Saudi First Division League

This article is about the Saudi men's league. For the Saudi women's league, see Saudi Women's First Division League.

First Division League
دوري الدرجة الأولى

Organising body	Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF)
Founded	1957;68 years ago (1957)
Country	Saudi Arabia
Confederation	AFC
Number of clubs	18 (since 2022–23)
Level on pyramid	2
Promotion to	Saudi Pro League
Relegation to	Saudi Second Division League
Domestic cup	King's Cup
International cup	AFC Champions League Two (via the King's Cup)
Current champions	Neom (1st title) (2024–25)
Most championships	Hajer Al-Wehda Al-Qadsiah (4 titles each)
Top scorer	Ousmane Barry (108 goals)
Broadcaster(s)	KSA Sport
Website	fdl.sa
Current: 2025–26 First Division League

The Saudi First Division League (FDL), also known as the Yelo League for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Saudi Arabia and serves as the second tier of the Saudi football league system. It ranks directly below the Saudi Pro League and above the Saudi Second Division League. ^[1]

History

Al-Najma vs Al-Riyadh in the 2010–11 Saudi First Division Season

The league was founded in 1976 alongside the Premier League which is now known as the Saudi Pro League.

Being the second-tier league it allows the first tier league clubs to either discover talents or send players on loan so they can develop.

Hajer, Al-Wehda and Al-Qadsiah hold the record number of championships in the league with four. While Ohod holds the record for number of promotions from the First Division to the top Division with nine.

Competition format

Since 2024, there are 18 clubs in the Saudi First Division League. During the course of a season (usually from August to May) each club plays the other clubs twice (a double round-robin system), once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents, for 34 games. Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss.

The top two teams are promoted to the Saudi Pro League directly, a play-off system to determine the third team to be promoted alongside the two. Teams placed between third and sixth position took part in the promotion play-offs. The fifth-placed would face the fourth, while the sixth-placed team would face the third. The final would be single-legged, hosted by the higher-placed team, ^[2] while the bottom three teams are relegated to the Saudi Second Division League.

Each club can have a maximum of 25 players and a minimum of 16. The list can include up to 4 foreign players and 1 player born in Saudi Arabia, with the remaining players being all Saudi. Additionally, the goalkeeper position will be exclusive to Saudi players starting from the 2025–26 season.

Current clubs

For details on the FD League 2024–25 season, see here.

Stadium and locations

Abha

Al-Adalah

Al-Ain

Al-Arabi
Al-Najma

Al-Batin

Al-Bukiryah

Al-Faisaly

Al-Hazem

Al-Jabalain
Al-Tai

Al-Jandal

Al-Jubail

Al-Safa

Al-Zulfi

Jeddah

Neom

Ohod

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Locations of teams in the 2024–25 First Division League

Note: Table lists in alphabetical order.

Team	Location	Stadium	Capacity
Abha	Abha	Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium	20,000 [3]
Al-Adalah	Al-Hasa	Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium Hajer Club Stadium	26,000 [4] 12,000
Al-Ain	Al Atawlah	King Saud Sport City Stadium	10,000 [5]
Al-Arabi	Unaizah	Department of Education Stadium	10,000 [6]
Al-Batin	Hafar al-Batin	Al-Batin Club Stadium	6,000 [7]
Al-Bukiryah	Al Bukayriyah	Al-Bukiryah Club Stadium	5,000 [8]
Al-Faisaly	Harmah	Al Majma'ah Sports City (Al Majma'ah)	7,000
Al-Hazem	Ar Rass	Al-Hazem Club Stadium	8,000 [9]
Al-Jabalain	Ha'il	Prince Abdul Aziz bin Musa'ed Stadium	12,250 [10]
Al-Jandal	Dumat al-Jandal	Al-Orobah Club Stadium (Sakakah)	7,000 [11]
Al-Jubail	Jubail	Al-Jubail Club Stadium	3,000 [12]
Al-Najma	Unaizah	Department of Education Stadium Al-Najma Club Stadium	10,000 7,000 [13]
Al-Safa	Safwa	Al-Safa Club Stadium Prince Saud bin Jalawi Stadium (Khobar) Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium (Dammam)	3,000 15,000 [14] 26,000 [15]
Al-Tai	Ha'il	Prince Abdulaziz bin Musa'ed Sports City	12,000
Al-Zulfi	Al Zulfi	Al-Zulfi Club Stadium	3,080 [16]
Jeddah Club	Jeddah	Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium Sports Hall at King Abdullah Sports City	27,000 1,000
Neom SC	Tabuk	King Khalid Sport City Stadium	12,000 [17]
Ohod	Medina	Ohod Club Stadium	5,000 [18]

