In recent years, the Iraq Football Federation has faced several challenges, including weaknesses in managerial structures, limited financial resources, and the absence of systematic performance evaluation mechanisms. Accordingly, designing an effective framework for implementing the federation’s strategic plan has become essential. The present study aimed to design an implementation model for the strategic plan of the Iraq Football Federation using the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) approach. This research was applied-developmental in nature and employed a descriptive–analytical method. The participants consisted of federation managers, national team coaches, international referees, elite players, and university experts in sports management, selected through purposeful sampling (n = 20). Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and a BSC-based questionnaire, and analyzed through qualitative content analysis and expert consensus. The findings identified four major strategic orientations: development of football academies and a national talent identification system,; managerial and financial restructuring through digital transparency; attraction of regional sponsorship and investment, and retention of talented players. These strategies were translated into a set of strategic objectives, measures, targets and initiatives within the four perspectives of the Balanced Scorecard. Results indicated that focusing on learning and development infrastructures, improving internal processes, and ensuring financial transparency can enhance stakeholder satisfaction and financial sustainability. Overall, the proposed model provides a localized and actionable framework for implementing strategic initiatives in the Iraq Football Federation and may serve as a reference for other sports federations in the region.