Qatari Second Division

The Qatari Second Division (Arabic: دوري الدرجة الثانية القطري), QSD or Second Division League, also was known as Qatargas League due to sponsorship reasons, is the second tier of football league competition in Qatar. Contested by 8 teams, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Qatar Stars League (QSL). Seasons of the QSD run from September to April.

Qatari Second Division
Founded1979 (1979)
CountryQatar
ConfederationAFC
Number of teams8
Level on pyramid2
Promotion toQatar Stars League
Domestic cup(s)Sheikh Jassem Cup
Qatari Second Division Cup
Current championsMuaither SC
(2022–23)
Most championshipsAl-Markhiya
(6 titles)
Current: 2022–23 Qatari Second Division

The league's first season was played in 1979 which was won by Al-Ittihad. The club with the most QSD wins is Al-Markhiya which has won 6 QSD titles. According to the league's development strategy, starting with the 2022-23 season, the first-placed club of this league will play a relegation match against the tenth-placed club of the first league to decide which club will participate in the first league next season.[1] There is no relegation from the second division.[2]

History

In 1990, the Qatar Football Association dissolved three second division clubs: Al Nasr, Al Tadamon, and Al Nahda. The clubs' players and staff were distributed to first division clubs. As a result, the Qatari Second Division was unofficially dissolved on a temporary basis.[3] The competition resumed operations in the 1996–97 season.[4] The first promotion play-off took place in the 1999–00 season, between Second Division champions Muaither SC and the bottom-ranked team of the Qatar Stars League, Al Shamal. Muaither lost the match.[5]

It was announced on 15 April 2009 that no clubs would be relegated from the top flight in the 2008–09 season, due to expansion reasons, however the announcement was made with only one game remaining.[6] This meant that the Qatari Second Division would remain with the same number of teams despite the recent formation of Lekhwiya SC and El Jaish SC, while the top flight would expand to 12 teams.

On 6 October 2013 it was announced Qatari Second Division had a sponsorship with Qatargas.[7]

An annual competition known as the Qatari Second Division Cup is played by all second division clubs.[8]

Clubs

Champions

Source:[9]

Club Champions Winning years
Al-Markhiya 6 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 2016–17, 2021–22
Al-Sailiya 4 2002–03, 2004–05, 2006–07, 2011–12
Al-Gharafa 1979–80, 1981–82, 1983–84, 1986–87
Al-Shamal 3 2002–03, 2014–15, 2020–21
El-Jaish 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11
Umm-Salal 1997–98, 1999–2000, 2005–06
Al-Kharaitiyat 2 2003–04, 2019–20
Al-Wakrah 1984–85, 2018–19
Al-Rayyan 1988–89, 2014–15
Muaither 2015–16, 2022–23
Al-Shahania 1 2017–18
Al-Mesaimeer 2000–01
Al-Khor 1982–83
Al-Ahli 2012–13
Al-Duhail 2009–10
Al-Nahda 1980–81

2022–23 season
Qatari Second Division
Club Location Stadium Year Formed
Al Bidda SC Doha 2015
Al Kharaitiyat Al Kharaitiyat Al Khor SC Stadium 1996
Al-Khor Al Khor Al-Khor SC Stadium 1961
Al-Mesaimeer Al-Rayyan, Al-Sailiya SC Stadium 1996
Al-Shahania Al-Rayyan, Grand Hamad Stadium 1998
Al-Waab Al Waab, Doha 2019
Lusail Lusail, Al Daayen 2014
Muaither SC Muaither, Al-Rayyan Thani bin Jassim Stadium 1996

Championship history

Total titles won by town or city
Town or city Number of titles Clubs
Al Rayyan
14
 Al-Sailiya SC (4), Al-Gharafa SC (4), Al-Rayyan SC (2), Muaither SC (2), Mesaimeer (1), Al-Shahania (1)
Doha
12
 Al-Markhiya (6), Al-Jaish (3), Lekhwiya SC (1), Al Ahli (1), Al-Nahda (1)
Umm Salal
5
 Umm Salal SC (3), Al Kharaitiyat (2)
Alshammal
3
 Al-Shamal (3)
Al Wakrah
2
 Al-Wakrah SC (2)
Al Khor
1
 Al-Taawun (Al Khor) (1)

Top scorers
Year Best scorers Team Goals
1998–99 SudanOsama Adam ?13[10]
2007–08 UruguayGonzalo GutiérrezAl Markhiya15
2008–09 UruguayGonzalo GutiérrezMuaither14
2010–11 QatarAbdulqadir IlyasEl Jaish12
2011–12 FranceMichaël N'driAl Sailiya16
2012–13 RwandaJean-Paul Eale LutulaMuaither13
2013–14 IranAli FerydoonAl Shamal19
2014–15 QatarRodrigo TabataAl Rayyan20
2015–16 JordanMahmoud Za'taraMuaither20
2016–17 Burkina FasoSelemani NdikumanaMesaimeer19
2017–18 ArgentinaLuciano VázquezAl Shahaniya15
2018–19 France
Ghana
Ghana		Mamadou Diawara
Omar Ali
Nana Poku		Muaither
Al Wakrah
Al Wakrah		10
2019–20 MoroccoRachid TiberkanineAl Kharaitiyat18
2020–21 Jordan
Senegal		Baha' Faisal
Birahim Gaye		Al Shamal
Al Shahaniya		17
2021–22 MoroccoRachid TiberkanineAl Kharaitiyat8
2022–23 MoroccoAlaeddine AjaraieMuaither11

References
  1. "Second Division League". Retrieved 2023-01-31.
  2. "Second Division League". Qatar Football Association. Retrieved 2019-06-01.
  3. دوري نجوم قطر. mail.asiancup2011.qa (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2015.
  4. "Diliberto wants more teams in Second Division League". Qatar Tribune. 17 April 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  5. نادي معيذر يدخل معسكر مغلق استعدادا لام صلال في الفاصله (in Arabic). Muaither SC. 28 July 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  6. Q-League expands to 12 Archived May 2, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  7. "Qatargas and QFA Sign 3 Year Sponsorship Agreement". QFA. 6 October 2013. Archived from the original on 8 October 2013. Retrieved 6 October 2013.
  8. "Qatar Cup 2nd Division". Goalzz. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  9. List of Champions - 2nd Division - QFA Archived May 18, 2012, at the Wayback Machine (in Arabic)
  10. "حصاد الموسم الكروي القطري 98 - 99 : رقم قياسي جديد في تسجيل الاهداف والوكرة الاكثر حصولاً على الألقاب". daharchives.alhayat.com (in Arabic). 7 January 1999. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
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