Champions

List of champions ^[19]

#	Season	Champions	Runners-up
1	1957–58	Al-Alamein	–
2	1958–59	Al-Shatei	–
3	1959–60	Thaqeef	–
4	1960–61	Al-Kawakeb	–
5	1961–62	Nusoor Al-Hejaz	–
6	1962–63	Nusoor Al-Hejaz	–
7	1963–64	Al-Nassr	–
8	1964–65	Al-Sharq Al-Watani	–
9	1965–66	Al-Sharq Al-Watani	–
10	1966–67	Hajer	–
11	1967–68	Al-Tadamon	–
12	1968–69	Al-Jabalain	–
13	1969–70	Hajer	–
14	1970–71	Al-Jabalain	–
15	1971–72	Abha	–
16	1972–73	Al-Jabalain	–
17	1973–74	Not held
18	1974–75	Not held
19	1975–76	Not completed
20	1976–77	Al-Nahda	Al-Ettifaq
21	1977–78	Al-Riyadh	Al-Tai
22	1978–79	Al-Shabab	Ohod
23	1979–80	Al-Jabalain	Al-Riyadh
24	1980–81	Ohod	Al-Rawdah
25	1981–82	Not held
26	1982–83	Al-Wehda	Al-Riyadh
27	1983–84	Ohod	Al-Jabalain
28	1984–85	Al-Tai	Al-Kawkab
29	1985–86	Al-Ansar	Al-Raed
30	1986–87	Al-Kawkab	Ohod
31	1987–88	Hajer	Al-Rawdah
32	1988–89	Al-Riyadh	Al-Raed
33	1989–90	Al-Najma	Al-Arabi
34	1990–91	Al-Nahda	Ohod
35	1991–92	Al-Raed	Al-Najma
36	1992–93	Al-Nahda	Ohod
37	1993–94	Al-Najma	Al-Rawdah
38	1994–95	Al-Tai	Al-Taawoun
39	1995–96	Al-Wehda	Al-Ansar
40	1996–97	Al-Taawoun	Al-Shoulla
41	1997–98	Hajer	Al-Ansar
42	1998–99	Sdoos	Al-Raed
43	1999–00	Al-Ansar	Al-Qadsiah
44	2000–01	Al-Tai	Al-Shoulla
45	2001–02	Al-Qadsiah	Al-Raed
46	2002–03	Al-Wehda	Al-Khaleej
47	2003–04	Ohod	Al-Ansar
48	2004–05	Al-Hazem	Abha
49	2005–06	Al-Khaleej	Al-Faisaly
50	2006–07	Al-Watani	Najran
51	2007–08	Al-Raed	Abha
52	2008–09	Al-Qadsiah	Al-Fateh
53	2009–10	Al-Faisaly	Al-Taawoun
54	2010–11	Hajer	Al-Ansar
55	2011–12	Al-Shoulla	Al-Wehda
56	2012–13	Al-Orobah	Al-Nahda
57	2013–14	Hajer	Al-Khaleej
58	2014–15	Al-Qadsiah	Al-Wehda
59	2015–16	Al-Ettifaq	Al-Batin
60	2016–17	Al-Fayha	Ohod
61	2017–18	Al-Wehda	Al-Hazem
62	2018–19	Abha	Damac
63	2019–20	Al-Batin	Al-Qadsiah
64	2020–21	Al-Hazem	Al-Fayha
65	2021–22	Al-Khaleej	Al-Adalah
66	2022–23	Al-Ahli	Al-Hazem
67	2023–24	Al-Qadsiah	Al-Orobah
68	2024–25	Neom	Al-Najma

