Bahraini Premier League

Association football league in the Kingdom of Bahrain
Football league
Bahraini Premier League
Founded1956; 68 years ago (1956)
CountryBahrain
ConfederationAFC
Number of teams12
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toBahraini Second Division
Domestic cup(s)King's Cup
FA Cup
Super Cup
International cup(s)AFC Champions League 2
Current championsAl-Khaldiya (1st title)
(2022–23)
Most championshipsAl-Muharraq (34 titles)
Top goalscorerIsmail Abdullatif (121)
TV partnersBahrain Sports TV
Current: 2023–24 Bahraini Premier League

The Bahraini Premier League is the main football competition in the kingdom of Bahrain. Currently known as the Nasser bin Hamad Premier League, the first season was held in 1957. The winners of the domestic championship qualify for the AFC Champions League 2. The championship is currently contested by 12 clubs.

Structure

Current structure

12 clubs currently play a two round robin set of fixtures totaling 22 games in order to determine the league champions. Although games are played on a home and away basis, almost all games are played at the National Stadium.

The eleventh and twelfth-placed clubs are relegated with the ninth and tenth enter the relegation play-offs.

Previous structures

In earlier seasons, the league has been radically overhauled to feature all the professional clubs of Bahrain. Instances being the 2008–09 and 2002 league seasons. The leagues featuring up to 19 teams would play each other on one occasion with the top 10 teams staying in the Premier League top flight and the bottom sides (from 11 to 19) forming the next seasons 2nd division.

Between the seasons of 2002 and 2009, the top four sides of the league would also play in the Crown Prince Cup.

Clubs (2023–24)

2022–23 Clubs' stadiums

Team Location Stadium Capacity
Al-Ahli Manama Al Ahli Stadium (Bahrain) 10,000
Al-Hala Muharraq Muharraq Club Stadium 10,000
Al-Hidd Riffa Bahrain National Stadium 24,000
Al-Khaldiya Riffa Bahrain National Stadium 24,000
Al-Muharraq Muharraq Al Muharraq Stadium 20,000
Al-Riffa Riffa Bahrain National Stadium 24,000
Al-Shabab Riffa Bahrain National Stadium 24,000
Busaiteen SC Busaiteen
Al-Najma Manama
East Riffa Riffa Bahrain National Stadium 24,000
Manama Riffa Bahrain National Stadium 24,000
Sitra Riffa Bahrain National Stadium 24,000

Team re-structuring

In 2002, a host of clubs were amalgamated:

  • Bahrain is an amalgamation of Bahrain and Al-Khaleej.
  • Riffa is an amalgamation of West Riffa and Zallaq.
  • Al-Najma is an amalgamation of Al-Hilal, Al-Qadisiya and Ras Al-Rumman.
  • Al-Sahel is an amalgamation of Qalali and Hadd.
  • Al-Tadamun is an amalgamation of Boori, Karazkan, Hamla, Reef Union and Damastan.
  • Al-Shabab is an amalgamation of Deyya, Sanabis, Jadd Hafs, Naeem, Karrana, Sahla and Karbabad.
  • Al-Ittifaq is an amalgamation of Al-Arabi, Maqaba and Bani Jumra.

List of champions

Champions are:[1]

Years Champions
1957 Al Muharraq Club (1)
1958 Al Muharraq Club (2)
1959 Al-Nasr SC (1)
1960 Al Muharraq Club (3)
1961 Al Muharraq Club (4)
1962 Al Muharraq Club (5)
1963 Al Muharraq Club (6)
1964 Al Muharraq Club (7)
1965 Al Muharraq Club (8)
1966 Al Muharraq Club (9)
1967 Al Muharraq Club (10)
1968 Bahrain Club (1)
1969 Al-Ahli Club (1)
1970 Al Muharraq Club (11)
1971 Al Muharraq Club (12)
1972 Al-Ahli Club (2)
1973 Al Muharraq Club (13)
1974 Al Muharraq Club (14)
1975 Al Arabi (1)
1976 Al Muharraq Club (15)
1977 Al-Ahli Club (3)
1978 Bahrain Club (2)
1979 Al Hala SC (1)
1980 Al Muharraq Club (16)
1981 Bahrain Club (3)
1982 Al-Riffa (1)
1983 Al Muharraq Club (17)
1984 Al Muharraq Club (18)
1985 Bahrain Club (4)
1986 Al Muharraq Club (19)
1987 Al-Riffa (2)
1988 Al Muharraq Club (20)
1989 Bahrain Club (5)
1990 Al-Riffa (3)
1991 Al Muharraq Club (21)
1992 Al Muharraq Club (22)
1993 Al-Riffa (4)
1994 East Riffa (1)
1995 Al Muharraq Club (23)
1996 Al-Ahli Club (4)
1997 Al-Riffa (5)
1998 Al-Riffa (6)
1999 Al Muharraq Club (24)
2000 Al-Riffa (7)
2001 Al Muharraq Club (25)
2002 Al Muharraq Club (26)
2003 Al-Riffa (8)
2004 Al Muharraq Club (27)
2005 Al-Riffa (9)
2006 Al Muharraq Club (28)
2007 Al Muharraq Club (29)
2008 Al Muharraq Club (30)
2009 Al Muharraq Club (31)
2010 Al-Ahli Club (5)
2011 Al Muharraq Club (32)
2012 Al-Riffa (10)
2013 Busaiteen Club (1)
2014 Al-Riffa (11)
2015 Al Muharraq Club (33)
2016 Al Hidd SCC (1)
2017 Malkiya Club (1)
2018 Al Muharraq Club (34)
2019 Al-Riffa (12)
2020 Al Hidd SCC (2)
2021 Al-Riffa (13)
2022 Al-Riffa (14)
2023 Al-Khaldiya SC (1)
2024

