Independent Baghdad Tournament

Independent Baghdad Tournament
Dates5 March – 14 June 1973
Final positions
ChampionsAl-Sikak Al-Hadeed
Runner-upAliyat Al-Shorta
Tournament statistics
Matches played29
Goals scored55 (1.9 per match)

The Independent Baghdad Tournament (Arabic: دورة بغداد الخاصة) was a tournament organised by the Iraq Football Association in 1973, independently from its main regional league competitions, to allow the region's top-flight teams to continue playing matches after the premature end to the 1972–73 Iraq Central FA First Division.[1] The teams were not able to field players that had been called up for the Iraq national team or the Iraq military team, as those players were preparing for the World Cup qualifiers and the Military World Championship respectively.[2]

The tournament began on 5 March, with the regular season ending on 24 May and the final being played on 14 June, where Al-Sikak Al-Hadeed beat Aliyat Al-Shorta 3–1 to claim the title.[2]

  1. ^ Al-Ani, Salem (2008-11-17). "In a football career that spanned 18 years ... the former international and Al-Sikak player Saad Abdel Hamid".
  2. ^ a b Al-Adhari, Mundher (2007-06-13). "The first championship in the history of Al-Sikak Al-Hadeed".