UAE First Division League
Founded | 1974 |
---|---|
Country | United Arab Emirates |
Confederation | AFC |
Number of teams | 15 |
Level on pyramid | 2 |
Promotion to | UAE Pro League |
Relegation to | UAE Second Division League |
Domestic cup(s) | President's Cup |
International cup(s) | AFC Champions League (via cups) |
Current champions | 2023–24: Al Urooba (2nd title) |
Most championships | Ittihad Kalba (7 titles) |
TV partners | Sharjah Sports |
Current: 2024–25 season |
UAE First Division League is the second tier of football league competition in the United Arab Emirates.[1]
As of 2020–21, the league features 15 sides who play each other in a home and away round-robin format, with a total of 28 games for each team. The top two sides gain promotion to the UAE Pro-League. On 29 May 2019, UAEFA announced that a UAE Second Division League to be established with smaller clubs, privately owned clubs, football academies with semi-professional teams compete for promotion to UAE Division one.[2][3] On 6 July 2022, UAEFA announced that the number of participants will increase to 17 teams for the 2022–23 season. An increase of 2 teams, promoted from the UAE Second Division, and no relegation for UAE First Division clubs from the 2021–22 season, in an expansion season.[4]
Current teams
[edit]As of 2024-25 UAE First Division League
- Note: Table lists clubs in alphabetical order.
Club | Home city | Stadium | Capacity |
---|---|---|---|
Al Dahra | KEZAD | Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium | 20,000 |
Al Dhafra | Madinat Zayed | Al Dhafra Stadium | 5,020 |
Al Dhaid | Dhaid | Al-Dhaid Stadium | 500 |
Al Hamriyah | Al Hamriyah | Al Hamriya Sports Club Stadium | 5,000 |
Al Jazirah Al Hamra | Al Jazirah Al Hamra | Al Hamra Stadium | 2,000 |
Gulf FC | Dubai (Mirdif) | UIS International School | 200 |
Dibba Club | Dibba Al Fujairah | Dibba New Stadium | 9,000 |
Fleetwood United[5] | Jebel Ali | Jebel Ali Stadium |
1,000 |
Dubai United | Dubai (Jumeirah) | Dubai British School | 100 |
Emirates | Ras Al Khaimah | Emirates Club Stadium | 5,200 |
Fujairah | Fujairah | Fujairah Club Stadium | 10,645 |
Gulf United | Dubai (Al Jaddaf) | Dubai Club Stadium | 7,000 |
Hatta | Hatta | Hamdan Bin Rashid Stadium | 5,000 |
Al-Arabi SC (UAE) | Umm Al Quwain | Umm Al Quwain Stadium | 3,000 |
Masfout | Masfout | Masfout Club Stadium | 3,000 |
List of champions
[edit]- 1974–75: Al-Shabab
- 1975–76: Al Rams
- 1976–77: Al-Wahda
- 1977–78: Oman Club
- 1978–79: Khor Fakkan Club
- 1979–80: Ittihad Kalba
- 1980–81: Al Rams
- 1981–82: Al Khaleej
- 1982–83: Al-Jazira
- 1983–84: Al Qadsia Club
- 1984–85: Al-Wahda
- 1985–86: Fujairah
- 1986–87: Ras Al Khaima
- 1987–88: Al-Jazira
- 1988–89: Ittihad Kalba
- 1989–90: Fujairah
- 1990–91: Not completed due to Gulf War
- 1991–92: Al Urooba
- 1992–93: Al-Shaab
- 1993–94: Al Khaleej
- 1994–95: Baniyas
- 1995–96: Ittihad Kalba
- 1996–97: Emirates
- 1997–98: Al-Shaab
- 1998–99: Ittihad Kalba
- 1999–00: Sharjah
- 2000–01: Al Khaleej
- 2001–02: Al-Dhafra
- 2002–03: Emirates
- 2003–04: Dubai
- 2004–05: Baniyas
- 2005–06: Fujairah
- 2006–07: Al-Dhafra
- 2007–08: Al Khaleej
- 2008–09: Baniyas
- 2009–10: Ittihad Kalba
- 2010–11: Ajman
- 2011–12: Ittihad Kalba
- 2012–13: Emirates
- 2013–14: Ittihad Kalba
- 2014–15: Dibba Al-Fujairah
- 2015–16: Hatta
- 2016–17: Ajman
- 2017–18: Baniyas
- 2018–19: Khor Fakkan
- 2019–20: Not completed due to COVID-19 pandemic
- 2020–21: Al Urooba
- 2021–22: Dibba Al Fujairah
- 2022–23: Hatta
- 2023–24: Al Urooba
Al Khaleej was renamed in June 2017 to the match the name of the city Khorfakkan*[8]
Champions
[edit]Performance by club
[edit]Club | Winners | Winning seasons |
---|---|---|
Kalba | 7
|
1979–80, 1988–89, 1995–96, 1998–99, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2013–14 |
