The Azerbaijan Premier League (Azerbaijani: Azərbaycan Premyer Liqası), is the top football competition in Azerbaijan.
History
The Azerbaijan Premier League was created in 2007 and replaced the Top Division (Azerbaijani: Yüksək Liqa) which existed between 1992 and 2007. The Azerbaijan Premier League is run by the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan. The Top Division was run by the Professional Football League of Azerbaijan. The creation of the Premier League gave the football clubs more independence.
Since 1992, a total of 8 football clubs have become champions of the top Azerbaijani football competition. Neftchi Baku are the current Azerbaijan Premier League champions.
Statistics
Records
Players in the Premier League compete for the trophy "Azerbaijan Premier League Golden Boot", awarded to the top goalscorer at the end of each football season. Nazim Aliyev is the league's all-time top scorer with 183 goals, including 39 in the 1992 season. During the 1995–96 season he became the first player to score 100 Premier League goals. Since then, 10 other players have reached the 100-goal mark.
Gurban Gurbanov is one of the top
goalscorers in Premier League and the most successful Azerbaijani
manager in European competitions.
Top Ten Highest Goalscorers
| Player |
Period |
Club |
Goals |
|---|
| 1 |
 Nazim Aliyev |
1992–1999 |
Neftchi Baku |
183 |
|---|
| 2 |
Mushfig Huseynov |
1992–2007 |
FK Qarabağ |
125 |
|---|
| 3 |
Rovshan Ahmadov |
1992–2003 |
Kapaz |
116 |
|---|
| 4 |
Gurban Gurbanov |
1990–2006 |
Neftchi Baku |
115 |
|---|
| 5 |
Samir Alakbarov |
1992–2001 |
Neftchi Baku |
115 |
|---|
| 6 |
Alay Bahramov |
1992–1999 |
FK Masallı |
108 |
|---|
| 7 |
Vadim Vasilyev |
1994–2007 |
Baki Fehlesi |
102 |
|---|
| 8 |
Khagani Mammadov |
1994–2012 |
Inter Baku |
102 |
|---|
| 9 |
Kanan Karimov |
1995–2012 |
FK Shamkir |
101 |
|---|
| 10 |
Nadir Nabiyev |
1995–2012 |
Turan Tovuz |
100 |
|---|
Aslan Kerimov is one of the players who has appeared the most time in Premier League matches.
Top Ten Players With Most Appearances
| Player |
Period |
Club |
Games |
|---|
| 1 |
Mahmud Gurbanov |
1992–2012 |
Kapaz |
421 |
|---|
| 2 |
Aslan Kerimov |
1992–2011 |
FK Qarabağ |
382 |
|---|
| 3 |
Azer Mammadov |
1992–present |
Kapaz |
374 |
|---|
| 4 |
Agil Mammadov |
1992–2011 |
Turan Tovuz |
364 |
|---|
| 5 |
Ismayil Mammadov |
1992–2009 |
FK Shamkir |
351 |
|---|
| 6 |
Kanan Karimov |
1995–2012 |
FK Shamkir |
327 |
|---|
| 7 |
Nadir Nabiyev |
1995–2012 |
Turan Tovuz |
316 |
|---|
| 8 |
Mubariz Orujov |
1992–2008 |
Khazar Lankaran |
311 |
|---|
| 9 |
Mushfig Huseynov |
1992–2007 |
FK Qarabağ |
305 |
|---|
| 10 |
Adahim Niftaliyev |
1995–2011 |
Khazar Lankaran |
303 |
|---|
Player records
- As of 14 August 2011
- All-time top scorer: Nazim Aliyev (183 goals)
- Top scorer in one season: 1992 Nazim Aliyev (39 goals)
- Most league titles won: Mahmud Qurbanov, he has won Azerbaijani championship record 10 times.
- Oldest player: Nadir Shukurov, for Karvan vs Mughan, 42 years, 19 April 2009
- Youngest goalscorer: Ramal Huseynov, for Shahdag vs Kimyachi Sumgayit, 13 years old, 333 days
- First appearance and goal scored by foreign player:
Otar Korghalidze (1995)
- Most appearances by foreign player: Georgi Adamia (133 matches by 9 August 2010)
- Highest transfer fee (money) paid:
Oktay Derelioğlu, from Akçaabat Sebatspor to Khazar Lankaran, €200,000, 9 December 2004
- Highest transfer fee (money) received: Vagif Javadov, from FK Qarabağ to FC Twente, €1,500,000, January 5, 2010
Club records
- As of 19 August 2012
- Most titles won: Neftchi Baku, 7
- Most unbeaten teams: Kəpəz, 30 games, 1997-98
- Biggest home win: Neftchi Baku 11–0 Shahdag (1999–00)
Soviet time champions
- 1928: Progress-2 Baku
- 1929-33: unknown
- 1934: Profsoyuz Baku
- 1935: Stroitel Yuga Baku
- 1936: Stroitel Yuga Baku
- 1937: Lokomotiv Baku
- 1938: Lokomotiv Baku
- 1939: Lokomotiv Baku
