Duhok FC win the Iraqi Football Association Cup

Football is a big passion of the Kurdish people, particularly among the youth, with stadiums in every town, village and city. It is indeed popular across Iraq and the Middle East.

Many countries in the world have a national league or leagues, and Iraq is no different in this respect. On Friday 18 July, in the evening, a very special event took place. For the first time since it was founded on 8 October 1948, two Kurdish teams participated in the Final of the Iraqi Football Association Cup at the Al-Shaab International Stadium in Baghdad.

While Erbil Sports Club was the first Kurdish side to make it to the final of the Iraq Cup in 2023, they failed to win the title following their defeat by al-Quwa al-Jawiya, of Baghdad.

At a penalty shootout to decide the verdict of the 0-0 draw, Duhok defeated Zakho 5-3, thus delivering themselves not only of their first victory in the tournament but also marking the very first time that a team from outwith Baghdad has lifted the trophy.

Duhok previously won the Iraqi Premier League in the 2009-2010 season, as well as more recently enjoying success at the 2025 Gulf Champions League against Qadsia of Kuwait. This 2-1 victory took place at the Duhok International Stadium.

Commenting on the happy occasion, President Nechirvan Barzani congratulated Duhok for winning the Iraqi Cup and Zakho for securing second place. He expressed hope that their achievements would inspire the growth of sports across Kurdistan and Iraq, encouraging them to keep up the excellent work.