Performance by club

Club	Titles	Winning Years
Hajer	4	1966–67, 1979–80, 1987–88, 2013–14
Al-Jabalain	4	1968–69, 1970–71, 1972–73, 1979–80
Al-Wehda	4	1982–83, 1995–96, 2002–03, 2017–18
Al-Qadsiah	4	2001–02, 2008–09, 2014–15, 2023–24
Al-Nahda	3	1976–77, 1990–91, 1992–93
Al-Tai	3	1984–85, 1994–95, 2000–01
Ohod	3	1980–81, 1983–84, 2003–04
Al-Riyadh	2	1977–78, 1988–89
Al-Najma	2	1989–90, 1993–94
Al-Ansar	2	1985–86, 1999–2000
Al-Raed	2	1991–92, 2007–08
Al-Hazem	2	2004–05, 2020–21
Al-Khaleej	2	2005–06, 2021–22
Abha	2	1971–72, 2018–19
Al-Sharq Al-Watani	2	1964–65, 1965–66
Nusoor Al-Hejaz	2	1961–62, 1962–63
Al-Nassr	1	1963–64
Al-Shabab	1	1978–79
Al-Kawkab	1	1986–87
Al-Taawoun	1	1996–97
Sdoos	1	1998–99
Al-Watani	1	2006–07
Al-Faisaly	1	2009–10
Al-Shoulla	1	2011–12
Al-Orobah	1	2012–13
Al-Ettifaq	1	2015–16
Al-Fayha	1	2016–17
Al-Ahli	1	2022–23
Al-Batin	1	2019–20
Neom	1	2024–25
Al-Alamein	1	1957–58
Al-Shatei	1	1958–59
Thaqeef	1	1959–60
Al-Kawakeb	1	1960–61
Al-Tadamon	1	1967–68

Top scorers

•   Record

Season	Nat.	Top scorer(s)	Club(s)	Goals
2024–25		Alan Cariús	Al-Adalah	20
2023–24		Mbaye Diagne	Al-Qadsiah	26
2022–23		Ablaye Mbengue	Al-Arabi	29
2021–22		Carolus Andria	Ohod	25
2020–21		Ibrahim Diomandé	Ohod	24
2019–20		Ousmane Barry	Al-Bukiryah	27
2018–19		Carolus Andria	Al-Adalah	22
2017–18		Mashari Al-Enezi	Al-Tai	21
2016–17		Abdulfattah Adam	Al-Jeel	20
2015–16		Abdulfattah Adam	Al-Jeel	20
2014–15		Mousa Madkhali	Al-Wehda	20
2013–14		Hamad Al-Juhaim	Al-Tai	20
2012–13		Mousa Madkhali	Hetten	22
2011–12		Younes Alaiwi	Al-Batin	21
2010–11		Hussain Al-Turki	Al-Khaleej	20
2009–10		Hussain Al-Turki	Al-Khaleej	16
2008–09		Mohammad Al-Sahlawi Mohammad Al-helo Al-Enizi	Al-Qadsiah Sdoos	15
2007–08		Khalid Al-Rejaib	Hajer	9
2006–07		Al-Hasan Al-Yami	Najran	20
2005–06		Mubarak Al-Khalifa	Al-Khaleej	18
2004–05		Mohammed Abu Arad	Abha	19
2003–04		Mohammed Abu Arad	Abha	15
2002–03		Mohammed Abu Arad	Abha	16
2001–02		Mohammed Manga	Sdoos	12
2000–01		Mohammed Abu Arad	Abha	14
1999–00		Mohammed Harshan	Najran	11
1998–99		Mubarak Al-Khalifa	Al-Rawdah	13
1997–98	–	–	–	–
1996–97		Mousa Sahab	Al-Taawoun	–
1995–96		Obeid Al-Dosari	Al-Wehda	–
1994–95		Yehey Jako	Al-Tai	11
1993–94		Khalid Al-Mansour	Al-Arabi	15
1992–93		Hamzah Idris	Ohod	10
1991–92		Sulaiman Al-Hadaithi Mohamed Al-Khalifa Nasser Al-Qahtani	Al-Najma Hajer Al-Rawdah	11
1990–91		Ahmed Al-Zaaq	Al-Taawoun	11
1989–90		Khalid Al-Mansour Hamzah Idris	Al-Arabi Ohod	11
1988–89		Khalid Al-Mansour	Al-Arabi	14
1987–88		Khalid Al-Mansour Fahd Al-Hamdan	Al-Arabi Al-Riyadh	11
1986–87		Khalid Al-Mansour	Al-Arabi	16
1985–86		Abdullah Al-Saab	Al-Fayha	8
1984–85		Waleed Sharqi	Al-Ansar	–
1983–84		Mohamed Al-Suwaiyed	Damac	11
1982–83		Shaye Al-Nafisah	Al-Kawkab	12
1981–82	Not held
1980–81		Abdullah Al-Mansour	Al-Taawoun	9
1979–80		Daraan Al-Daraan	Al-Jabalain	16
1978–79	–	–	–	–
1977–78	–	–	–	–
1976–77	–	–	–	–

