Ýokary Liga

Football league
Turkmenistan Higher League
Organising bodyTurkmenistan Football Federation
Founded1992; 32 years ago (1992)
CountryTurkmenistan
ConfederationAFC
Number of teams9[1]
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toTurkmenistan First League
Domestic cup(s)Turkmenistan Cup
Turkmenistan Super Cup
International cup(s)AFC Champions League 2
Current championsFK Arkadag (1st title)
(2023)
Most championshipsAltyn Asyr (8 titles)
Top goalscorerMämmedaly Garadanow
(175 goals)
TV partnersTurkmenistan Sport
Websitetff.com
Current: 2024

The Turkmenistan Higher League, also called Türkmenistan Ýokary Liga (Turkmen: Ýokary liga futbol klublarynyň arasyndaky futbol boýunça Türkmenistanyň çempionaty),[2] is the top division of professional football in Turkmenistan, operated by the Turkmenistan Football Federation.

It was founded in 1992. Nine clubs participate in the Higher League of the Turkmenistan National Championship. The season runs between April and November.

There are 9 teams in the competition. As of the 2024 season, the league had one AFC Champions League 2 qualifying spot for the league winner league.[3]

Since the introduction of the Turkmenistan Higher League in 1992, FC Altyn Asyr (8 times), FC Kopetdag (6 times), FC Nebitchi (4 times), FC Nisa (4 times), FC Yedigen (4 times), FC Ashgabat (2 times), FC Ahal[4] (1 time), FC Arkadag and FC Shagadam (1 time) have won the title. FC Arkadag are the current champions for the first time.[5]

History

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, starting in 1992, each former Soviet republic organized an independent national championship.

FC Kopetdag won the first four titles. Nisa Aşgabat was the only team which managed to break Kopetdag's dominance, winning the top division title in 1996.

In 2022, FC Ahal won the title for the first time in their history in Turkmenistan professional football.[6]

Competition

The league traditionally used to run in summer, from April to November.[7]

As of the 2022 season, the champions qualify for the AFC Champions League group stage. The runners-up qualifies for the AFC Cup group stage. If the winner of Turkmenistan Cup ends in first or second on the championship in same season, then the third-place team qualifies to AFC Cup group stage.[8][9]

Current clubs

class=notpageimage|
Location of teams in the 2019 Ýokary Liga

A total of 9 teams will contest the league.[1] The following teams are competing in the 2024 season:

Club Location Stadium Capacity Coach Kit sponsor
Arkadag [10][11] Arkadag[10] Nusaý Stadium [12] 5,000 Turkmenistan Guwançmuhammet Öwekow [12]
Ahal Änew Ashgabat Stadium (Auxiliary field) 500 Turkmenistan Hojaahmet Arazow Nike
Altyn Asyr Ashgabat Büzmeýin Sport Complex[13] 10,000 Turkmenistan Ýazguly Hojageldiýew Puma
Aşgabat Ashgabat Ashgabat Stadium (Auxiliary field) 500 Turkmenistan Said Seýidow Adidas
Nebitçi Balkanabat Balkanabat Sport Complex 10,000 Turkmenistan Amanmyrat Meredow Jako[14]
Energetik Saparmyrat Türkmenbaşy, Mary Region Energetik stadiony 1,000 Turkmenistan Rahmanguly Baýlyýew Nike
Köpetdag Aşgabat Ashgabat Köpetdag Stadium 26,000 Turkmenistan Tofik Şükürow Kappa
Merw Mary Mary Sport Complex 10,000 Turkmenistan Magtymguly Begenjew Nike
Şagadam Türkmenbaşy Şagadam Stadium 5,000 Turkmenistan Aleksandr Klimenko Nike

Soviet era champions

[15]

  • 1937–38: Lokomotiw Aşgabat
  • 1938: Dinamo Aşgabat
  • 1939–45: no championship
  • 1946: Dinamo Aşgabat
  • 1947: Spartak Aşgabat
  • 1948: Dinamo Aşgabat
  • 1949: Lokomotiw Aşgabat
  • 1950: Spartak Aşgabat
  • 1951: DOSA Aşgabat
  • 1952: DOSA Aşgabat
  • 1953: Dinamo Aşgabat
  • 1954: Combined team of Mary Oblast
  • 1955: Combined team of Aşgabat
  • 1956: Gyzyl Metallist Aşgabat
  • 1957: Combined team of Aşgabat Oblast
  • 1958: Combined team of Aşgabat
  • 1959: Combined team of Nebitdag
  • 1960: Combined team of Çärjew
  • 1961: Energetik Nebitdag
  • 1962: Energetik Nebitdag
  • 1963: Gurluşykçy Mary
  • 1964: Serhetçi Aşgabat
  • 1965: Serhetçi Aşgabat
  • 1966: Serhetçi Aşgabat
  • 1967: Serhetçi Aşgabat
  • 1968: Serhetçi Aşgabat
  • 1969: Serhetçi Aşgabat
  • 1970: Garagum Mary
  • 1971: Maýak Çärjew
  • 1972: Energogurluşykçy Mary
  • 1973: Sementçi Büzmeýin
  • 1974: Awtomobilist Aşgabat
  • 1975: Nebitçi Krasnowodsk
  • 1976: Energetik Mary
  • 1977: Şatlyk Mary
  • 1978: Nebitçi Krasnowodsk
  • 1979: Nebitçi Krasnowodsk
  • 1980: Nebitçi Krasnowodsk
  • 1981: Gurluşykçy Nebitdag
  • 1982: Lokomotiw Aşgabat
  • 1983: Obahojalyktehnika Çärjew
  • 1984: Nebitçi Krasnowodsk
  • 1985: Lokomotiw Aşgabat
  • 1986: Nebitçi Krasnowodsk
  • 1987: SKIF Aşgabat
  • 1988: Ahal Aşgabat Raýon
  • 1989: Medik Nebitdag
  • 1990: Awtomobilist Aşgabat
  • 1991: Sel'khoztekhnika Aşgabat

