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Qatar Stars League facts for kids

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Qatar Stars League
Qatar Stars League logo.svg
Founded 1972; 52 years ago (1972)
Country Qatar
Confederation AFC
Number of teams 12
Level on pyramid 1
Relegation to Qatari Second Division
Domestic cup(s)
  • Emir Cup
  • Qatar Cup
  • Qatar FA Cup
  • Qatari Stars Cup
  • Sheikh Jassem Cup
International cup(s)
Current champions Al-Sadd (17th title)
(2023–24)
Most championships Al-Sadd (17 titles)
TV partners beIN Sports
Alkass Sports

The Qatar Stars League (Arabic: دوري نجوم قطر; abbreviated as QSL), known as Expo Stars League for sponsorship reasons, is the top level football league in Qatar football league system. Contested by 12 teams, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Qatari Second Division (QSD). The QSL season usually runs from September to April. The league's first season was played in 1963, although the first official season occurred in 1972. The league currently features 12 clubs, with one club being demoted to make room for one club being promoted.

The Qatari league system provides 5 domestic cups that various clubs can compete for: the Emir of Qatar Cup, open to all teams in both the first and second divisions, the Qatar Crown Prince Cup a postseason tournament played by the top four first division teams, the Sheikh Jassem Cup, a prelude to the first division regular season, the Qatari Stars Cup, a round-robin tournament played midseason, and the Qatar FA Cup, where the bottom 8 teams from the QSL and the entire QSD participate. The league title has been officially won by 7 clubs since its inception. The club that has won the most championships is Al Sadd SC, with 16 titles.

League structure

There are 2 divisions in the Qatari football structure and the league has previously seen one club promoted and relegated each year except in expansion seasons. The Qatar Stars League, previously known as the Q-League currently features 12 teams, with the 2nd division featuring 8 teams. The top four clubs at the end of the regular league system participate in the Qatar Crown Prince Cup, which was formed in the 1994/95 season.

The Qatar Stars League has slowly expanded since the turn of the decade moving from 9 clubs to 10 clubs, and then latest setup of 12 clubs for the Qatari League 2009-10 campaign. It was announced that in the 2013-14 season, the number of clubs in the top division would increase to 14, whereas the second division would increase to 18 clubs which includes the reserve teams of the top division clubs.

It was announced on 15 April 2009 that no clubs would be relegated from the top flight in the 2008–09 Qatar Stars League season, due to expansion reasons, however the announcement was made with only one game remaining. That year, the top league expanded to 12 clubs. In May 2013, the QFA again expanded the league by two more teams, bringing the total number of clubs in the first division to 14. In 2017 the number of teams moved back to 12.

There are currently 4 official amateur football leagues in Qatar. Three amateur leagues are under the jurisdiction of the Qatar Community Football League (QCFL), established by the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, and the fourth, known as the Qatar Amateur League (QAL) is recognized by the QFA. Inaugurated in November 2013, the QAL has 14 teams, all of which were established through the country's government, political and social sectors.

History

Early history

The first unofficial season of the Qatar Stars League was the 1963–64 season, 3 years after the formation of the QFA. Similarly, a second division was also created during this time. For many years, there was no promotion or relegation system. Al-Maref, a club representing the Ministry of Education, was dissolved in 1966-67 by decision of the QFA and its players distributed to other clubs.

First official season

In 1972–73, the first official season was played. Al Esteqlal, now known as Qatar SC, won the first championship.

The first time there was a playoff for the championship was in 1980, between Al Sadd and Al Arabi. Al Sadd won the match 1–0.

Although a second division had been in place for some time, there was no relegation or promotion system. However, in 1981, such a system was put in place for the first time. Five clubs participated in the second division that year.

In 1984–85, there was no relegation or promotion due to a lack of players as members of the Qatar national football team were preparing for the qualification rounds of the 1986 FIFA World Cup.

In 1994, for one season, the QFA launched a new system where matches ending in draws would end in a penalty shoot-out to determine the winner. This was put in place in an effort to improve attendance.

