Qatar Stars League

The Qatari League or Q-League is the top league in Qatari football. There is also a second division league in Qatar.

League Structure

The promotion and relegation pattern are similar to European 10-team leagues, where the top club of the Second Division is promoted and the bottom club of the First Division is relegated. There is no relegation in the Second Division. The first division is fully professional. [Cockerill, Michael. "Money says Qatar's a threat." "The Age", February 5, 2008. http://www.theage.com.au/news/soccer/money-says-qatars-a-threat/2008/02/04/1202090323684.html]

Clubs 2008/09

First Division

* Al-Arabi Sports Club
* Al-Sadd
* Al-Rayyan Sports Club
* Al-Wakra
* Al-Gharrafa
* Al-Sailiya Sport Club
* Al-Khor
* Al-Kharitiyath Sports Club
* Qatar Sports Club
* Umm-Salal Sports Club

econd Division

* Al-Shamal
* Al-Markhiya Sports Club
* Al-Mesaimeer Sports Club
* Al-Mu'aidar Sports Club
* Al-Ahli Sports Club
* Al-Shahaniya Sports Club
* Qatar Police Club
* Army Club

Championship history

*1973/74 : Al-Sadd
*1974/75 : no champion
*1975/76 : Al-Rayyan
*1976/77 : Al-Esteqlal
*1977/78 : Al-Rayyan
*1978/79 : Al-Sadd
*1979/80 : Al-Sadd
*1980/81 : Al-Sadd
*1981/82 : Al-Sadd
*1982/83 : Al-Rayyan
*1983/84 : Al-Arabi Sports Club
*1984/85 : Al-Rayyan
*1985/86 : Al-Arabi Sports Club
*1986/87 : Al-Rayyan
*1987/88 : Al-Sadd
*1988/89 : Al-Sadd
*1989/90 : Al-Sadd
*1990/91 : Al-Rayyan
*1991/92 : Al-Arabi Sports Club
*1992/93 : Al-Ittihad (QAT)
*1993/94 : Al-Arabi Sports Club
*1994/95 : Al-Arabi Sports Club
*1995/96 : Al-Rayyan
*1996/97 : Al-Arabi Sports Club
*1997/98 : Al-Arabi Sports Club
*1998/99 : Al-Ittihad (QAT)
*1999/2000 : Al-Wakra
*2000/01 : Al-Sadd
*2001/02 : Al-Wakra
*2002/03 : Al-Ittihad (QAT)
*2003/04 : Qatar Sports Club
*2004/05 : Al-Gharrafa
*2005/06 : Al-Sadd
*2006/07 : Al-Sadd
*2007/08 : Al-Gharrafa

Broadcasting

Al-Kass and Al Jazeera Sports broadcast the Qatar League.

Notable players

Many famous players from other parts of the world have spent the last few years of their career playing in Qatar, including the following:
Al-Arabi Sports Club:
* Tony Popović
* Taribo West
* Stefan Effenberg
* Gabriel Batistuta
* Iván Hurtado
* Dennis Oliech
* Bassim Abbas
Al-Sadd:

* Mauro Zarate
* Ali Daei
* Carlos Tenorio
* Romario
* Marcio Emerson Passos
* Abédi Pelé
* Frank Leboeuf
* Karim Bagheri
* Hossein Kaebi
Al-Rayyan:
* Ali Benarbia
* Emile Mpenza
* Sonny Anderson
* Salomon Olembé
* Mario Basler
* Frank de Boer
* Ronald de Boer
* Jacek Bąk
* Fernando Hierro
* Fumagalli

Al-Wakra:
* Fabrice Akwá
* Frank Leboeuf
* Youssef Chippo
* Karrar Jassim
* Musaed Neda

Al-Ahli Sports Club:
* Josep Guardiola
* Farshad Pious
Al-Gharafa
* Marcel Desailly
* Younis Mahmoud
* Emad Mohammed
* Hakan Yakin

Al-Khor
*flagicon|Iraq Younis Mahmoud
*flagicon|Morocco Rachid Rokki
*flagicon|Iraq Hawar Mulla Mohammed
*flagicon|Iraq Mahdi Karim
* Fabricio Souza

Al-Siliya:
* William Prunier
* Titi Camara

Qatar Sports Club:
* Fabrice Akwá
* Claudio Caniggia
* Marcel Desailly
* Christophe Dugarry
* Francisco Lima
* Jay-Jay Okocha
* Ali Karimi
* Eric Djemba Djemba

Topscorers

External links

* [http://www.qfa.com.qa] Arabic
* [http://en.qfa.com.qa] English
* [http://www.goalzz.com/main.aspx?c=2443 Qatar League - goalzz.com]
* [http://www.qatarfootball.tk News About the Qatar League]