The 2026–27 Iraq Stars League season officially opened in the Kurdistan Region for the second consecutive season, reflecting the region’s growing reputation for hosting major football events.
The opening ceremony was held at Newroz Stadium in Sulaymaniyah, where Newroz SC hosted defending champions Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya on Friday at 9:30 p.m. All tickets for the highly anticipated match were reportedly sold out two days before kickoff.
Nearly 100 prominent Kurdish and Iraqi figures, officials and former stars were invited to attend the opening match.
Newroz, coached by Wali Karim, had renewed the contracts of 11 players from the previous season, released 16 players and signed 17 new players ahead of the campaign.
Elsewhere in the opening round, Erbil SC hosted Al-Kahrabaa at Franso Hariri Stadium, while Duhok SC faced Al-Gharafa at home. Zakho SC also hosted newcomers Ghaz Al-Shamal in the Kurdistan derby.
The league began on August 14, with most matches scheduled for Fridays and Saturdays. The final round was scheduled for May 28, 2027.