Three second division clubs were dissolved in the 1990 season: Al Nasr, Al Tadamon, and Al Nahda. Many of their players were distributed to first division clubs and became prominent players in Qatari football history, such as Fahad Al Kuwari, Ahmed Al Kuwari and Hamad Al Khalifa. After the dissolution of these clubs, there was no longer any relegation or promotion for five years. In 1995/96, the second division was brought back with five clubs, while there were ten clubs participating in the first division.

The 2003 money influx from QFA

A successful method the QFA used to develop the league was allocating each Q-League club with a sum of $10,000,000 to buy big-name foreign players in order to increase popularity, in the summer of 2003. The attempt brought in players such as Ronald and Frank de Boer, Romário, Pep Guardiola, Fernando Hierro, Marcel Desailly, Stefan Effenberg, Claudio Caniggia, and Gabriel Batistuta who soon appeared and shone in the league.

In addition, in 2004, the Aspire Academy was formed, which provides training facilities to young people in order to improve the footballing standard not only in Qatar, but internationally. Many notable players have graduated from the academy, including Abdelkarim Hassan, Saad Al Sheeb, and Ibrahim Majid.

2009: Changing name to Qatar Stars League

In 2009, no clubs were relegated from the top division. Due to the recent formation of Lekhwiya and El Jaish, this meant that the second division would lose two clubs while two more clubs would enter the first division, bringing the total number of clubs in the first division to 12, and the second division to 6. As part of the expansion campaign, the "Q-League" changed its name to what it is currently known as, "Qatar Stars League", and inaugurated a new domestic cup, the "Qatari Stars Cup".

Clubs

Champions

Al Sadd AFC Champions League
Al Sadd are the most successful team in the league
Club Wins Winning years
Al Sadd 17 1971–72, 1973–74, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1999–00, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2012–13, 2018–19, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2023–24
Al-Duhail 8 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2019–20, 2022–23
Qatar SC 8 1966-67, 1967-68, 1968-69, 1969-70, 1970-71, 1972–73, 1976–77, 2002–03
Al-Rayyan 8 1975–76, 1977–78, 1981–82, 1983–84, 1985–86, 1989–90, 1994–95, 2015–16
Al-Arabi 7 1982–83, 1984–85, 1990–91, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1996–97
Al-Gharafa 7 1991–92, 1997–98, 2001–02, 2004–05, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10
Al-Wakrah 2 1998–99, 2000–01

2022–23 season

Qatar Stars League
Club Location Stadium Year formed
Al Ahli SC Doha Hamad bin Khalifa Stadium 1950
Al-Arabi SC Doha Grand Hamad Stadium 1952
Al-Duhail SC Doha Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium 2009
Al-Gharafa SC Doha Thani bin Jassim Stadium 1979
Al-Markhiya SC Al-Markhiya Al-Markhiya Stadium 1995
Al-Rayyan SC Al Rayyan Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium 1967
Al Sadd SC Al Sadd Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium 1969
Al-Sailiya SC Doha Hamad bin Khalifa Stadium 1950
Al-Shamal SC Madinat ash Shamal Al-Shamal SC Stadium 1980
Al-Wakrah SC Al Wakrah Al Janoub Stadium 1959
Qatar SC Doha Suheim bin Hamad Stadium 1959
Umm Salal SC Umm Salal Thani bin Jassim Stadium 1979

Total titles won by region

Region Number of titles Clubs
Doha
34
Al-Sadd SC (16), Qatar SC (3), Al-Duhail SC (8), Al-Arabi SC (7)
Al Rayyan
15
Al-Rayyan SC (8), Al-Gharafa SC (7)
Al Wakrah
2
Al-Wakrah SC (2)

Media coverage

Qatar

In 2012, Alkass Sports signed a deal to have the rights to broadcast Stars League in English. beIN Sports also bought rights to broadcast Stars League.

