2000–01 Iraqi Elite League

The 2000–01 Iraqi Elite League was the 27th season of the competition since its foundation in 1974. The name of the league was changed from Iraqi First Division to Iraqi Elite League. Instead of relegating teams from the 1999–2000 season and promoting teams from the lower division in order to decide which teams were playing in the competition, the Iraq Football Association decided that every team in the country from every division should play qualifying games in order to decide who participated.

The qualifying rounds saw a total of 135 teams being split into groups based on geographical position, all competing for the 16 places in the league. After all the qualifiers were over, the league competition itself was played and was 30 rounds long. This made it too difficult to schedule the 2000–01 Iraq FA Cup, so that competition was cancelled. In the end, Al-Zawraa won their third league title in a row, finishing a comfortable eight points clear of their rivals.

Qualifiers

First qualifying round

The highest-placed teams in each group qualified to the final qualifying round.

• Al-Anbar Group: Al-Ramadi qualified
• Babil Group: Al-Qassim qualified

• Al-Qassim played Al-Hilla in a two-legged play-off which ended 1–1 on aggregate; Al-Qassim qualified on away goals
• Other teams in the group included Babil

• Baghdad: All 35 teams admitted directly to final qualifying round
• Basra Group: Al-Minaa qualified

• Al-Minaa played Al-Basra in a two-legged play-off; both legs ended in draws and Al-Minaa won 1–0 via a golden goal in extra-time
• Other teams in the group included Al-Bahri and Al-Ittihad

• Dhi Qar Group: Al-Nasiriya qualified
• Al-Qadisiyyah Group: Al-Diwaniya qualified
• Diyala Group: Al-Khalis qualified

• Other teams in the group included Diyala, who withdrew

• Duhok Group: Duhok qualified

• Other teams in the group included Zakho and Peris

• Erbil Group: Erbil qualified
• Karbalaa Group: Karbalaa qualified

• Other teams in the group included Al-Hindiya, Al-Jamahir and Al-Husseiniya

• Kirkuk Group: Kirkuk qualified
• Maysan Group: Maysan qualified

• Other teams in the group included Al-Amarah

• Muthanna Group: Al-Samawa qualified
• Najaf Group: Al-Najaf qualified
• Mosul Group: Al-Mosul qualified

• Al-Mosul played Al-Hikna in a two-legged play-off; both legs ended in draws and Al-Mosul qualified on away goals

• Salahaddin Group: Samarra qualified

• Other teams in the group included Salahaddin

• Sulaymaniyah: Al-Sulaymaniyah admitted directly to final qualifying round
• Wasit Group: Al-Kut qualified

Final qualifying round

North Group

Central Group

Baghdad Groups

Group A

Group B

Play-off

• Al-Difaa Al-Jawiya defeated Al-Jaish to qualify for the League.

South Group

League

League table

Top goalscorers

References

• Iraq - List of final tables (RSSSF)

External links

• Iraqi Football Website