Al-Najaf SC

Al-Najaf Al-Ashraf Sports Club (Arabic: نادي النجف الأشرف الرياضي), commonly known as Al-Najaf SC, is an Iraqi professional football club based in Najaf. They are members of the Iraq Stars League. Al-Najaf has competed in the 2007 AFC Champions League.

History

In 1960, the city of Najaf began an active movement to establish a sports club after the athletes then felt the need of the city to a sports club that absorbed the energies of young people and their creations which are almost lost in the amateur leagues. Some of the dignitaries of the city were contacted for this purpose. The request was submitted to the Ministry of the Interior, which was responsible for the authorisation of sports clubs in Iraq at that time. The name of Al Ghiri Sports Club was proposed for this institution. In 1961, the Ministry of the Interior approved their request to establish the club and thus wrote the birth certificate of the first sports club in the city of Najaf and consisted of the first administrative body of Messrs. Naji Hassan Hasswa as president and Maki Hadi Maala Vice-President and Alwan Elsafer as secretary. At the beginning of the establishment of the club, the Ministry of the Interior allocated an annual grant of 60 dinars divided into two instalments, and the club relied on this grant and monthly subscriptions from its members.

Stadiums

New Najaf Stadium is a purpose built football stadium that is the current home stadium of Al-Najaf. It opened in 2018, with a capacity of 30,000 people. Until 2018, the club played its home matches at An-Najaf Stadium (Arabic: ستاد النجف).

Current squad

First-team squad

As of 20 September 2024

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Current technical staff

Updated to match played 25 September 2020 Source:

Managerial history

Since the club's promotion to the Iraqi Premier League in the 1987–88 season so far, twenty-six coaches have led the team:

• Iraq Mohammed Hussein Ismail (1974–1976)
• Iraq Alwan Mena (1976–1977)
• Iraq Nasrat Nasser (1977–1978)
• Iraq Mohammed Hussein Ismail (1978–1982)
• Iraq Alwan Mena (1982–1985)
• Iraq Hatif Shamran (1985–1986)
• Iraq Alwan Mena (1986–1988)
• Iraq Najeh Humoud (1988–1991)
• Iraq Wathiq Naji (1991–1992)
• Iraq Hatif Shamran (1992)
• Iraq Noman Kadhim & Raheem Jassim (1992–1993)
• Iraq Najeh Humoud (1993–1998)
• Iraq Hadi Mutanish (1998–1999)
• Iraq Ali Kadhim (1999)
• Iraq Abdul Ghani Shahad (1999)
• Iraq Najeh Humoud (1999–2002)
• Iraq Abdul Ghani Shahad (2002–2008)
• Iraq Hatif Shamran (2008–2009)
• Iraq Majed Najem (2009–2010)
• Iraq Abdul Ghani Shahad (2010–2012)
• Iraq Hatif Shamran (2012)
• Iraq Abdul Ghani Shahad (2012–2013)
• Iraq Yahya Alwan (2013)
• Iraq Hassan Ahmed (2013)
• Iraq Qahtan Chathir (2013–2014)
• Iraq Salman Hussein (2014)
• Iraq Haider Yahya (2014)
• Iraq Hatif Shamran (2014)
• Iraq Haider Yahya (2014)
• Iraq Hameed Salman (2014–2015)
• Iraq Ali Wahab (2015)
• Iraq Emad Mohammed (2015–2016)
• Iraq Hatif Shamran (2016)
• Iraq Emad Mohammed (2016–2017)
• Iraq Nadhim Shaker (2017–2018)
• Iraq Ali Hashim (2018)
• Iraq Ahmed Khalef (2018)
• Iraq Mudhafar Jabbar (2018)
• Iraq Thair Jassam (2018–2019)
• Iraq Chasib Sultan (2019)
• Iraq Hassan Ahmad (2019–2021)
• Iraq Haidar Aboodi (2021)
• Iraq Hatif Shamran (2021)
• Iraq Haidar Aboodi (2021–present)

Honours

Domestic

• Iraq Stars League Runners-up (3): 1995–96, 2005–06, 2008–09
• Baghdad Championship Winners (1): 1997–98

Friendly

• Victory and Peace Championship Winners (1): 1992
• Love Championship Winners (1): 2003

Performance in AFC Competitions

• AFC Champions League: 1 appearance

2007: Group stage

Statistics

In domestic competitions

See also

• Iraqi clubs in the AFC Champions League
• 2007–08 Arab Champions League

External links

• (in Arabic) (archived 30 July 2008)
• on Kooora