1997–98 Iraqi Premier League
| Season | 1997–98 |
|---|---|
| Champions |
Al-Shorta (2nd title) |
| Relegated |
Al-Mosul Al-Kut Al-Sinaa |
| 1999–2000 Asian Club Championship | Al-Shorta |
| 1999–2000 Asian Cup Winners' Cup | Al-Zawraa |
| Top goalscorer |
Mahmoud Majeed (22 goals) |
|
← 1996–97 1998–99 → | |
The 1997–98 Iraqi Premier League was the 24th season of the competition since its foundation in 1974. For the first time in Iraqi football history, there were three teams that were in contention for the title on the last day of the season: Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, Al-Shorta and Al-Zawraa. Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya were playing Al-Zawraa on the final day at the same time as Al-Shorta played Al-Sulaikh. Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya only needed a win to secure the title, whereas Al-Shorta needed them to lose or draw and needed to win themselves; Al-Zawraa needed to beat Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya and needed Al-Shorta to draw or lose if they wanted to win the title.
Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya drew 1–1 with Al-Zawraa, but Al-Shorta were losing 2–1 against Al-Sulaikh with six minutes plus stoppage time left. Al-Shorta managed to score twice in those last minutes including a stoppage time penalty kick to win 3–2 and win the league title in the most dramatic way possible. Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya players and fans thought that Al-Shorta had drawn their game and celebrated wildly on the pitch thinking they had won the league; the manager Ayoub Odisho was given 'bumps' by the players and began a live TV interview, telling the cameras how happy he was to have won the league. It was not until midway through the interview that the stadium announcer announced that Al-Shorta had won 3–2 and had therefore won the league; Odisho stopped talking and stood still with a shocked face upon hearing the news in what is one of the league's most famous moments. Al-Shorta scored in every single one of their 30 matches.[1]
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Al-Shorta (C) | 30 | 23 | 4 | 3 | 71 | 30 | +41 | 73 | 1999–2000 Asian Club Championship |
| 2 | Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya | 30 | 22 | 5 | 3 | 67 | 21 | +46 | 71 | |
| 3 | Al-Zawraa | 30 | 21 | 7 | 2 | 70 | 22 | +48 | 70 | 1999–2000 Asian Cup Winners' Cup 1 |
| 4 | Al-Najaf | 30 | 18 | 8 | 4 | 58 | 22 | +36 | 62 | |
| 5 | Al-Talaba | 30 | 18 | 7 | 5 | 67 | 28 | +39 | 61 | |
| 6 | Al-Jaish | 30 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 37 | 37 | 0 | 44 | |
| 7 | Al-Minaa | 30 | 12 | 3 | 15 | 29 | 40 | –11 | 39 | |
| 8 | Al-Naft | 30 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 37 | 33 | +4 | 38 | |
| 9 | Maysan | 30 | 9 | 8 | 13 | 26 | 40 | –14 | 35 | |
| 10 | Al-Sulaikh | 30 | 9 | 7 | 14 | 23 | 35 | –12 | 34 | |
| 11 | Diyala | 30 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 38 | 48 | –10 | 31 | |
| 12 | Salahaddin | 30 | 7 | 7 | 16 | 26 | 40 | –14 | 28 | |
| 13 | Samaraa | 30 | 6 | 7 | 17 | 26 | 55 | –29 | 25 | |
| 14 | Al-Mosul | 30 | 4 | 9 | 17 | 27 | 72 | –45 | 21 | Relegated to Iraq Division 1 |
| 15 | Al-Kut | 30 | 3 | 8 | 19 | 25 | 65 | –40 | 18 | |
| 16 | Al-Sinaa | 30 | 1 | 7 | 22 | 19 | 58 | –39 | 10 |
1 Al-Zawraa qualified for the Cup Winners' Cup by winning the Iraq FA Cup.
Top goalscorers
| Pos | Scorer | Goals | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mahmoud Majeed | Al-Shorta | ||
| Alaa Kadhim | Al-Talaba | ||
| Hussam Fawzi | Al-Zawraa |