Saudi Pro League
Founded | 1976 |
---|---|
Country | Saudi Arabia |
Confederation | AFC |
Number of clubs | 16 |
Level on pyramid | 1 |
Relegation to | MS League |
Domestic cup(s) | Kings Cup Super Cup |
International cup(s) | AFC Champions League UAFA Club Cup GCC Champions League |
Current champions | Al-Hilal (16th title) (2019–20) |
Most championships | Al-Hilal (16 titles) |
Most appearances | Mohamed Al-Deayea (406) |
Top goalscorer | Omar Al Soma (192 goals) |
TV partners | KSA Sports |
Website | http://www.spl.com.sa |
Current: 2020–21 Saudi Professional League |
The Saudi Professional League (Template:Lang-ar Dawriyy al-Muḥtarifayni as-Suʿūdī), (SPL), is the top division of Association football league in Saudi Arabia. From 2013 to 2019 it was known as the Abdul Latif Jameel League, or Dawry Jameel, as it was sponsored by Abdul Latif Jameel for six years.[1][2][3][4]
The first season of the competition was the Saudi Professional League held in 1976,[5] Al Hilal is the most successful team, holding 16 titles in its history (2018–19).
History
Up until the late fifties, football in Saudi Arabia was organized on a regional basis, with the only nationwide tournament being the King's Cup. In 1957, the first nation league including regional tournament of central, west, east and north regions, where clubs compete in their region league to qualify for the king's cup, which is the final stage of the competition. The winner of the king's cup is considered the league winner.[6]
In 1981 it was decided to increase the number of clubs and add a second division. The league competition for the 1981–82, known as the ranking league, featured 18 clubs with the top eight qualifying for the first division and the bottom ten to the new second division. The number of first division clubs was later increased to 12 in the 1984–85 season.
In 1990 it was decided to revamp local competitions and to introduce professional football. A new league championship was formed called "The Custodian of The Two Holy Mosques League Cup", which was a two-stage championship. The first stage was a regular double round-robin league competition with the top 4 qualifying to the final knockout stage, called the golden square. Clubs were allowed to sign players on a professional basis making the league semi professional.
The league became professional in 2007.[7]
As of 2008, four teams from Saudi Arabia qualify for the AFC Champions League annually. This includes the top three teams of the league together with the winner of the Kings Cup. If the winner of the King Cup is also among the four top teams then the fourth best team qualifies to the extensions and if the winner of the King Cup is under the four top teams then the fourth team will not qualify and the third team will qualify for the extension.
Prize money:[8]
- First place: 3,800,000 Saudi riyals
- Second place: 2,000,000 Saudi riyals
- Third place: 1,000,000 Saudi riyals
List of teams (2019–20 season)
For details on the 2019–20 Saudi Professional League season, see here.
- Note: Table lists in alphabetical order.
Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
---|---|---|---|
Abha | Abha | Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium | 20,000[9] |
Al-Adalah | Al-Hasa | Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium | 26,000[10][11] |
Al-Ahli | Jeddah | King Abdullah Sports City | 62,345 |
Al-Ettifaq | Dammam | Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium | 35,000[12] |
Al-Faisaly | Harmah | Al Majma'ah Sports City [1] | 7,000 |
Al-Fateh | Al-Hasa | Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium | 26,000[11] |
Al-Fayha | Al Majma'ah | Al Majma'ah Sports City | 7,000 |
Al-Hazem | Ar Rass | Al-Hazem Club Stadium | 8,000[13] |
Al-Hilal | Riyadh | King Fahd International Stadium | 62,685 |
Al-Ittihad | Jeddah | King Abdullah Sports City | 62,345 |
Al-Nassr | Riyadh | Marsool Park | 25,000 |
Al-Raed | Buraidah | King Abdullah Sport City Stadium | 23,600 |
Al-Shabab | Riyadh | King Fahd International Stadium [2] | 62,685 |
Al-Taawoun | Buraidah | King Abdullah Sport City Stadium | 23,600 |
Al-Wehda | Mecca | King Abdul Aziz Stadium | 38,000 |
Damac | Khamis Mushait | Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium [3] | 20,000 |
1: ^ Al-Faisaly play their home games in Al Majma'ah.