Seasons Channel
2012–present Alkass Sports
beIN Sports

International

Seasons Countries Channel
2023–present  Brazil ESPN
 South Korea SPOTV

Post-season awards

An award system was developed in 2006 in which the best player and coach of the footballing season are selected by a panel of journalists. Each award winner receives $100,000. There are also awards for youth players and club staff.

Year Best Player Club Best Coach Club
2006 Qatar Sebastián Soria Al Gharafa Uruguay Jorge Fossati Al Sadd
2007 Qatar Emerson Sheik Al Sadd Uruguay Jorge Fossati Al Sadd
2008 Morocco Aziz Ben Askar Umm Salal Brazil Marcos Paquetá Al Gharafa
2009 Argentina Leonardo Pisculichi Al Arabi Brazil Sebastião Lazaroni Qatar SC
2010 Brazil Juninho Pernambucano Al Gharafa Brazil Caio Júnior Al Gharafa
2011 Ivory Coast Bakari Koné Lekhwiya Qatar Abdullah Mubarak Al Ahli
2012 Brazil Rodrigo Tabata Al-Rayyan Uruguay Diego Aguirre Al-Rayyan
2013 Qatar Khalfan Ibrahim Al Sadd Morocco Hussein Amotta Al Sadd
2014 Algeria Nadir Belhadj Al Sadd Tunisia Sami Trabelsi Al-Sailiya SC
2015 Qatar Hassan Al-Haydos Al Sadd Denmark Michael Laudrup Lekhwiya SC
2016 Qatar Rodrigo Tabata Al-Rayyan Uruguay Jorge Fossati Al-Rayyan
2017 South Korea Nam Tae-hee Lekhwiya Portugal Jesualdo Ferreira Al Sadd
2018 Tunisia Youssef Msakni Al-Duhail SC Algeria Djamel Belmadi Al-Duhail SC
2019 Qatar Akram Afif Al Sadd Portugal Jesualdo Ferreira Al Sadd
2020 Qatar Akram Afif Al Sadd Uruguay Diego Aguirre Al-Rayyan
2021 Spain Santi Cazorla Al Sadd Spain Xavi Al-Sadd
2022 Qatar Akram Afif Al Sadd Spain Tintín Márquez Al-Wakrah
2023 Tunisia Youssef Msakni Al Arabi Qatar Younes Ali Al Arabi

Top goalscorers

Source:

Year Best scorers Team Goals
1972–73 Qatar Awodh Hassan Al-Esteqlal 10
1973–74 Qatar Mansoor Muftah Al-Rayyan 15
1974–75 Not held
1975–76 Qatar Jamal Al Khatib Al-Esteqlal 13
1976–77 Qatar Mansoor Muftah Al-Rayyan 13
1977–78 Qatar Mansoor Muftah Al-Rayyan 11
1978–79 Qatar Hassan Mattar Al-Sadd 11
1979–80 Qatar
Qatar
Egypt
Qatar
Hamdan Hamed
Badr Bilal
Sharif Abdul-Hamed
Mansoor Muftah
Al-Ahli
Al-Sadd
Qatar SC
Al-Rayyan
5
1980–81 Qatar Hassan Mattar Al-Sadd 9
1981–82 Qatar Mansoor Muftah Al-Rayyan 18
1982–83 Qatar Mansoor Muftah Al-Rayyan 10
1983–84 Qatar Mansoor Muftah Al-Rayyan 7
1984–85 Qatar Ahmed Yaqoub Al-Arabi 7
1985–86 Qatar Mansoor Muftah Al-Rayyan 22
1986–87 Qatar Hassan Sabela Al-Ahli 9
1987–88 Qatar Hassan Jowhar Al-Sadd 11
1988–89 Iran Farshad Pious Al-Ahli 9
1989–90 Brazil Marquinho Carioca Al-Arabi 10
1990–91 Qatar
Qatar
Qatar
Mahmoud Soufi
Adel Khamis
Hassan Sabela
Al-Ittihad
Al-Ittihad
Al-Ahli
8
1991–92 QatarAlgeria Mubarak Mustafa
Rabah Madjer
Al-Arabi
Qatar SC
12
1992–93 Qatar Mubarak Mustafa Al Arabi 9
1993–94 Iraq
Qatar
Brazil
Ahmed Daham
Mahmoud Soufi
Marquinho Carioca
Al-Shamal
Al-Ittihad
Al-Arabi
9
1994–95 Qatar Mohammed Salem Al-Enazi Al-Rayyan 9
1995–96 Nigeria Ricky Owubokiri Al-Arabi SC 16
1996–97 Qatar
Senegal
Mubarak Mustafa
Alboury Lah
Al-Arabi
Al-Ahli
11
1997–98 Morocco
Senegal
Brazil
Hussein Ammouta
Alboury Lah
Cláudio Prates
Al-Sadd
Al-Ahli
Al-Arabi
10
1998–99 Angola Akwá Al-Wakrah 11
1999–2000 Qatar Mohammed Salem Al-Enazi Al-Rayyan 14
2000–01 Senegal Mamoun Diop Al-Wakrah 14
2001–02 Algeria Rachid Amrane Al-Ittihad 16
2002–03 Morocco Rachid Rokki Al-Khor 15
2003–04 Argentina Gabriel Batistuta Al-Arabi 25
2004–05 Brazil Sonny Anderson Al-Rayyan 20
2005–06 Ecuador Carlos Tenorio Al-Sadd 21
2006–07 Iraq Younis Mahmoud Al-Gharafa 24
2007–08 Brazil Clemerson Araújo Al-Gharafa 27
2008–09 Brazil Magno Alves Umm Salal 25
2009–10 Brazil
Iraq
Cabore
Younis Mahmoud
Al-Arabi
Al-Gharafa
21
2010–11 Iraq Younis Mahmoud Al-Gharafa 15
2011–12 Brazil Adriano El Jaish 18
2012–13 Qatar Sebastián Soria Lekhwiya 19
2013–14 Democratic Republic of the Congo Dioko Kaluyituka Al-Ahli 22
2014–15 Democratic Republic of the Congo Dioko Kaluyituka Al-Ahli 25
2015–16 Morocco
Brazil
Abderrazak Hamdallah
Rodrigo Tabata
El Jaish
Al-Rayyan
21
2016–17 Algeria
Morocco
Baghdad Bounedjah
Youssef El-Arabi
Al-Sadd
Lekhwiya
24
2017–18 Morocco Youssef El-Arabi Al-Duhail 26
2018–19 Algeria Baghdad Bounedjah Al-Sadd 39
2019–20 Algeria
Qatar
Yacine Brahimi
Akram Afif
Al-Rayyan
Al-Sadd
15
2020–21 Algeria Baghdad Bounedjah Al-Sadd 21
2021–22 Kenya Michael Olunga Al-Duhail 24
2022–23 Kenya Michael Olunga Al-Duhail 22
2023–24 Qatar Akram Afif Al-Sadd 26

By player

Rank Player Country Titles Seasons
1 Mansoor Muftah  Qatar 8 1973–74, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1979–80, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1985–86
2 Mubarak Mustafa  Qatar 3 1991–92, 1992–93, 1996–97
2 Younis Mahmoud  Iraq 3 2006–07, 2009–10, 2010–11
2 Baghdad Bounedjah  Algeria 3 2016–17, 2018–19, 2020–21
5 Hassan Mattar  Qatar 2 1977–78, 1980–81
5 Hassan Sabela  Qatar 2 1986–87, 1990–91
5 Marquinho Carioca  Brazil 2 1989–90, 1993–94
5 Mahmoud Soufi  Qatar 2 1990–91, 1993–94
5 Mohammed Salem Al-Enazi  Qatar 2 1994–95, 1999–2000
5 Alboury Lah  Senegal 2 1996–97, 1997–98
5 Dioko Kaluyituka  Democratic Republic of the Congo 2 2013–14, 2014–15
5 Youssef El-Arabi  Morocco 2 2016–17, 2017–18
5 Akram Afif  Qatar 2 2019–20, 2023–24
5 Michael Olunga  Kenya 2 2021–22, 2022–23

