UAE First Division League

Last updated
UAE First Division League
UAE First Division League.png
Founded1974;50 years ago (1974)
CountryUnited Arab Emirates
Confederation AFC
Number of teams15
Level on pyramid2
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 partnersSharjah Sports
Current: 2024–25 season

UAE First Division League is the second tier of football league competition in the United Arab Emirates. [1]

Contents

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

As of 2024-25 UAE First Division League

Note: Table lists clubs in alphabetical order.
ClubHome cityStadiumCapacity
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 School200
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

Source: [6] [7]

Al Khaleej was renamed in June 2017 to the match the name of the city Khorfakkan* [8]

Champions

Performance by club

ClubWinnersWinning 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 31985–86, 1989–90, 2005–06
Al Urooba 1991–92, 2020–21, 2023–24
Al Rams 21975–76, 1980–81
Al Wahda 1976–77, 1984–85
Al Jazira 1982–83, 1987–88
Al Shaab 1 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 Shabab 1 11974–75
Ras Al Khaimah 1986–87
Sharjah 1999–00
Dubai 1 2003–04

1 Club no longer exists.

Performance by city

City / Area TitlesClubsWinning 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

Emirates TitlesClubsWinning 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

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References

  1. ↑ Zaid Benjamin (28 October 2010). "United Arab Emirates 2009/10". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
  2. ↑ اتحاد الكرة يطلق مسابقة دوري الدرجة الثانية في الموسم الجديد. Sharjah (in Arabic). Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  3. ↑ اتحاد الكرة يُطلق مسابقة دوري الدرجة الثانية في الموسم الجديد. UAE Football Association. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  4. ↑ اتحاد الكرة يستعرض الشكل الجديد لأغلى الكؤوس ومسابقات الموسم الرياضي المقبل. UAE Football Association. Retrieved 2022-07-06.
  5. ↑ Affiliated with Fleetwood Town
  6. ↑ دوري الدرجة الثانية. UAE Football Association. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  7. ↑ تاريخ الدوري الإماراتي الدرجة الاولي. Kooora. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  8. ↑ تغيير اسم نادي الخليج إلى «خورفكان». 13 June 2017.
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