2: ^ Al-Nassr and Al-Shabab also use Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium (22,500 seats) as a home stadium.
3: ^ Damac play their home games in Abha.
List of champions[14]
Performance by club
Most successful clubs
# | Club | Winners | Runners-up |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Al-Hilal | ||
2 | Al-Nassr | ||
3 | Al Ittihad | ||
4 | Al-Shabab | ||
5 | Al-Ahli | ||
6 | Al-Ettifaq | ||
7 | Al-Fateh | ||
8 | Al-Riyadh |
Total titles won by city
City | Number of titles | Clubs |
---|---|---|
Riyadh | Al-Hilal (16), Al-Nassr (9), Al-Shabab (6) | |
Jeddah | Al-Ittihad (8), Al-Ahli (4) | |
Dammam | Al-Ettifaq (2) | |
Al-Hasa | Al-Fateh (1) |
Top scorers
Most goals
Boldface indicates a player still active in the Pro League.
Rank | Player | Club(s) | Years | Goals | Apps | Ratio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Majed Abdullah | Al-Nassr | 1977–1997 | 189 | 194 | 0.97 |
2 | Nasser Al-Shamrani | Al-Wehda, Al-Shabab, Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad | 2003–2019 | 167 | 301 | 0.55 |
3 | Omar Al Somah | Al-Ahli | 2014– | 128 | 143 | 0.94 |
4 | Fahad Al-Hamdan | Al-Riyadh | 1985–2000 | 120 | 252 | 0.48 |
5 | Yasser Al-Qahtani | Al-Qadsiah, Al-Hilal | 2000–2018 | 112 | 206 | 0.56 |
6 | Mohammad Al-Sahlawi | Al-Qadsiah, Al-Nassr, Al-Shabab, Al-Taawoun | 2005– | 106 | 244 | 0.45 |
7 | Sami Al-Jaber | Al-Hilal | 1988–2007 | 101 | 268 | 0.38 |
8 | Hamzah Idris | Ohod, Al-Ittihad | 1992–2007 | 96 | N/A | |
9 | Obeid Al-Dosari | Al-Wehda, Al-Ahli | 1996–2005 | 93 | N/A |
Top scorers by season
Season | Top Scorers | Club | Goals | |
1975–76 | Mohammad S. Abdeli | Al-Nassr | 13 | |
1976–77 | Nasser Eid | Al-Qadsiah | 12 | |
1977–78 | Motamad Khojali | Al-Ahli | 14 | |
1978–79 | Majed Abdullah | Al-Nassr | 18 | |
1979–80 | Majed Abdullah | Al-Nassr | 17 | |
1980–81 | Majed Abdullah | Al-Nassr | 21 | |
1981–82 | Khalid Al-Ma'ajil | Al-Shabab | 22 | |
1982–83 | Majed Abdullah | Al-Nassr | 14 | |
1983–84 | Hussam Abu Dawood | Al-Ahli | 14 | |
1984–85 | Hathal Dosari | Al-Hilal | 15 | |
1985–86 | Majed Abdullah | Al-Nassr | 15 | |
1986–87 | Mohammad Suwaidi | Al-Ittihad | 17 | |
1987–88 | Khalid Al-Ma'ajil | Al-Shabab | 12 | |
1988–89 | Majed Abdullah | Al-Nassr | 19 | |
1989–90 | Sami Al-Jaber | Al-Hilal | 16 | |
1990–91 | Fahad Al-Mehallel | Al-Shabab | 20 | |
1991–92 | Saeed Al-Owairan | Al-Shabab | 16 | |
1992–93 | Sami Al-Jaber | Al-Hilal | 18 | |
1993–94 | Moussa Ndao | Al-Hilal | 15 | |
1994–95 | Fahd Al-Hamdan | Al-Riyadh | 15 | |
1995–96 | Ohene Kennedy | Al-Nassr | 14 | |
1996–97 | Ahmed Bahja | Al-Ittihad | 21 | |
1997–98 | Sulaiman Al-Hadaithy | Al-Najma | 15 | |
1998–99 | Obeid Al-Dosari | Al-Wehda | 20 | |
1999–00 | Hamzah Idris | Al-Ittihad | 33 | |
2000–01 | Paulo da Silva | Al-Ettifaq | 13 | |
2001–02 | Diene Faye | Al-Riyadh | 10 | |
2002–03 | Carlos Tenorio | Al-Nassr | 15 | |
2003–04 | |
Godwin Attram Kandia Traoré |
Al-Shabab Al-Hilal |
