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Azerbaijan First League facts for kids

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Azerbaijan First League
Founded 1992; 33 years ago (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 Araz-Naxçıvan (2nd title)
(2022–23)
TV partners CBC Sport
Website PFL

The Azerbaijan First League (Azerbaijani: I Liqa) is the second most important professional football league in Azerbaijan. It's like the step below the top league, the Premier League. The league is managed by the AFFA. The team that wins the First League gets to move up to the Premier League!

History of the League

The Azerbaijan First League started in 1992. Before that, Azerbaijan was part of the Soviet Union. When the Soviet Union broke up, all the Azerbaijani football clubs formed their own top league, the Azerbaijan Premier League.

At first, the First League was split into three regional groups. This made it easier for teams to play each other. But by 1994, all the teams joined one big league table, just like it is 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 lots of exciting matches!

Teams in the 2023–24 Season

Want to know which teams are playing this season? Here are the clubs, their locations, and where they play their home games.

Stadiums and Locations

Note: Teams are listed in alphabetical order.

Team Location Venue Capacity
Araz Saatlı Saatly Saatly Olympic Sport Complex 1,000
Difai Ağsu Agsu Agsu City Stadium 3,000
İmişli Imishli Heydar Aliyev Stadium 8,500
İrəvan Baku ASK Arena 8,125
Karvan Yevlakh Yevlakh City Stadium 5,000
Qaradağ Lökbatan Baku Lökbatan Olympic Sport Complex Stadium 2,500
Mingəçevir Mingachevir Yashar Mammadzade Stadium 5,000
MOİK Baku Bine Stadium 600
Şamaxı Shamakhi Shamakhi City Stadium 2,200
Zaqatala Zaqatala Zaqatala City Stadium 3,500

Where to Watch the Games

If you want to watch the First League games, you're in luck! CBC Sport broadcasts all the matches on TV in Azerbaijan. You can also find games on a special YouTube channel.

Past Winners of the League

Many teams have won the First League over the years. Here's a list of the champions, runner-ups, and third-place teams from each season.

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 No league championship was held this year.
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

Top Teams: Club Performance

Some clubs have done really well in the First League. This table shows which teams have won the most titles, finished second, or placed third.

Club Winners Winning Years Runner-up Runner-up Years Third place Third place Years
MOIK
2
 2000–01, 2018–19
3
 1994–95, 2007–08, 2009–10
1
 1993–94
Qaradağ Lökbatan
2
 2011–12, 2021–22
3
 2012–13, 2015–16, 2017–18
1
 2013–14
Neftchala
2
 2014–15, 2015–16
1
 2013–14
5
 1992, 1993–94, 2008–09, 2011–12, 2012–13
Turan Tovuz
2
 2016–17, 2019–20
1
 2020–21
Araz Naxçıvan
2
 2013–14, 2022-23
Xəzər Sumqayıt
1
 1995–96
2
 1993–94, 2001–02
1
 1993
Bakılı
1
 2007–08
1
 1996–97
3
 2001–02, 2009–10, 2010–11
Ağsu
1
 2012–13
1
 2014–15
2
 2015–16, 2016–17
Şahdağ Qusar
1
 1997–98
1
 2008–09
1
 2000–01
Neftçi-2
1
 2020–21
1
 2018–19
Shuvalan FK
1
 2004–05
1
 2017–18
Khazar Baku
1
 2017–18
Nicat Maştağa
1
 1992
Zabrat
1
 1993–94
Shamkir
1
 1994–95
Shahdagh Guba
1
 1999–00
Lokomotiv Imishli
1
 2001–02
Gənclərbirliyi
1
 2003–04
Gilan
1
 2005–06
ABN Bərdə
1
 2008–09
Kapaz
1
 2009–10
Masally
1
 2006–07
Absheron
1
 2010–11
Azneftyağ
1
 1993–94
Xəzri Buzovna
1
 1993
Çinar Göyçay
1
 1996–97
Göyəzən Qazax FK
2
 1993–94, 2003–04
1
 2006–07
Zagatala
1
 2020–21
1
 2019–20
Xəzər-Lənkəran-2
1
 2005–06
1
 2004–05
Rəvan
1
 2010–11
1
 2014–15
Şamaxı-2
1
 2021–22
Səbail
1
 2016–17
Səbail-2
1
 2019–20
Avtomobilçi Yevlax
1
 1993
Çinar Polis Akademiyasi
1
 1995–96
Kür Samux
1
 1992
Şəfa-2
1
 1999–00
Ümid Bakı
1
 2000–01
Energetik
1
 2004–05
Karvan
1
 2011–12
Standard Baku
1
 2006–07
Kürmük Qax
2
 1994–95, 1996–97
Simurq
1
 2005–06
Farid Baku
1
 1995–96
Karat Bakı
1
 2003–04
HHQ Şahin
1
 1999–00
NBC Salyan
1
 2007–08

Amazing Records

Here are some cool records from the Azerbaijan First League:

Club Records

  • Most wins in a row: Absheron won 23 games in a row during the 2010-11 season. That's a lot of wins!
  • Most points in one season: Absheron also holds this record with 72 points in 2010-11.
  • Longest time without losing: Absheron went 26 games without a loss in the 2010-11 season.

See Also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Primera División de Azerbaiyán para niños

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