Abstarct: The present study aimed to examine the effect of leadership style on the work engagement of volleyball coaches with the mediating role of job autonomy. This research was applied in terms of purpose and descxriptive-correlational in terms of method, and it was conducted as a cross-sectional study. The statistical population consisted of all physical education teachers, and a sample of 156 volleyball coaches from Iraq was selected using convenience sampling. The research data were collected using questionnaires on work engagement, leadership style (servant and transformational), and job autonomy, adapted respectively from Schaufeli et al. (2006), Liden et al. (2015), Boyle et al. (2019), and Loupis and Fass (2016). The validity of the instruments was confirmed through expert review, and their reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. Data analysis was performed using structural equation modeling with the partial least squares (PLS) approach and SPSS and Smart-PLS software. The results of the data analysis indicated that leadership style has a positive and significant direct and indirect effect, through job autonomy, on the work engagement of volleyball coaches. Moreover, job autonomy played an important mediating role in explaining this relationship and transmitted part of the effect of leadership style on work engagement. In other words, the findings suggest that improving the quality of leadership in sport settings can significantly enhance coaches’ work engagement by increasing their perceived autonomy and psychological involvement in their work. In general, the conceptual model of the study confirms that work engagement among volleyball coaches is not merely an individual outcome, but rather the result of the interaction between leadership style and psychological working conditions, particularly the level of job autonomy. Effective leadership styles, by creating a supportive environment and delegating authority, enhance autonomy and consequently improve work engagement. Therefore, improving coaches’ motivation and performance depends on strengthening empowering leadership systems and establishing organizational structures baxsed on trust and job autonomy.