Formation (1972) In 1972, Al-Oruba merged with Al-Nasour to form a new football club named
Al-Esteqlal. Former player Saad Mohammed Saleh was selected as the first coach. Al Esteqlal was one of the strongest clubs right from its establishment, winning its first official Q-League season in
1972–73. The next year, in 1974,
Al Sadd hired head coach
Hassan Othman from the club in addition to 14 of its players, including
Hassan Mattar and
Mubarak Anber, much to the dismay of club president Hamad bin Suhaim. During this period, transfers could be made unconditionally in Qatari football. Despite the resounding difficulties arising from the transfer fiasco, the club continued with its success, winning the
1976–77 season and supplying the national team with some of its most prominent players.
1981–present: Qatar SC Al Esteqlal was renamed
Qatar SC in 1981. However, it gradually faded into obscurity for the next 2 decades, with the league being dominated by
Al Arabi,
Al Sadd, and
Al Rayyan. The club won the
Qatar Crown Prince Cup in 2002 and also won the
2002–03 league season by three points. They won the Crown Prince Cup the same year, and again in 2009. The club was relegated to
Qatari Second Division after the
2015-16 season, but were promoted back to the top division the next season. ==Name history==