Khor Fakkan | 6
|
1978–79, 1981–82, 1993–94, 2000–01, 2007–08, 2018–19 |
Emirates | 5
|
1977–78, 1983–84,1996–97, 2002–03, 2012–13 |
Baniyas | 4
|
1994–95, 2004–05, 2008–09, 2017–18 |
Fujairah | 3 | 1985–86, 1989–90, 2005–06 |
Al Urooba | 1991–92, 2020–21, 2023–24 | |
Al Rams | 2 | 1975–76, 1980–81 |
Al Wahda | 1976–77, 1984–85 | |
Al Jazira | 1982–83, 1987–88 | |
Al Shaab1 | 1992–93, 1997–98 | |
Al Dhafra | 2001–02, 2006–07 | |
Ajman | 2010–11, 2016–17 | |
Dibba Al Fujairah | 2014–15, 2021–22 | |
Hatta | 2015–16, 2022–23 | |
Al Shabab1 | 1 | 1974–75 |
Ras Al Khaimah | 1986–87 | |
Sharjah | 1999–00 | |
Dubai1 | 2003–04 |
1 Club no longer exists.
Performance by city
[edit]City / Area | Titles | Clubs | Winning seasons |
---|---|---|---|
Abu Dhabi | 8 | Baniyas | (4): 1994–95, 2004–05, 2008–09, 2017–18 |
Al Wahda | (2): 1976–77, 1984–85 | ||
Al Jazira | (2): 1982–83, 1987–88 | ||
Kalba | 7
|
Kalba | (7): 1979–80, 1988–89, 1995–96, 1998–99, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2013–14 |
Ras Al Khaimah | 6 | Emirates | (5): 1977–78,1983–84,1996–97, 2002–03, 2012–13 |
Ras Al Khaimah | (1): 1986–87 | ||
Khor Fakkan | Khor Fakkan | (6): 1978–79, 1981–82, 1993–94, 2000–01, 2007–08, 2018–19 | |
Fujairah | 3 | Fujairah | (3): 1985–86, 1989–90, 2005–06 |
Sharjah | Al Shaab | (2): 1992–93, 1997–98 | |
Sharjah | (1): 1999–00 | ||
Qidfa / Mirbah | Al Urooba | (3): 1991–92, 2020–21, 2023–24 | |
Dubai | 2 | Al Shabab | (1): 1974–75 |
Dubai | (1): 2003–04 | ||
Ar-Rams | Al Rams | (2): 1975–76, 1980–81 | |
Madinat Zayed | Al Dhafra | (2): 2001–02, 2006–07 | |
Ajman | Ajman | (2): 2010–11, 2016–17 | |
Dibba Al-Fujairah | Dibba Al Fujairah | (2): 2014–15, 2021–22 | |
Hatta | Hatta | (2): 2015–16, 2022–23 |
Performance by emirates
[edit]Emirates | Titles | Clubs | Winning seasons |
---|---|---|---|
Sharjah | 16 | Kalba | (7): 1979–80, 1988–89, 1995–96, 1998–99, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2013–14 |
Khor Fakkan | (6): 1978–79, 1981–82, 1993–94, 2000–01, 2007–08, 2018–19 | ||
Sharjah | (3): 1999–00, 1992–93, 1997–98 | ||
Abu Dhabi | 10 | Baniyas | (4): 1994–95, 2004–05, 2008–09, 2017–18 |
Al Wahda | (2): 1976–77, 1984–85 | ||
Al Jazira | (2): 1982–83, 1987–88 | ||
Al Dhafra | (2): 2001–02, 2006–07 | ||
Ras Al Khaimah | 8 | Emirates | (5): 1977–78,1983–84,1996–97, 2002–03, 2012–13 |
Al Rams | (2): 1975–76, 1980–81 | ||
Ras Al Khaimah | (1): 1986–87 | ||
Fujairah | Fujairah | (3): 1985–86, 1989–90, 2005–06 | |
Al Urooba | (3): 1991–92, 2020–21, 2023–24 | ||
Dibba Al-Fujairah | (2): 2014–15, 2021–22 | ||
Dubai | 4 | Hatta | (2): 2015–16, 2022–23 |
Al Shabab | (1): 1974–75 | ||
Dubai | (1): 2003–04 | ||
Ajman | 2
|
Ajman | (2): 2010–11, 2016–17 |
Top scorers
[edit]- 1999–2000: Razzaq Farhan (42 goals)
- 2007–08: Modibo Kane Diarra (44 goals) (Record)
- 2008–09: Nabil Daoudi (36 goals)
- 2009–10: Michaël N'dri (10 goals)
- 2010–11: Patrick Fabiano (19 goals)
- 2011–12: Makhete Diop (29 goals)
- 2012–13: Modibo Kane Diarra (24 goals)
- 2013–14: Modibo Kane Diarra (27 goals)
- 2014–15: Michaël N'dri (24 goals)
- 2015–16: Tássio Maia dos Santos (17 goals)
- 2016–17: Adeílson Pereira de Mello (23 goals)
- 2017–18: Marcus Vinícius Araujo Silva (21 goals)
- 2018–19: Vinícius Lopes (16 goals)
- 2019–20: Alexssander azeredo Vinícius Lopes (11 goals)
- 2020–21: Diogo Acosta (20 goals)
- 2021–22: Diogo Acosta (27 goals)
- 2022–23: Diogo Acosta (24 goals)
- 2023–24: Marcelo Torres (26 goals)
References
[edit]- ^ Zaid Benjamin (28 October 2010). "United Arab Emirates 2009/10". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
- ^ اتحاد الكرة يطلق مسابقة دوري الدرجة الثانية في الموسم الجديد. Sharjah (in Arabic). Retrieved 29 May 2019.
- ^ اتحاد الكرة يُطلق مسابقة دوري الدرجة الثانية في الموسم الجديد. UAE Football Association. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
- ^ اتحاد الكرة يستعرض الشكل الجديد لأغلى الكؤوس ومسابقات الموسم الرياضي المقبل. UAE Football Association. Retrieved 2022-07-06.
- ^ Affiliated with Fleetwood Town
- ^ دوري الدرجة الثانية. UAE Football Association. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
- ^ تاريخ الدوري الإماراتي الدرجة الاولي. Kooora. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
- ^ تغيير اسم نادي الخليج إلى «خورفكان». 13 June 2017.
External links
[edit]- UAE FA Official website (in English and Arabic)