Sanharib Women’s Club has retained the Iraqi Women’s Volleyball League title for the second consecutive season after defeating Akad Ankawa 3-0 in the final round of the competition in Sulaymaniyah on October 17.
The final round was held over five days at the Peshmerga Club sports hall, with six clubs competing for the national title. Sanharib secured the championship with a convincing straight-sets victory, winning 25-19, 25-15 and 25-14 to complete an unbeaten campaign.
The Duhok-based club won all five of its matches, collecting 15 points to finish top of the standings. Akad Ankawa, representing Erbil, finished second with 12 points, while the team from Qaraqosh placed third with six points.
Sanharib and Akad Ankawa had both maintained unbeaten records during the tournament, setting up a decisive meeting between the competition’s leading teams. Sanharib, however, continued its strong performance in the final, winning all three sets to secure the championship.
The result repeats last season’s final, when Sanharib defeated Akad Ankawa 3-1 to claim the Iraqi league title. Defending the championship for a second consecutive year further establishes Sanharib as one of the leading teams in Iraqi women’s volleyball.
Sanharib is based in Duhok and represents the Suraya (Syriac-Aramean-Assyrian-Chaldean) community in Iraq. Its success has also brought recognition to the club and its players, who continue to compete at the highest level of the country’s women’s volleyball competition.
Despite the team’s success, maintaining a competitive squad requires substantial financial resources. Sanharib coach Dr. Hakar Barqi Zebari said the club had spent 250 million Iraqi dinars on the team, including the cost of recruiting seven players from outside Duhok.
Zebari’s comments highlighted the financial challenges involved in building a team capable of competing for national honors. Recruiting players from outside the club’s home city can help strengthen a squad, but it also places additional demands on the club’s budget.
The coach also called for changes to the Iraqi league system, saying improvements were needed if authorities wanted to develop the game further. His remarks pointed to the importance of better support and organization for clubs seeking to maintain competitive teams and improve the overall standard of women’s volleyball.
The five-day tournament brought together six clubs from different parts of Iraq, providing a national platform for women athletes to compete. Teams such as Sanharib, Akad Ankawa and Qaraqosh contribute to the development of women’s volleyball and give players opportunities to demonstrate their skills in a competitive environment.
For Sanharib, the title is both a continuation of last season’s success and a reminder of the investment required to remain competitive. For the league, the tournament also highlights the need to support clubs and players if women’s volleyball is to continue developing across Iraq.