Seasons summary

[15]

Season Champions Runners-up Third place Top scorer (Team) – Goals
1992 Köpetdag Aşgabat Nebitçi Nebitdag Ahal Akdaşaýak Turkmenistan Sergei Kazankow (TSHT Aşgabat) – 41
1993 Köpetdag Aşgabat Büzmeýin Nebitçi Balkanabat Turkmenistan Berdimyrat Nurmyradow (Köpetdag Aşgabat) – 25
1994 Köpetdag Aşgabat Nisa Aşgabat Merw Mary Turkmenistan Berdimyrat Nurmyradow (Köpetdag Aşgabat) – 13
1995 Köpetdag Aşgabat Nisa Aşgabat Nebitçi Nebit-Dag Turkmenistan Rejepmyrat Agabaýew (Nisa Aşgabat) – 41
1996 Nisa Aşgabat Köpetdag Aşgabat Ekskawatorçy Çärjew Turkmenistan Rejepmyrat Agabaýew (Nisa Aşgabat) – 28
1997–98 Köpetdag Aşgabat Dagdan Aşgabat Nisa Aşgabat Turkmenistan Rejepmyrat Agabaýew (Nisa Aşgabat) – 17
1998–99 Nisa Aşgabat Köpetdag Aşgabat Dagdan Aşgabat Turkmenistan Rejepmyrat Agabaýew (Nisa Aşgabat) – 16
Turkmenistan Şarafutdin Jumanyýazow (Turan Daşoguz) – 16
Turkmenistan Didargylyç Urazow (Nisa Aşgabat) – 16
2000 Köpetdag Aşgabat Nebitçi Balkanabat Nisa Aşgabat Turkmenistan Amandurdy Annadurdyýew (Köpetdag Aşgabat) – 13
2001 Nisa Aşgabat Köpetdag Aşgabat Nebitçi Balkanabat Turkmenistan Didargylyç Urazow (Nisa Aşgabat) – 32
2002 Şagadam Türkmenbaşy Nisa Aşgabat Garagum Turkmenabat Turkmenistan Rustam Sadykow (Şagadam Türkmenbaşy) – 20
2003 Nisa Aşgabat Nebitçi Balkanabat Şagadam Türkmenbaşy Turkmenistan Daýançgylyç Urazow (Nisa Aşgabat) – 21
2004 Nebitçi Balkanabat Nisa Aşgabat Merw Mary Turkmenistan Berdi Şamyradow (HTTU Aşgabat) – 19
2005 HTTU Aşgabat Gazçy Gazojak Nebitçi Balkanabat Turkmenistan Berdi Şamyradow (HTTU Aşgabat) – 30
2006 HTTU Aşgabat Nebitçi Balkanabat FC Aşgabat Turkmenistan Hamza Allamow (Turan Daşoguz) – 22
2007 FC Aşgabat HTTU Aşgabat Nebitçi Balkanabat Turkmenistan Berdi Şamyradow (HTTU Aşgabat) – 16
2008 FC Aşgabat HTTU Aşgabat Nebitçi Balkanabat Turkmenistan Mämmedaly Garadanow (HTTU Aşgabat) – 12
Turkmenistan Berdi Şamyradow (HTTU Aşgabat) – 12
2009 HTTU Aşgabat Nebitçi Balkanabat Merw Mary Turkmenistan Berdi Şamyradow (HTTU Aşgabat) – 18
2010 FC Balkan Altyn Asyr FC Lebap Turkmenistan Berdi Şamyradow (HTTU Aşgabat) – 11
2011 FC Balkan HTTU Aşgabat FC Aşgabat Turkmenistan Mämmedaly Garadanow (HTTU Aşgabat) – 24
2012 FC Balkan Merw HTTU Aşgabat Turkmenistan Aleksandr Boliyan (Şagadam) – 23
2013 HTTU Aşgabat FC Balkan Altyn Asyr Turkmenistan Mämmedaly Garadanow (FC Balkan) – 26
2014 Altyn Asyr Ahal Şagadam Turkmenistan Mämmedaly Garadanow (Şagadam – 28)
2015 Altyn Asyr FC Balkan FC Aşgabat Turkmenistan Myrat Ýagşyýew (FC Balkan) – 31
2016 Altyn Asyr FC Balkan Energetik Türkmenbaşy Turkmenistan Süleýman Muhadow (Altyn Asyr) – 30
2017 Altyn Asyr Ahal Şagadam Turkmenistan Myrat Ýagşyýew (Altyn Asyr) – 28[16]
2018 Altyn Asyr Ahal Energetik Türkmenbaşy Turkmenistan Altymyrat Annadurdyýew (Altyn Asyr) – 19
2019 Altyn Asyr Ahal Şagadam Turkmenistan Didar Durdyýew[17] (Ahal) – 14
2020 Altyn Asyr Ahal Şagadam Turkmenistan Altymyrat Annadurdyýew (Altyn Asyr) – 35[18]
2021 Altyn Asyr Ahal Şagadam Turkmenistan Elman Tagaýew (Ahal) – 10
2022 Ahal Altyn Asyr Merw Turkmenistan Didar Durdyýew (Ahal) – 27
2023 Arkadag Altyn Asyr Nebitçi Turkmenistan Didar Durdyýew (Arkadag) – 26

