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]
As of 2024-25 UAE First Division League
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 |
Al Khaleej was renamed in June 2017 to the match the name of the city Khorfakkan*[8]
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.
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 |
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 |