2022–23 Iraqi Division Two

2022–23 Iraqi Division Two
The 2022–23 Iraq Division Two will be the 49th season of the Iraq Division Two, and it is the third tier in the Iraqi football league system since its establishment in 1974. The number of clubs in the league have varied throughout history for various reasons; in this season the number of clubs will be 98 (in addition to 26 pre-qualified teams from the previous season, playing starting from the second round, so the total is 124 teams). The top four teams (top 2 teams in each group) in the Final Qualifiers are promoted directly to the Iraq Division One, while teams that fail to qualify for the second round and finish in the bottom positions in the group ranking table will be relegated directly to the Iraq Division Three. The season is scheduled to start on 1 December 2022.
In the Ultimate competing round of the league, in the group 1, Al-Karma and Al-Gharraf were able to top the group after each of them achieved 19 points, while in the group 2, Ghaz Al-Shamal and Al-Fahad topped the group after each of them achieved 22 points. All four teams were promoted to the Division One.
It was decided on August 6, to hold the final match to determine the league champion, between the leaders of the group 1, Al-Karma, and the leaders of the group 2, Ghaz Al-Shamal.
The final match was held at Al-Shaab Stadium in Baghdad, and Al-Karma was able to beat Ghaz Al-Shamal by penalty kicks (4–3) after the end of the regular time of the match, with the two teams drewed (1–1).
Team changes
The following teams have changed division since the 2021–22 season:
To Iraq Division Two
Promoted from Division Three
Abnaa Al-Madina
Al-Amir
Al-Aziziya
Al-Chibayish
Al-Dair
Al-Falluja
Al-Ghadeer
Al-Gharraf
Al-Hadbaa
Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi
Al-Intifadha
Al-Ishaqi
Al-Iskan
Al-Izza
Al-Jawhara
Al-Karma
Al-Mahanawiya
Al-Mahawil
Al-Maqal
Al-Osra
Al-Shabab Al-Basri
Al-Shaheed Arkan
Al-Siyaha
Al-Tijara
Al-Wajihiya
Al-Zaytoun
Al-Zubaidiya
Aliyat Al-Shorta
Anah
Habbaniyat Al-Sumood
Jenaain Babil
Kafaat Nineveh
Masafi Al-Shamal
Naft Al-Shamal
Qandeel
Taza
Relegated from the Division One
Al-Alam
Babil
Ghaz Al-Shamal
Suq Al-Shuyukh
From Iraq Division Two
Promoted to the Division One
Al-Etisalat
Al-Hawija
Al-Jolan
Masafi Al-Wasat
Relegated to Division Three
Al-Ahrar
Al-Amara
Al-Anbar
Al-Hamza
Al-Husseiniyah
Al-Khairat
Al-Fosfat
Al-Madhatyia
Al-Mohandessin
Al-Sadda
Al-Taliea
Al-Zaeem
Baladiyat Al-Nasiriyah
Bilad Al-Rafidain
Daquq
Ghaz Al-Janoob
Jalawla
Kahrabaa Al-Hartha
Khallat
New Sirwan
Peshwa
Salahaddin
Sarchinar
Shabab Al-Adil
Tarmi
Umm Qasr
Competition format
Schedule
The Iraq Division Two starts with 98 clubs and ends with four qualified clubs according to three rounds, The teams that qualified for the second round last season and the teams that were relegated from the Iraq Division One in the 2021–22 season moved directly to play in the second round.
First round
The 98 clubs are divided into 16 groups depending on the location, except for the groups of Dohuk and Erbil, each group representing the governorate to which these clubs belong and is located within its borders.
1- Dohuk Group
There are no teams in Dohuk that play in this division.
2- Nineveh Group
3- Erbil Group
There are no teams in Erbil that play in this division.
4- Kirkuk Group
5- Sulaymaniyah Group
6- Saladin Group
7- Al-Anbar Group
8- Baghdad Groups
Group 1
Group 2
9- Diyala Group
10- Karbalaa Group
11- Babil Group
12- Wasit Groups
Group 1
Group 2
13- Al-Najaf Group
14- Al-Qādisiyyah Group
15- Maysan Group
16- Al-Muthanna Group
17- Dhi Qar Group
18- Basra Group
Qualified teams
The 26 pre-qualified teams and the 27 teams coming from the first round are all divided into five groups by location, and these groups have sub-groups. The first from each group is considered a winner, the winning teams advance directly to the third round.
[a] Al-Karma replaced Al-Habbaniya.
Second round
The draw for the Central Euphrates Group and Southern Group regions was held on February 21, 2023, and the Western Group on February 22, while the Northern Group draw was held in February 25.
Northern section
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Western section
Group 1
Group 2
Baghdad section
Group 1
Group 2
Central Euphrates section
Group 1
Group 2
Southern section
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Third round
The twelve qualified teams have been divided into two groups, and the first two teams from each group will be promoted to Iraq Division One, and the draw took place on May 30, 2023.
After the lottery was drawn between the qualified teams, Al-Qurna was replaced by Al-Kut, due to the appeal decision issued by the Football Association, as Al-Kut considered a winner over Suq Al-Shuyukh with a score 3–0 instead of the draw result with which the match ended, and thus Al-Kut has got on 13 points ahead of Al-Qurna who has 12 points.
Ultimate competing teams
Final Qualifiers
Group 1
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Group 2
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Final
Match officials
Assistant referees:
Safin Qader
Thul-Faqar Khalil
Fourth official: Ahmed Ali Talib
Match rules
90 minutes.
Penalty shootout if scores still level.
Maximum of five substitutions
Final qualifiers statistics
Top scorers
Hat-tricks
Notes
4 Player scored 4 goals(H) – Home team(A) – Away team
References
External links
Iraq Football Association
2022–23 in Iraqi football
Football leagues in Iraq
Third level football leagues in Asia