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Saudi Professional League

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Saudi Professional League

Saudi Professional League
Country Saudi Arabia
Confederation AFC
Founded 1976
Number of teams 14
Levels on pyramid 1
Relegation to Saudi First Division
Domestic cup(s) Saudi Champions Cup
Saudi Crown Prince Cup
International cup(s) AFC Champions League
Current champions Al-Nassr
(2013–14)
Most championships Al-Hilal (13 titles)
TV partners MBC Sports
Website www.spl.com.sa
2014–15 season

The Saudi Professional League, officially known as (Arabic: دوري المحترفين السعودي‎), is the main football competition in Saudi Arabia. The first competition was held in the year of 1976–77. Al-Nassr is the current title-holder (2013–14).

The league also known for sponsorship reasons as Abdul Latif Jameel League, named after the sponsor Abdul Latif Jameel Group.

History

Up until the late seventies, football in Saudi Arabia was organized on a regional basis, with the only nationwide tournament being the King's Cup. In 1976 it was deemed that local football, and transportation links, have improved sufficiently to organize a national league. Hence the Saudi League was launched with 8 clubs participating.

In 1981 it was decided to increase the number of clubs and add a second division. The league competition for the 1981–82, known as the ranking league, featured 18 clubs with the top eight qualifying for the first division and the bottom ten to the new second division. The number of first division clubs was later increased to 12 in the 1984–85 season.

In 1990 it was decided to revamp local competitions and to introduce professional football. A new league championship was formed called "The Custodian of The Two Holy Mosques League Cup", which was a two-stage championship. The first stage was a regular double round-robin league competition with the top 4 qualifying to the final knockout stage, called the golden square. Clubs were allowed to sign players on a professional basis making the league semi professional.

In 2007 It was decided to split the two stages, with the league reverting to a standard double round-robin competition, and a new domestic competition cup competition formed called "The Custodian of The Two Holy Mosques Champions Cup". This cup will feature the top six finishers in the league plus the winners of the Crown Prince Cup and the Prince Faisal Cup. This format will take effect from the 2007–08 season onwards.

Qualification and prize money

The top four teams in the league qualify to the AFC Asian Champions League group stage. The top six qualify to Champions Cup.

Prize money:

  • First place: 26990000 Saudi Riyals
  • Second place: 24245000 Saudi Riyals
  • Third place: 22300000 Saudi Riyals
  • Fourth place: 20355000 Saudi Riyals

(Note, all clubs in the Saudi Professional League receive prize money depending on their rank.)

List of teams (2014–15 season)

Club Position in 2013/14
Al-Ahli, Jeddah 3rd
Al-Faisaly, Harmah 7th
Al-Fateh, Al-Hasa 10th
Al-Hilal, Riyadh 2nd
Al-Ittihad, Jeddah 6th
Al-Khaleej, Saihat 2nd in the Saudi First Division
Al-Nassr, Riyadh 1st
Al-Orobah, Al-Jawf 8th
Al-Raed, Buraydah 9th
Al Shabab, Riyadh 4th
Al-Shoalah, Al-Kharj 12th
Al-Taawon, Buraydah 5th
Hajer Club, Al-Ahsa 1st in the Saudi First Division
Najran SC, Najran 11th

List of champions

No. Season Champion
1 1974–75 Al-Nassr[1]
2 1976–77 Al-Hilal
2 1977–78 Al-Ahli
3 1978–79 Al-Hilal
4 1979–80 Al-Nassr
5 1980–81 Al-Nassr
6 1981–82 Al-Ittihad
7 1982–83 Al-Ettifaq
8 1983–84 Al-Ahli
9 1984–85 Al-Hilal
10 1985–86 Al-Hilal
11 1986–87 Al-Ettifaq
12 1987–88 Al-Hilal
13 1988–89 Al-Nassr
14 1989–90 Al-Hilal
15 1990–91 Al-Shabab
16 1991–92 Al-Shabab
17 1992–93 Al-Shabab
18 1993–94 Al-Nassr
19 1994–95 Al-Nassr
No. Season Champion
20 1995–96 Al-Hilal
21 1996–97 Al-Ittihad
22 1997–98 Al-Hilal
23 1998–99 Al-Ittihad
24 1999–2000 Al-Ittihad
25 2000–01 Al-Ittihad
26 2001–02 Al-Hilal
27 2002–03 Al-Ittihad
28 2003–04 Al-Shabab
29 2004–05 Al-Hilal
30 2005–06 Al-Shabab
31 2006–07 Al-Ittihad
32 2007–08 Al-Hilal
33 2008–09 Al-Ittihad
34 2009–10 Al-Hilal
35 2010–11 Al-Hilal
36 2011–12 Al-Shabab
37 2012–13 Al-Fateh
38 2013–14 Al-Nassr

