1948–49 Iraq FA Cup


The 1948–49 Iraq FA Cup was the first ever edition of the Iraq FA Cup. The tournament was won by Sharikat Naft Al-Basra, beating Al-Kuliya Al-Askariya Al-Malikiya 2–1 in Iraq's first ever national cup final, played at Al-Kashafa Stadium in Baghdad on 7 April 1949. The winning team's players and manager Freddie Gray paraded the trophy around Basra upon returning from Baghdad three days after winning the tournament.

Background

Within the first week of the founding of the Iraq Football Association in October 1948, it was decided to hold league championships in four different regions and to hold a national knockout cup tournament called the Iraq FA Cup between the top teams from each regional league. At the beginning of November, it was decided to increase the number of teams participating in the cup by allowing second-tier teams from Baghdad to compete. After the season's Iraq FA Baghdad League had to be shortened to a single round-robin format rather than a double round-robin due to rainy weather postponing a number of games, the Iraq FA Cup was opened up to all clubs wishing to compete in order to compensate for the reduced number of regional matches. This was to be the last edition of the national knockout cup for another 26 years, with cup tournaments for clubs being played at a regional level during this time, until the Iraq FA Cup returned in the 1975–76 season.

First round

The first round was played between Baghdad-based teams, starting on 21 January and ending in February.
Al-Kuliya Al-Askariya Al-Malikiya, Al-Maliki, Al-Ahli, Al-Ittihad, Al-Haris Al-Maliki and Al-Tayour Al-Zarqaa received byes to the second round, as did Madaris Al-Shorta due to their opponents Kuliya Al-Huqooq being disqualified for not showing up for two matches in their regional league.

Second round

The second round started on 11 February and saw the entry of four Kirkuk-based teams; it ended on 24 February.

Baghdad region

Kirkuk region

Third round

The third round consisted of three matches between Baghdad-based teams, starting on 25 February and ending on 27 February.

Quarter-finals

The quarter-finals were played between 10 March to 13 March and saw the entry of two Basra-based teams and one Mosul-based team.

Semi-finals

The semi-finals were played at the beginning of April.

Final

The final was played on 7 April at Al-Kashafa Stadium to crown the first ever Iraq FA Cup winners. The ball used in the final was supplied by the Baghdad Sports Depot.