UAE First Division League

UAE First Division League
Founded1974; 52 years ago (1974)
CountryUnited Arab Emirates
ConfederationAFC
Number of clubs14
Level on pyramid2
Promotion toUAE Pro League
Relegation toUAE Second Division League
Domestic cupPresident's Cup
International cupAFC Champions League (via cups)
Current championsHatta (3rd title)
(2025–26)
Most championshipsIttihad Kalba (7 titles)
Broadcaster(s)Sharjah Sports
Current: 2026–27 UAE First Division League

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

Note: Table lists clubs in alphabetical order.
Club Home city Stadium Capacity
Al-Arabi Umm Al Quwain Umm Al Quwain Stadium 3,000
Al Dhaid Dhaid Al-Dhaid Stadium 500
Al Hamriyah Al Hamriyah Al Hamriya Sports Club Stadium 5,000
Al Ittifaq Dubai (Al Mamzar) Various Grounds ???
Al Jazirah Al Hamra Al Jazirah Al Hamra Al Hamra Stadium 2,000
Al Orooba Qidfa / Mirbah Al Sharqi Stadium 3,000
Dibba Al Hisn Dibba Al-Hisn Dibba (H) Stadium 700
Dubai City Dubai (Al Barsha) Various Grounds ???
Dubai United Dubai (Jumeirah) Dubai British School 100
Emirates Ras Al Khaimah Emirates Club Stadium 5,200
Fujairah Fujairah Fujairah Club Stadium 10,645
Gulf United Dubai (Al Jaddaf) JA Sports & Shooting Club Stadium 1,000
Hatta Hatta Hamdan Bin Rashid Stadium 5,000
Majd Sweihan Tahnoun bin Mohammed Stadium 15,000
Masfout Masfout Masfout Club Stadium 3,000

List of champions

Source:

Al Khaleej was renamed in June 2017 to the match the name of the city Khor Fakkan*

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

References

  1. ↑ Zaid Benjamin (28 October 2010). "United Arab Emirates 2009/10". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
  2. ↑ اتحاد الكرة يطلق مسابقة دوري الدرجة الثانية في الموسم الجديد. Sharjah (in Arabic). Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  3. ↑ اتحاد الكرة يُطلق مسابقة دوري الدرجة الثانية في الموسم الجديد. UAE Football Association. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  4. ↑ اتحاد الكرة يستعرض الشكل الجديد لأغلى الكؤوس ومسابقات الموسم الرياضي المقبل. UAE Football Association. Retrieved 2022-07-06.
  5. ↑ Ilsley, Robert (2026-06-01). "Andrés Iniesta named as Gulf United head coach". Gulf News: Latest UAE news, Dubai news, Business, travel news, Dubai Gold rate, prayer time, cinema. Retrieved 2026-08-09.
  6. ↑ دوري الدرجة الثانية. UAE Football Association. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  7. ↑ تاريخ الدوري الإماراتي الدرجة الاولي. Kooora. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  8. ↑ تغيير اسم نادي الخليج إلى «خورفكان». 13 June 2017.