- 1940: Lokomotiv Baku
- 1941-43: unknown
- 1944: Dinamo Baku
- 1945: Not Played
- 1946: Lokomotiv Baku
- 1947: Trudovye Rezervy Baku
- 1948: KKF Baku
- 1949: KKF Baku
- 1950: Iskra Baku
|
- 1951: Ordjonikidzeneft Baku
- 1952: Ordjonikidzeneft Baku
- 1953: Ordjonikidzeneft Baku
- 1954: Zavod im. S.M.Budennogo Baku
- 1955: Ordjonikidzeneft Baku
- 1956: NPU Ordjonikidzeneft Baku
- 1957: NPU Ordjonikidzeneft Baku
- 1958: NPU Ordjonikidzeneft Baku
- 1959: Baku Teams(Spartakiada)
- 1960: OIK Baku
- 1961: Spartak Quba
- 1962: OIK Baku
- 1963: Araz Baku
- 1964: Polad Sumgait
- 1965: Vostok Baku
- 1966: Vostok Baku
- 1967: Araz Baku
|
- 1968 OIK Baku
- 1969 Araz Baku
- 1970 OIK Baku
- 1971 Khimik Salyany
- 1972 Surahanets Baku
- 1973 Araz Baku
- 1974 Araz Baku
- 1975 Araz Baku
- 1976 Araz Baku
- 1977 Karabakh Khankendi
- 1978 SKIF Baku
- 1979 OIK Baku
- 1980 Energetik Ali-Bayramly
- 1981 Gandjlik Baku
- 1982 Tokhudju Baku
- 1983 Termist Baku
- 1984 Termist Baku
|
- 1985 Khazar Sumgait
- 1986 Goyazan Qazakh
- 1987 Araz Nakhichevan
- 1988 FK Qarabağ
- 1989 Stroitel Sabirabad
- 1990 FK Qarabağ
- 1991 Khazar Sumgait
|
Champions and top scorers
| Season |
Champion |
2nd position |
3rd position |
Top scorer |
|---|
| 1992 |
Neftchi Baku |
Khazar Sumgayit |
Turan |
Nazim Aliyev (Khazar Sumgayit, 39 goals) |
| 1993 |
Qarabağ |
Khazar Sumgayit |
Turan |
Samir Alakbarov (Neftchi Baku, 16 goals) |
| 1993-94 |
Turan Tovuz |
Qarabağ |
Kapaz |
Musa Gurbanov (Turan, 35 goals) |
| 1994-95 |
Kapaz |
Turan |
Neftchi Baku |
Nazim Aliyev (Neftchi Baku, 27 goals) |
| 1995-96 |
Neftchi Baku |
Khazri Buzovna |
Kapaz |
Nazim Aliyev (Neftchi Baku/Qarabağ, 23 goals) |
| 1996-97 |
Neftchi Baku |
Qarabağ |
Khazri Buzovna |
Gurban Gurbanov (Neftchi Baku, 25 goals) |
| 1997-98 |
Kapaz |
FC Baku |
Shamkir |
Nazim Aliyev (FC Baku, 23 goals) |
| 1998-99 |
Kapaz |
Shamkir |
Neftchi Baku |
Alay Bahramov (Vilash Masalli, 24 goals) |
| 1999-00 |
Shamkir |
Kapaz |
Neftchi Baku |
Badri Kvaratskhelia (Shakmir, 16 goals) |
| 2000-01 |
Shamkir |
Neftchi Baku |
Vilash Masalli |
Pasha Aliyev (Bakili Baku, 12 goals) |
| 2001-02 |
Shamkir |
Neftchi Baku |
Qarabağ |
Kanan Karimov (Kapaz, 14 goals)
 Dmitri Kudinov (Qarabağ, 14 goals) |
| 2002-03 |
Due to conflict between almost all clubs and the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan, no league championship was held. |
| 2003-04 |
Neftchi Baku |
Shamkir |
Qarabağ |
Samir Musayev (Qarabağ, 20 goals) |
| 2004-05 |
Neftchi Baku |
Khazar Lankaran |
Karvan |
Zaur Ramazanov (Karvan, 21 goals) |
| 2005-06 |
FC Baku |
Karvan |
Neftchi Baku |
 Yacouba Bamba (Karvan, 16 goals) |
| 2006-07 |
Khazar Lankaran |
Neftchi Baku |
FC Baku |
Zaur Ramazanov (Khazar Lankaran, 20 goals) |
| 2007-08 |
Inter Baku |
AZAL |
Neftchi Baku |
Khagani Mammadov (Inter Baku, 19 goals) |
| 2008-09 |
FC Baku |
Inter Baku |
Simurq |
 Walter Guglielmone (Inter Baku, 17 goals) |
| 2009-10 |
Inter Baku |
FC Baku |
Qarabağ |
Farid Guliyev (Standard Baku, 16 goals) |
| 2010-11 |
Neftchi Baku |
Khazar Lankaran |
Qarabağ |
Georgi Adamia (Qarabağ, 18 goals) |
| 2011-12 |
Neftchi Baku |
Khazar Lankaran |
Inter Baku |
 Bahodir Nasimov (Neftchi Baku, 16 goals) |
Performance by club
| Club |
Winners |
Winning Years |
|---|
| Neftchi Baku |
7
|
1992, 1995–96, 1996–97, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2010–11, 2011–12 |
| Kapaz |
3
|
1994–95, 1997–98, 1998–99 |
| Shamkir |
3
|
1999–00, 2000–01, 2001–02 |
| FC Baku |
2
|
2005–06, 2008–09 |
| Inter Baku |
2
|
2007–08, 2009–10 |
| Qarabağ |
1
|
1993 |
| Turan Tovuz |
1
|
1993–94 |
| Khazar Lankaran |
1
|
2006–07 |
Awards
Trophy
The current Azerbaijan Premier League trophy was developed by the Professional Football League of Azerbaijan and the trophy has been awarded to the champion of Azerbaijan since the end of the 2009–10 season, replacing the previous Premier League trophy that had existed for only few years.
Related pages