Performance by club

Team Champions Runners-up Third place
Altyn Asyr 8 (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021) 3 (2010, 2022, 2023) 1 (2013)
Köpetdag Aşgabat 6 (1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997–98, 2000) 3 (1996, 1998–99, 2001)
Nebitçi 4 (2004, 2010, 2011, 2012) 8 (1992, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2016) 7 (1993, 1995, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2023)
Nisa Aşgabat 4 (1996, 1998–99, 2001, 2003) 4 (1994, 1995, 2002, 2004) 2 (1997–98, 2000)
Ýedigen 4 (2005, 2006, 2009, 2013) 3 (2007, 2008, 2011) 1 (2012)
Aşgabat 2 (2007, 2008) 3 (2006, 2011, 2015)
Ahal 1 (2022) 6 (2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021) 1 (1992)
Şagadam 1 (2002) 6 (2003, 2014, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021)
Arkadag 1 (2023)
Merw 1 (2012) 4 (1994, 2004, 2009, 2022)
Dagdan Aşgabat 1 (1997–98) 1 (1998–99)
Büzmeýin 1 (1993)
Gazçy Gazojak 1 (2005)
Bagtyyarlyk-Lebap 3 (1996, 2002, 2010)
Energetik Mary 2 (2016, 2018)

League participation

Note: The tallies below include up to the 2024 season. Teams denoted in bold are current participants.

Youth championship

The Youth League (Turkmen: Ýaşlar liga), also known as Youth teams championship (Turkmen: Ýaşlar arasyndaky birinjilik) full name Youth football championship of Turkmenisatn among teams of clubs of the Higher League (Turkmen: Ýokary liganyň futbol klublarynyň ýaşlar düzümleriniň gatnaşmagyndaky futbol boýunça Türkmenistanyň birinjiligi), is a league that runs in parallel to the Ýokary Liga and includes the youth or reserve teams of the Turkmenistan Higher League teams. The number of players a team can have on the pitch at a time that are over 21 years of age or without a Turkmenistan citizenship is limited. 8 teams participate in the league.[19] Matches are commonly played a day before the match of the senior teams of the respective teams.

Youth championship winners (since 2019)

  • 2019: FC Altyn Asyr-2 [20]
  • 2020: FC Altyn Asyr-2
  • 2021: FC Altyn Asyr-2
  • 2022: FC Altyn Asyr-2[21]

References

  1. ^ a b "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2 May 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ "30-njy futbol çempionatymyz". Archived from the original on 7 May 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  3. ^ "Определились все участники клубных турниров АФК от Туркменистана в сезоне-2023/2024". Archived from the original on 7 May 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  4. ^ "Завершился чемпионат Туркменистана по футболу сезона-20222". Archived from the original on 7 May 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  5. ^ «Аркадаг» досрочно стал чемпионом Туркменистана по футболу
  6. ^ "Футбольный клуб «Ахал» впервые в истории стал чемпионом Туркменистана". Archived from the original on 19 December 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  7. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 7 May 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 16 January 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 29 January 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. ^ a b "Футбольный клуб «Аркадаг» включили в состав Федерации футбола Туркменистана". Archived from the original on 1 May 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  11. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 1 May 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  12. ^ a b "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 1 May 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  13. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  14. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  15. ^ a b "Turkmenistan – List of Champions". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 11 August 2022. Retrieved 20 August 2011.
  16. ^ "Федерация Футбола Туркменистана подвела итоги 2017 года". Archived from the original on 10 December 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  17. ^ "Нападающий «Ахала» Дидар Дурдыев стал лучшим бомбардиром чемпионата Туркменистана-2019". Archived from the original on 11 September 2020. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  18. ^ "Высшая лига". tff.com.tm/. Football Federation of Turkmenistan. Archived from the original on 25 March 2021. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  19. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 7 May 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  20. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 7 May 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  21. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 7 May 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

External links

  • Current Yokary Liga table and results at Soccerway
  • Yokary Liga at fifa.com