UAE First Division League

UAE First Division League

Founded	1974;51 years ago (1974)
Country	United Arab Emirates
Confederation	AFC
Number of clubs	14
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	Al Dhafra (3nd title) (2024–25)
Most championships	Ittihad Kalba (7 titles)
Broadcaster(s)	Sharjah Sports
Current: 2024–25 UAE Division 1

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

As of 2024-25 UAE First Division League

Note: Table lists clubs in alphabetical order.

Club	Home city	Stadium	Capacity
Al-Arabi	Umm Al Quwain	Umm Al Quwain Stadium	3,000
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
Dibba Al Fujairah	Dibba Al Fujairah	Dibba New Stadium	9,000
Dubai United	Dubai (Jumeirah)	Dubai British School	100
Emirates	Ras Al Khaimah	Emirates Club Stadium	5,200
Fleetwood United [5]	Jebel Ali	Jebel Ali Stadium	1,000
Fujairah	Fujairah	Fujairah Club Stadium	10,645
Gulf FC	Dubai (Mirdif)	UIS International School	200
Gulf United	Dubai (Al Jaddaf)	Dubai Club Stadium	7,000
Hatta	Hatta	Hamdan Bin Rashid Stadium	5,000
Masfout	Masfout	Masfout Club Stadium	3,000

List of champions

Source: ^{[6] [7]}

• 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
• 2024–25: Al-Dhafra

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

Champions

Performance by club

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 Dhafra		2001–02, 2006–07, 2024-25
Al Rams	2	1975–76, 1980–81
Al Wahda		1976–77, 1984–85
Al Jazira		1982–83, 1987–88
Al Shaab 1		1992–93, 1997–98
Ajman		2010–11, 2016–17
Dibba Al Fujairah		2014–15, 2021–22
Hatta		2015–16, 2022–23
Al Shabab 1	1	1974–75
Ras Al Khaimah		1986–87
Sharjah		1999–00
Dubai 1		2003–04

¹ Club no longer exists.

Performance by city

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
Madinat Zayed		Al Dhafra	(3): 2001–02, 2006–07, 2024-25
Dubai	2	Al Shabab	(1): 1974–75
		Dubai	(1): 2003–04
Ar-Rams		Al Rams	(2): 1975–76, 1980–81
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	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	11	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	(3): 2001–02, 2006–07, 2024-25
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

• 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: Alex 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)
• 2024-25: Sander Benbachir (21 goals)

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.

External links

• UAE FA — official website (in English and Arabic)