All-time top scorers

Rank Nat Name Club Years Goals Apps Assists
1 Qatar Sebastián Soria Al-Gharafa, Qatar SC, Al-Rayyan, Al-Duhail, Al-Arabi 2004– 209 423 58
2 Qatar Mansour Muftah Al-Rayyan, Al-Wakrah 1973–1998 182+ N/A N/A
3 Algeria Baghdad Bounedjah Al-Sadd 2015– 150 157 41
4 Qatar Rodrigo Tabata Al-Rayyan, Al-Sadd 2011– 148 273 101
5 Iraq Younis Mahmoud Al-Gharafa, Al-Sadd, Al-Arabi, Al-Khor, Al-Wakrah 2004–2013 131 190 4
6 Qatar Meshal Abdullah Al-Gharafa, Qatar SC, Al-Wakrah, Al-Sailiya, Al-Ahli 1999–2010 123 354 28
7 Tunisia Youssef Msakni Al-Arabi, Al-Duhail 2013– 105 178 60
8 Qatar Hassan Al-Haydos Al-Sadd 2007– 99 328 86
9 Qatar Akram Afif Al-Sadd 2018– 99 114 63
10 South Korea Nam Tae-hee Al-Sadd, Al-Duhail 2012–2023 94 231 75
11 Qatar Mubarak Mustafa Al-Arabi SC,Al-Khor,Al-Gharafa 1990–2007 +91 +179 +42
12 Democratic Republic of the Congo Dioko Kaluyituka Al-Duhail , Al-Gharafa, Al-Kharaitiyat, Muaither, Al-Ahli 2011–2017 84 121 12
13 Qatar Khalfan Ibrahim Al-Arabi , Al-Sadd, Al-Rayyan 2004–2020 83 241 49
14 Morocco Youssef El-Arabi Al-Duhail 2016–2019 76 59 13
15 Burkina Faso Moumouni Dagano Al-Sailiya, Qatar SC, Al-Shamal, Al-Duhail, Al-Khor 2008–2015 72 158 20
16 Angola Akwá Qatar SC, Al-Gharafa, Al-Wakrah 1998–2006 70 123
17 Brazil Clemerson Araújo Al-Gharafa 2007–2010 68 84
18 Kenya Michael Olunga Al-Duhail 2020 67 69 5
19 Morocco Rachid Rokki Al-Khor, Umm Salal 2000–2008 65 118
20 Ecuador Carlos Tenorio Al-Sadd 2003–2008 63 88
21 Argentina Leonardo Pisculichi Al-Arabi 2007–2012 63 112 15
22 Burkina Faso Yahia Kébé Al-Kharaitiyat 2009–2016 58 132 21
23 Croatia Wagner Ribeiro Al-Sailiya, Al-Arabi, El Jaish,Al-Ahli 2009–2018 57 174 29
24 Brazil Cabore Umm Salal, Al-Arabi 2009–2014 57 90 15
25 Qatar Mirghani Al Zain Al-Gharafa, Al-Wakrah ,Al-Sailiya 1996–2019 57 420
26 Brazil Júlio César Al-Khor, Al-Ahli 2009–2016 56 117 13
27 Qatar Abdulgadir Ilyas Bakur Al-Sailiya, Al-Arabi, El Jaish,Umm Salal,Al-Markhiya 2008– 55 184 39
28 Oman Amad Al-Hosni Qatar SC,Al-Rayyan 2005–2010 52 100 6
29 Algeria Yacine Brahimi Al-Gharafa, Al-Rayyan 2019– 53 94 29
30 Ivory Coast Yannick Sagbo Umm Salal 2015–2020 51 98 12
32 Algeria Mohamed Benyettou Al-Wakrah 2019– 51 103
31 Qatar Ali Afif Al-Sadd ,Al-Duhail 2015–2020 50 269 34
33 Qatar Boualem Khoukhi Al-Sadd ,Al-Arabi 2009– 49 258 25

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Liga de fútbol de Catar para niños

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