 | |
| Founded | 1974 (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 | President's Cup |
| International cup | AFC Champions League (via cups) |
| Current champions | Hatta (3rd title) (2025-26) |
| Most championships | Ittihad Kalba (7 titles) |
| Broadcaster(s) | Sharjah Sports |
| Current: 2025–26 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.23 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 2025–26 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 Dhaid | Dhaid | Al-Dhaid Stadium | 500 |
| Al Hamriyah | Al Hamriyah | Al Hamriya Sports Club Stadium | 5,000 |
| Al Ittifaq | Dubai (Al Mamzar) | Various Grounds | ??? |
| Al Jazirah Al Hamra | Al Jazirah Al Hamra | Al Hamra Stadium | 2,000 |
| Al Orooba | Qidfa / Mirbah | Al Sharqi Stadium | 3,000 |
| Dibba Al Hisn | Dibba Al-Hisn | Dibba (H) Stadium | 700 |
| Dubai City | Dubai (Al Barsha) | Kings School Al Barsha | 500 |
| 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 |
| Majd | Sweihan | Tahnoun bin Mohammed Stadium | 15,000 |
| Masfout | Masfout | Masfout Club Stadium | 3,000 |
List of champions
- 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
- 2025–26: Hatta
Al Khaleej was renamed in June 2017 to the match the name of the city Khor Fakkan*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 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 Shaab1 | 1992–93, 1997–98 | |
| 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
| 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
References
- Zaid Benjamin (28 October 2010). "United Arab Emirates 2009/10". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
- اتحاد الكرة يطلق مسابقة دوري الدرجة الثانية في الموسم الجديد. Sharjah (in Arabic). Retrieved 29 May 2019.
- اتحاد الكرة يُطلق مسابقة دوري الدرجة الثانية في الموسم الجديد. UAE Football Association. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
- اتحاد الكرة يستعرض الشكل الجديد لأغلى الكؤوس ومسابقات الموسم الرياضي المقبل. UAE Football Association. Retrieved 2022-07-06.
- دوري الدرجة الثانية. UAE Football Association. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
- تاريخ الدوري الإماراتي الدرجة الاولي. Kooora. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
- تغيير اسم نادي الخليج إلى «خورفكان». 13 June 2017.