| Country | United Arab Emirates |
|---|---|
| Confed | AFC |
| Founded | 1974 (age 52) |
| Teams | 14 |
| Promotion | UAE Pro League |
| Relegation | UAE Second Division League |
| Levels | 2 |
| Confed cup | AFC Champions League (via cups) |
| Domest cup | President's Cup |
| Most successful club | Ittihad Kalba (7 titles) |
| Champions | Hatta (3rd title) |
| Season | 2025-26 |
| Tv | 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.[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 2025–26 UAE First Division League
- Note: Table lists clubs in alphabetical order.
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
- ^ Zaid Benjamin (28 October 2010). "United Arab Emirates 2009/10". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
- ^ "ar:اتحاد الكرة يطلق مسابقة دوري الدرجة الثانية في الموسم الجديد" (in Arabic). Sharjah. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
- ^ "ar:اتحاد الكرة يُطلق مسابقة دوري الدرجة الثانية في الموسم الجديد". UAE Football Association. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
- ^ "ar:اتحاد الكرة يستعرض الشكل الجديد لأغلى الكؤوس ومسابقات الموسم الرياضي المقبل". UAE Football Association. Retrieved 2022-07-06.
- ^ "ar:دوري الدرجة الثانية". UAE Football Association. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
- ^ "ar:تاريخ الدوري الإماراتي الدرجة الاولي". Kooora. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
- ^ "ar:تغيير اسم نادي الخليج إلى «خورفكان»". 13 June 2017.
External links
- UAE FA — official website (in English, Arabic)