[2] The first nationwide league to be held in the country was in the 1973–74 season when the National First Division was formed, with Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya being crowned champions.
[5][6] The system consists of a pyramid of leagues, bound together by the principle of promotion and relegation.
In addition to sporting performance, promotion is usually contingent on meeting criteria set by the higher league, especially concerning appropriate facilities and finances.
[7] In theory, it is possible for a lowly local amateur club to achieve annual promotions and within a few years rise to the pinnacle of the Iraqi game and become champions of the Stars League (previously known as the Premier League).
Level one in the pyramid, the top division of Iraq football, is the Stars League, the winners of which are regarded as the champions of Iraq and the contenders have access to the Asian premier football competition, the AFC Champions League Elite.