Shafaq News- Baghdad

The former president of the Iraqi Football Association, Hussein Saeed, said on Saturday that the licensing committee failed in its duties during the opening round of the Iraq Stars League, after clearing two stadiums he considered unfit to host matches.

Saeed told Shafaq News that the pitches at the Diyala and Zakho stadiums were in poor condition and not suitable for competitive play. “The licensing committee should have monitored stadium readiness continuously in the period leading up to the start of the season.”

Saeed, who serves as an advisor to the Iraqi Olympic Committee, questioned why clubs were left to play on grounds that, in his view, were not ready for the launch of the 2026-2027 Iraq Stars League, Iraq's top professional football division.

Both stadiums nonetheless hosted victories for the home sides on Saturday evening. Zakho beat visiting Ghaz Al-Shamal 1-0, while Diyala recovered from a goal down to defeat Al-Talaba 2-1 at its home ground.

In 2025, the Football Association listed several grounds as unfit to host the 2025–26 Stars League season, citing damaged playing surfaces.

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