Total championships

The number of national championships that clubs in Bahrain have attained.

Club
Number of Championships
Al-Muharraq SC 34
Al-Riffa (includes West Riffa) 14
Bahrain SC 5
Al-Ahli SC 5
Al-Hidd 2
Al-Nasr 1
Al-Arabi (Al-Najma SC now) 1
Al Hala 1
Al-Khaldiya 1
East Riffa SCC 1
Busaiteen 1
Malkiya SCC 1

Top scorers

Year Best scorers Team Goals
2003–04 Bahrain Duaij Naser Abdulla
Yousif Zowaid
Al-Muharraq 14 [2]
2004–05 Bahrain Salman Isa Al-Riffa 15 [3]
2005–06 Bahrain Jaycee John Okwunwanne Al-Ahli 17 [4]
2006–07 Brazil Rico Al-Riffa 25 [5]
2007–08 Bahrain Jaycee John Okwunwanne Al-Muharraq 24 [6]
2008–09 Bahrain Abdulrahman Mubarak Al-Riffa 14 [7]
2009–10 Brazil Rico Al-Muharraq 17 [8]
2010–11 Brazil
Bahrain
Diego Silva
Abdulrahman Mubarak
Al-Ahli
Al-Riffa
13
2011–12 Bahrain Ahmed Al Khattal Al Hala 14 [9]
2012–13 Saudi Arabia Mohammed Al Shamrani Manama 10 [10]
2013–14 Bahrain Pele Al-Muharraq 4 [11]
2014–15 Bahrain Ismail Abdullatif Al-Muharraq 16 [12]
2015–16 Bahrain Mohamed Al-Romaihi Al-Hidd 17 [13]
2016–17 Brazil Everton Manama Club 11 [14]
2017–18 Nigeria Uche Al Najma Club 18 [14]
2018–19 Senegal Mahamadou Dramé Al Najma Club 14 [15]
2019–20 Bahrain Kamil Al Aswad Al-Riffa 14 [16]
2020–21 Bahrain Mahdi Abduljabbar Manama Club 12
2021–22 Bahrain Mahdi Abduljabbar Manama Club 17
2022–23 Bahrain Mahdi Al-Humaidan Al-Khaldiya 14[17]

References

  1. ^ "Bahrain - List of Champions". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 18 February 2012. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
  2. ^ "الدوري البحريني الممتاز". www.kooora.com. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  3. ^ "الدوري البحريني الممتاز". www.kooora.com. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  4. ^ "الدوري البحريني الممتاز". www.kooora.com. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  5. ^ "الدوري البحريني الممتاز". www.kooora.com. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  6. ^ "الدوري البحريني الممتاز". www.kooora.com. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  7. ^ "الدوري البحريني الممتاز". www.kooora.com. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  8. ^ "الدوري البحريني الممتاز". www.kooora.com. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  9. ^ "دوري الدرجة الأولى البحريني". www.kooora.com. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  10. ^ "دوري VIVA البحرين". www.kooora.com. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  11. ^ "دوري الدرجة الأولى البحريني". www.kooora.com. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  12. ^ "دوري VIVA البحرين". www.kooora.com. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  13. ^ "دوري VIVA البحرين". www.kooora.com. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  14. ^ a b "دوري VIVA البحرين". www.kooora.com. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  15. ^ "دوري VIVA البحرين". www.kooora.com. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  16. ^ "Bahraini Premier League". soccerway.com. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  17. ^ "Bahraini Premier League". soccerway.com. Retrieved 8 May 2021.

External links

  • Bahrain Premiere League Archived 2017-09-10 at the Wayback Machine (in Arabic)
  • goalzz.com – Bahraini Premiere League
  • Soccerway – Bahrain Premier League
  • Bahrain Premier League – Hailoosport.com (in Arabic)
  • Bahrain Premier League – Hailoosport.com
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