UAE First Division League

Football league

UAE First Division League

Founded| 1974; 51 years ago (1974)
Country| United Arab Emirates
Confederation| AFC
Number of clubs| 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]

## Current teams

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

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

## Champions

[edit]

### Performance by club

[edit]

Club  | Winners  | Winning seasons

|
|

Kalba |

| 1979–80, 1988–89, 1995–96, 1998–99, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2013–14
Khor Fakkan |

| 1978–79, 1981–82, 1993–94, 2000–01, 2007–08, 2018–19
Emirates |

| 1977–78, 1983–84,1996–97, 2002–03, 2012–13
Baniyas |

| 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.

### Performance by city

[edit]

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 |

| 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

[edit]

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 |

| Ajman | (2): 2010–11, 2016–17

## Top scorers

[edit]

* 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: Alexssander 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)

## References

[edit]

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

[edit]

* UAE FA Official website (in English and Arabic)

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