Sponsorship

Sponsorship Names

• No sponsorship (1957–2011)
• Rakaa league (2012–2013)
• No sponsorship (2014–2020)
• Yelo league (2021–present)

See also

• Saudi Arabian Football Federation
• Football in Saudi Arabia
• List of football clubs in Saudi Arabia
• List of football stadiums in Saudi Arabia
• Saudi Super Cup
• King's Cup
• Crown Prince Cup
• Prince Faisal bin Fahd Cup
• Saudi Founder's Cup
• List of Saudi Pro League hat-tricks
• Saudi Women's First Division League

References

1. Official SAFF site in English
2. ""PLAY-OFF» يحدد صاعدي «يلو"".
3. "Prince Sultan Sport City Stadium (Mahalah)". Archived from the original on 2020-09-11. Retrieved 2024-06-27.
4. "Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Sports City Stadium". Archived from the original on 2019-07-10. Retrieved 2021-05-22.
5. "استاد مدينة الملك سعود الرياضية". kooora.com. Archived from the original on 1 June 2023. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
6. "Department of Education Stadium in Unaizah". Archived from the original on 2023-07-13. Retrieved 2024-06-27.
7. "Al batin Club Stadiuem". Archived from the original on 2023-07-13. Retrieved 2024-06-27.
8. "Albukiryah Club Stadium".
9. "Alhazm Club Stadium". Archived from the original on 2023-05-27. Retrieved 2021-05-22.
10. "استاد الأمير عبدالعزيز بن مساعد بن جلوي". kooora.com. Archived from the original on 5 June 2023. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
11. "ملعب نادي العروبة - AlOrubah Club Stadium". Archived from the original on 2022-11-25. Retrieved 2024-06-27.
12. "ملعب نادي الجبيل".
13. "ملعب نادي النجمة". Archived from the original on 2022-09-08. Retrieved 2024-06-27.
14. "استاد مدينة الأمير سعود بن جلوي الرياضية (الراكة)".
15. "استاد الأمير محمد بن فهد - Prince Mohammed Bin Fahad Stadium". Archived from the original on 2020-09-20. Retrieved 2024-06-27.
16. "ملعب نادي الزلفي - Zulfi Club Stadium". Archived from the original on 2022-01-20. Retrieved 2024-06-27.
17. "مدينة الملك خالد.. 30 عاماً في خدمة الشباب والرياضة".
18. "ملعب نادي أحد". Archived from the original on 2023-07-13. Retrieved 2024-06-27.
19. "Storied history of football in Saudi Arabia celebrated through landmark collaboration project". FIFA. 31 August 2025. Retrieved 2025-09-17.

External links

• Saudi Arabia Football Federation
• Saudi Arabia First Division - Hailoosport.com ^{[ usurped ]} (Arabic)
• Saudi Arabia First Division - Hailoosport.com ^{[ usurped ]}