Azerbaijan First League facts for kids
| Founded | 1992 |
|---|---|
| Country |  Azerbaijan |
| Number of teams | 10 |
| Level on pyramid | 2 |
| Promotion to | Premier League |
| Relegation to | Second League |
| Domestic cup(s) | Azerbaijan Cup |
| Current champions | Qabala (2nd title) (2024–25) |
| TV partners | CBC Sport |
| Website | https://liqa1.pfl.az/ |
The Azerbaijan First League (Azerbaijani: I Liqa) is a professional football league in Azerbaijan. It's the second-highest league in the country. The AFFA runs this league. The team that wins the First League gets to move up to the Azerbaijan Premier League, which is the top football league in Azerbaijan.
Contents
How the League Started
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Azerbaijan became an independent country. This meant that all the Azerbaijani football clubs that used to play in the Soviet leagues came together. They formed a new top league called the Azerbaijan Premier League.
Because of this change, the new second-tier league, the First League, started differently. For the first two seasons, from 1992 to 1994, teams were divided into three regional groups. But by 1994, the league changed to a single table format, which is similar to how it works today.
How the Competition Works
The First League currently has 10 teams. Each team plays against every other team three times during the season. This means there are many exciting matches throughout the year.
Teams in the 2024-25 Season
Here are the teams that played in the Azerbaijan First League during the 2024-25 season. The table lists them in alphabetical order.
| Team | Location | Venue | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baku Sporting FK | Baku | Baku Sporting Arena | 600 |
| Cəbrayıl FK | Jabrayil | ASCO Arena | 3,200 |
| Difai Ağsu | Agsu | Agsu City Stadium | 3,000 |
| İmişli FK | İmişli | Heydar Aliyev Stadium | 8,500 |
| Karvan | Yevlakh | Yevlakh City Stadium | 5,000 |
| Qaradağ Lökbatan | Baku | Lökbatan Olympic Sport Complex Stadium | 2,500 |
| Qəbələ | Gabala | Gabala City Stadium | 4,500 |
| Mingəçevir | Mingachevir | Yashar Mammadzade Stadium | 5,000 |
| MOİK | Baku | Bine Stadium | 600 |
| Zaqatala | Zaqatala | Zaqatala City Stadium | 3,500 |
Where to Watch the Games
CBC Sport is the official TV channel that broadcasts all the games from the First League. In Azerbaijan, you can watch the matches on CBC Sport. Many games are also available to watch on a special YouTube channel.
Past Winners of the League
This table shows the winners, runner-ups, and third-place teams for each season of the Azerbaijan First League.
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Third place |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | ANS Pivani Bakı FK | Kür Samux | Pambıqçı (Neftçala) |
| 1993 | Xəzri Buzovna | Avtomobilçi Yevlax | Polad Sumqayıt |
| 1993–94 | Zabrat, Azneftyağ FK | Metallurq Sumgayit, OİK-Göyəzən (Qazax) | OIK, Pambıqçı (Neftçala) |
| 1994–95 | Şəmkir | OIK | Kürmük (Qax) |
| 1995–96 | Xəzər Sumqayıt | Çinar Polis Akademiyası | Fərid |
| 1996–97 | Çinar (Göyçay) | Araz FK | Kürmük (Qax) |
| 1997–98 | Şahdağ Quba | ||
| 1998–99 | [Inter Baku] | ||
| 1999–2000 | Şahdağ Quba | Şəfa-2 | HHQ-Şahin (Bakı) |
| 2000–01 | OIK | Ümid Bakı | Şahdağ Qusar |
| 2001–02 | Lokomotiv İmişli | Xəzər Sumqayıt | Bakılı |
| 2002–03 | Due to conflict between almost all clubs and the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan, no league championship was held. | ||
| 2003–04 | Gənclərbirliyi | Göyəzən Qazax | Karat Bakı |
| 2004–05 | AMMK | Energetik | FKXəzər-Lənkəran-2 |
| 2005–06 | Gilan | FKXəzər-Lənkəran-2 | Simurq |
| 2006–07 | Masally | Standard Baku | Göyəzən Qazax |
| 2007–08 | Bakılı | MOIK | NBC Salyan |
| 2008–09 | ABN Bərdə | Şahdağ Qusar | Anşad-Petrol |
| 2009–10 | Gəncə | MOIK | Bakılı |
| 2010–11 | Abşeron | Rəvan | Bakılı |
| 2011–12 | Qaradağ | Karvan | Neftchala |
| 2012–13 | Ağsu | Qaradağ | Neftchala |
| 2013–14 | Araz Naxçıvan | Neftchala | Qaradağ |
| 2014–15 | Neftchala | Ağsu | Rəvan |
| 2015–16 | Neftchala | Qaradağ | Ağsu |
| 2016–17 | Turan Tovuz | Səbail | Ağsu |
| 2017–18 | Khazar Baku | Qaradağ Lökbatan | Shuvalan |
| 2018–19 | MOIK Baku | Sumgayit-2 | Neftçi-2 |
| 2019–20 | Turan Tovuz | Sabail-2 | Zagatala |
| 2020–21 | Neftçi-2 | Zagatala | Turan Tovuz |
| 2021–22 | Qaradağ Lökbatan FK | Shamakhi FK-2 | Qarabağ FK-2 |
| 2022–23 | Araz-Naxçıvan | Neftçi-2 | Turan-2 |
| 2023–24 | Shamakhi | Qaradağ Lökbatan | MOIK Baku |
| 2024–25 | Gabala | İmişli | Karvan |
| 2025–26 | |||
Club Achievements
This table shows which clubs have won, been runner-up, or finished third in the First League.
