بطولة الجمهورية - وكالة الأنباء العراقية" (in Arabic). ina.iq.
  3. ^ "الاتحاد العراقيّ لكُرةِ القدم يطلق بطولة الجمهورية - موسوعة" (in Arabic). faceiraq.org.
  4. ^ "منتخب صلاح الدين بطلاً لبطولة الجمهورية لمنتخبات المحافظات 2023" (in Arabic). facebook.com/iraqfa. 2023-09-27.
  5. ^ "الاتحاد العراقي يحدد موعد وآلية انطلاق بطولة الجمهورية" (in Arabic). shafaq.com. 2023-07-28.