UAE First Division League is the second tier of football league competition in the United Arab Emirates.

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. 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.

The league is growing in prominence since its inclusion of privately owned teams promoted from the UAE Second Division league since the 2021–22 season. The league's popularity has been growing year on year and has begun to attract global names such as Mario Balotelli, Quincy Promes, Douglas Costa, Benik Afobe, Leroy Fer, Kurt Zouma and managers such as Andrea Pirlo and most recently Andres Iniesta, amongst many others.

Current teams

As of 2025–26 UAE First Division League

1. Note: Table lists clubs in alphabetical order.

List of champions

Source:

• 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*

Champions

Performance by club

1 Club no longer exists.

Performance by city

Performance by emirates

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

External links

• UAE FA — official website