15 |
2004–05 | Mohammed Manga | Al-Shabab | 15 | |
2005–06 | Essa Al-Mehyani | Al-Wehda | 16 | |
2006–07 | Godwin Attram | Al-Shabab | 13 | |
2007–08 | Nasser Al-Shamrani | Al-Shabab | 18 | |
2008–09 | |
Nasser Al-Shamrani Hicham Aboucherouane |
Al-Shabab Al-Ittihad |
12 |
2009–10 | Mohammad Al-Shalhoub | Al-Hilal | 12 | |
2010–11 | Nasser Al-Shamrani | Al-Shabab | 17 | |
2011–12 | |
Nasser Al-Shamrani Victor Simões |
Al-Shabab Al-Ahli |
21 |
2012–13 | Sebastián Tagliabué | Al-Shabab | 19 | |
2013–14 | Nasser Al-Shamrani | Al-Hilal | 21 | |
2014–15 | Omar Al Somah | Al-Ahli | 22 | |
2015–16 | Omar Al Somah | Al-Ahli | 27 | |
2016–17 | Omar Al Somah | Al-Ahli | 24 | |
2017–18 | Ronnie Fernández | Al-Fayha | 13 | |
2018–19 | Abderrazak Hamdallah | Al-Nassr | 34 | |
2019–20 | Abderrazak Hamdallah | Al-Nassr | 29 |
See also
- Saudi Arabian Football Federation
- King Cup
- Saudi Super Cup
- Saudi Crown Prince Cup
- King Abdulaziz
- Prince Faisal bin Fahd League U-21
References
- ^ Aboulkheir, Rajia (25 February 2015). "Meet Jameel, the Saudi Football League's new showman". Al Arabiya English. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
- ^ "Abdul Latif Jameel marks a year of success at SIMS '13". Saudi Gazette. 3 January 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
- ^ "Jameel League sponsorship hits the target". Opening Doors. Abdul Latif Jameel. Winter 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
- ^ Varvodic, Marin (24 January 2016). "Al RiyadyaTV (Saudi Sport) – live on sat football via Nilesat 7°W". SportEventz. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
- ^ "Live Scores – Clubs: Al Hilalclub_hint=Al Nassr". =FIFA.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) - ^ دوري المحترفين السعودي, ويكيبيديا، الموسوعة الحرة (in Arabic), 2019-05-16, retrieved 2019-05-18
- ^ "Morocco's Abderrazak Hamdallah breaks scoring record in Saudi Arabia". 19 April 2019 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ لائحة المسابقات والبطولات بالإتحاد العربي السعودي لكرة القدم [Regulations of Saudi Arabian Football Federation Competitions] (PDF) (in Arabic). Saudi Arabian Football Federation. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
- ^ "Prince Sultan Sport City Stadium (Mahalah)".
- ^ "ملعب الأحساء ينهي استعداداته لاستقبال العائلات".
- ^ a b "Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Sports City Stadium".
- ^ "Prince Mohammed Bin Fahad Stadium".
- ^ "Alhazm Club Stadium".
- ^ "Saudi Arabia - List of Champions". www.rsssf.com. Retrieved 2019-11-26.
- ^ "احصائيات هدافي الدوري تاريخيا والاكثر حصولا على لقب الهداف".
- ^ "ماجد عبد الله، السهلاوي والقحطاني وأبرز الهدافيين التاريخيين في الدوري السعودي".
External links
- Saudi Pro League Statistics
- Saudi Professional League Commission (in Arabic)
- Abdul Latif Jameel League (in Arabic)
- Saudi Arabia Football Federation at FIFA.com
- Saudi Arabia - List of Champions at RSSSF.com
- Saudi Pro League summary(SOCCERWAY)