Baghdad derbies
The Baghdad derbies are a series of derby matches between four Baghdad-based football clubs: Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, Al-Shorta, Al-Talaba and Al-Zawraa, collectively known as the 'Popular Teams'. They are the four most successful teams in the history of Iraqi football, and league games between the clubs are played at the neutral venue of Al-Shaab Stadium to accommodate more spectators. The match between Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya and Al-Zawraa is often referred to as the Iraqi El Clásico.
Al-Shaab Stadium hosts the majority of games between the four sides | |
| Other names | Iraqi El Clásico (Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya v Al-Zawraa) |
|---|---|
| Location | Baghdad, Iraq |
| Teams | Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Al-Shorta Al-Talaba Al-Zawraa |
| First meeting | Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Al-Malakiya 1–0 Al-Shorta 1932–33 Prince Ghazi Cup (2 January 1933) |
| Latest meeting | Al-Talaba 1–2 Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 2023–24 Iraq Stars League (5 April 2024) |
| Statistics | |
| Largest victory | Al-Zawraa 7–0 Al-Talaba 7th Umm al-Ma'arik Championship (1997–98) |
Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya were the first to be founded in 1931, and Al-Shorta were founded in 1932, with these two sides developing a strong rivalry during the Iraq Central FA Premier League era. Al-Zawraa and Al-Talaba were founded in 1969, and with the foundation of the Iraqi National Clubs League (now known as Iraq Stars League), a four-way rivalry soon developed in the capital city. None of the four teams have ever been relegated from the Iraq Stars League.
Al-Shorta won the Arab Club Champions Cup in 1982, while Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya won the 2016, 2017 and 2018 editions of the AFC Cup, Asia's second-tier continental tournament. Al-Talaba and Al-Zawraa both previously finished runners-up of the Asian Cup Winners' Cup and fourth place at the Asian Club Championship.