Performance by club

Most successful clubs

No. Club Winners Runners-up Winning Years
1 Al-Hilal
13
13
1977, 1979, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1996, 1998, 2002, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2011
2 Al-Ittihad
8
7
1982, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2007, 2009
3 Al-Nassr
7
5
1975, 1980, 1981, 1989, 1994, 1995, 2014
4 Al-Shabab
6
5
1991, 1992, 1993, 2004, 2006, 2012
5 Al-Ahli
2
6
1978, 1984
6 Al-Ettifaq
2
2
1983, 1987
7 Al-Fateh
1
0
2013

Total titles won by town or city

Town or city Number of titles Clubs
Riyadh
26
Al-Hilal (13), Al-Nassr (7), Al-Shabab (6)
Jeddah
10
Al-Ittihad (8), Al-Ahli (2)
Dammam
2
Al-Ettifaq (2)
Al-Hasa
1
Al-Fateh (1)

Topscorers

Year Best scorers Team Goals
1976–77 Nasser Eid Al-Qadisiya 12
1977–78 Motamad Khojali Al-Ahli 14
1978–79 Majed Abdullah Al-Nassr 18
1979–80 Majed Abdullah Al-Nassr 17
1980–81 Majed Abdullah Al-Nassr 21
1981–82 Khalid Al-Ma'ajil Al-Shabab 22
1982–83 Majed Abdullah Al-Nassr 14
1983–84 Hussam Abu Dawood Al-Ahli 14
1984–85 Hathal Dosari Al-Hilal 15
1985–86 Majed Abdullah Al-Nassr 15
1986–87 Mohammad Suwaidi Al-Ittihad 17
1987–88 Khalid Al-Ma'ajil Al-Shabab 12
1988–89 Majed Abdullah Al-Nassr 19
1989–90 Sami Al-Jaber Al-Hilal 16
1990–91 Fahad Al-Mehallel Al-Shabab 20
1991–92 Saeed Al-Owairan Al-Shabab 16
1992–93 Sami Al-Jaber Al-Hilal 18
1993–94 Moussa Ndao Al-Hilal 15
1994–95 Fahd Al-Hamdan Al-Riyadh 15
1995–96 Ohene Kennedy Al-Nassr 14
1996–97 Ahmed Bahja Al-Ittihad 21
1997–98 Sulaiman Al-Hadaithy Al-Najma 15
1998–99 Obeid Al-Dosari Al-Wahda 20
1999–2000 Hamzah Idris Al-Ittihad 33
2000–01 Paulo Da Silva Al-Ettifaq 13
2001–02 Dane Valle Al-Riyadh 10
2002–03 Carlos Tenorio Al-Nassr 15
2003–04 Godwin Attram Al-Shabab 15
2004–05 Sergio Ricardo Al-Ittihad 15
2005–06 Essa Al-Mehyani Al-Wahda 16
2006–07 Godwin Attram Al-Shabab 13
2007–08 Nasser Al-Shamrani Al-Shabab 18
2008–09
Nasser Al-Shamrani
Hicham Aboucherouane 		Al-Shabab
Al-Ittihad 		12
2009–10 Mohammad Al-Shalhoub Al-Hilal 12
2010–11 Nasser Al-Shamrani Al-Shabab 17
2011–12
Nasser Al-Shamrani
Victor Simões 		Al-Shabab
Al-Ahli 		21
2012–13 Sebastián Tagliabué Al-Shabab 19
2013–14 Nasser Al-Shamrani Al-Hilal 21

See also

References

  1. ^ "Record of Champions". http://www.kooora.com/. Choueiri Group’s Kooora. Retrieved 2 December 2014. 

External links

  • Saudi Arabia Football Federation at FIFA.com Arabic - English Site
  • Saudi Arabia Professional League on Super.com Arabic Site
  • Saudi Professional League Commission Arabic Site
  • Saudi League Statistics Arabic - English Site
  • RSSSF.com - Saudi Arabia - List of Champions
  • Saudi Professional League - Hailoosport.com (Arabic)
  • Saudi Professional League - Hailoosport.com
Saudi Professional League
 
Saudi Professional League seasons
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
National teams
League competitions
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Top level football leagues of Asia (AFC)
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Africa (clubs)
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East Africa
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Asia (clubs)
Europe (clubs)
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