| Club | Winners | Winning Years | Runner-up | Runner-up Years | Third place | Third place Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOIK |
|
2000–01, 2018–19 |
|
1994–95, 2007–08, 2009–10 |
|
1993–94, 2023–24 |
| Qaradağ Lökbatan |
|
2011–12, 2021–22 |
|
2012–13, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2023–24 |
|
2013–14 |
| Neftchala |
|
2014–15, 2015–16 |
|
2013–14 |
|
1992, 1993–94, 2008–09, 2011–12, 2012–13 |
| Turan Tovuz |
|
2016–17, 2019–20 |
|
2020–21 | ||
| Araz Naxçıvan |
|
2013–14, 2022-23 | ||||
| Xəzər Sumqayıt |
|
1995–96 |
|
1993–94, 2001–02 |
|
1993 |
| Bakılı |
|
2007–08 |
|
1996–97 |
|
2001–02, 2009–10, 2010–11 |
| Ağsu |
|
2012–13 |
|
2014–15 |
|
2015–16, 2016–17 |
| Şahdağ Qusar |
|
1997–98 |
|
2008–09 |
|
2000–01 |
| Neftçi-2 |
|
2020–21 |
|
2018–19 | ||
| Shuvalan FK |
|
2004–05 |
|
2017–18 | ||
| Khazar Baku |
|
2017–18 | ||||
| Nicat Maştağa |
|
1992 | ||||
| Zabrat |
|
1993–94 | ||||
| Shamkir |
|
1994–95 | ||||
| Shahdagh Guba |
|
1999–00 | ||||
| Lokomotiv Imishli |
|
2001–02 | ||||
| Gənclərbirliyi |
|
2003–04 | ||||
| Gilan |
|
2005–06 | ||||
| ABN Bərdə |
|
2008–09 | ||||
| Kapaz |
|
2009–10 | ||||
| Masally |
|
2006–07 | ||||
| Absheron |
|
2010–11 | ||||
| Azneftyağ |
|
1993–94 | ||||
| Xəzri Buzovna |
|
1993 | ||||
| Çinar Göyçay |
|
1996–97 | ||||
| Shamakhi |
|
2023–24 | ||||
| Gabala |
|
2024–25 | ||||
| Göyəzən Qazax FK |
|
1993–94, 2003–04 |
|
2006–07 | ||
| Zagatala |
|
2020–21 |
|
2019–20 | ||
| Xəzər-Lənkəran-2 |
|
2005–06 |
|
2004–05 | ||
| Rəvan |
|
2010–11 |
|
2014–15 | ||
| Şamaxı-2 |
|
2021–22 | ||||
| Səbail |
|
2016–17 | ||||
| Səbail-2 |
|
2019–20 | ||||
| Avtomobilçi Yevlax |
|
1993 | ||||
| Çinar Polis Akademiyasi |
|
1995–96 | ||||
| Kür Samux |
|
1992 | ||||
| Şəfa-2 |
|
1999–00 | ||||
| Ümid Bakı |
|
2000–01 | ||||
| Energetik |
|
2004–05 | ||||
| Karvan |
|
2011–12 | ||||
| Standard Baku |
|
2006–07 | ||||
| Kürmük Qax |
|
1994–95, 1996–97 | ||||
| Simurq |
|
2005–06 | ||||
| Farid Baku |
|
1995–96 | ||||
| Karat Bakı |
|
2003–04 | ||||
| HHQ Şahin |
|
1999–00 | ||||
| NBC Salyan |
|
2007–08 |
League Records
Here are some interesting records from the Azerbaijan First League:
- Most consecutive wins: Absheron holds the record with 23 wins in a row during the 2010-11 season.
- Most points in a season: Absheron also holds this record with 72 points in the 2010-11 season.
- Longest unbeaten run: Absheron went 26 games without a loss in the 2010-11 season.
More About Azerbaijani Football
- Azerbaijan Premier League
- Azerbaijan Regional League
- AFFA Amateur League
- Azerbaijan Cup
- Football in Azerbaijan
See also
In Spanish: Primera División de Azerbaiyán para niños
