UAE First Division League
Founded1974; 50 years ago (1974)
CountryUnited Arab Emirates
ConfederationAFC
Number of teams17
Level on pyramid2
Promotion toUAE Pro League
Relegation toUAE Second Division League
Domestic cup(s)President's Cup
International cup(s)AFC Champions League (via cups)
Current champions2022–23: Hatta (2nd title)
Most championshipsIttihad Kalba (7 titles)
TV partnersSharjah Sports
Current: 2023–24 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

Note: Table lists clubs in alphabetical order.
Club Home city Stadium Capacity
Al Arabi Umm al Quwain Umm al Quwain Stadium 3,000
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
Al Khaleej Dubai (Mirdif) UIS International School 200
Al Rams Ar-Rams Al Rams Stadium 4,000
Al Taawon Al Jeer Taawon Stadium 200
Al Urooba Qidfa / Mirbah Al Sharqi Stadium 3,000
Dibba Al Fujairah Dibba Al Fujairah Dibba New Stadium 9,000
Dibba Al Hisn Dibba Al-Hisn Dibba (H) Stadium 700
Dubai City Dubai (Al Barsha) Kings School Al Barsha 100
Dubai United Dubai (Jumeirah) Dubai British School 100
Fujairah Fujairah Fujairah Club Stadium 10,645
Gulf United Dubai (Al Jaddaf) Dubai Club Stadium 7,000
Masafi Masafi Masafi Stadium 2,000
Masfout Masfout Masfout Club Stadium 3,000

List of champions

Source:[5][6]

Al Khaleej was renamed in June 2017 to the match the name of the city Khorfakkan*[7]

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 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
Al Urooba 1991–92, 2020–21
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

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
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
Qidfa / Mirbah Al Urooba (2): 1991–92, 2020–21
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 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 7 Fujairah (3): 1985–86, 1989–90, 2005–06
Al Urooba (2): 1991–92, 2020–21
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

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. ^ دوري الدرجة الثانية. UAE Football Association. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  6. ^ تاريخ الدوري الإماراتي الدرجة الاولي. Kooora. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  7. ^ تغيير اسم نادي الخليج إلى «خورفكان».

External links

Football in the United Arab Emirates
Second-level football leagues of Asia (AFC)
Categories