UAE Pro League facts for kids

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Persian Gulf League

Organising body	Persian Gulf League Committee
Founded	1973; 52 years ago (1973)
Country	United Arab Emirates
Confederation	AFC
Number of teams	14
Level on pyramid	1
Relegation to	First Division League
Domestic cup(s)	UAE President's Cup UAE Super Cup
League cup(s)	UAE League Cup
International cup(s)	AFC Champions League Elite AFC Champions League Two
Current champions	Al Wasl FC (8th title) (2023–24)
Most championships	Al Ain (14 titles)
TV partners	Abu Dhabi Sports Dubai Sports Sharjah Sports Fanseat

The Persian Gulf UAE Pro League is the top professional football league in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is also known as the ADNOC Pro League because of its main sponsor. This league is where the best football teams in the UAE compete against each other.

The very first team to win the league was Al Orouba (Sharjah). However, Al Ain holds the record for winning the most titles, with 14 championships! There are 14 clubs in the league. Teams can move up or down between the Pro League and the First Division League. This system is called promotion and relegation.

The league started in 1973 as the UAE Football League. The first season in 1973–74 was a "trial" but was later made official. In 2007, the Pro League Committee was created. This group now organizes and runs the league.

How the League's Name Changed
UAE Football Ranking in Asia
Teams in the League
- Clubs Playing in 2023–24
- How Many Seasons Teams Have Played
League Champions Over the Years
Who Are the Top Champions?
Top Players in the League
See also

How the League's Name Changed

The league's name has changed a few times over the years. From the 2006–07 season, it was called the Etisalat League. Later, for the 2013–14 season, it became the Arabian Gulf League. This name came from the Arabian Gulf.

In 2021, a new partnership deal was made with ADNOC. This big deal was worth 80 million AED. Because of this, the league was renamed the UAE's ADNOC Pro League for the 2021–22 season.

UAE Football Ranking in Asia

The AFC ranks football clubs from different countries. This ranking helps decide how many teams from each country can play in big Asian competitions.

As of May 26, 2024, the United Arab Emirates is ranked 4th in Asia. This shows how strong UAE football clubs are in the region.

Teams in the League

Fourteen clubs play in the UAE Pro League for the 2023–24 season. These teams come from different cities across the UAE.

Clubs Playing in 2023–24

Here are the teams currently in the league:

Club	Home city	Stadium	Capacity
Ajman	Ajman	Ajman Stadium	5,537
Al Ain	Al-Ain	Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium	22,965
Al Bataeh	Al Bataeh	Al Bataeh Stadium	2,000
Al Jazira	Abu Dhabi (Al Nahyan)	Mohammad Bin Zayed Stadium	42,056
Al Nasr	Dubai (Oud Metha)	Al-Maktoum Stadium	15,058
Al Wahda	Abu Dhabi (Al Nahyan)	Al Nahyan Stadium	12,201
Al Wasl	Dubai (Zabeel)	Zabeel Stadium	8,439
Baniyas	Abu Dhabi (Al Shamkha)	Baniyas Stadium	10,000
Emirates	Ras Al Khaimah	Emirates Club Stadium	5,200
Hatta	Hatta	Hamdan Bin Rashid Stadium	5,000
Kalba	Kalba	Ittihad Kalba Stadium	8,500
Khor Fakkan	Khor Fakkan	Saqr bin Mohammad al Qassimi Stadium	7,500
Shabab Al Ahli	Dubai (Deira)	Rashid Stadium	12,052
Sharjah	Sharjah	Sharjah Stadium	20,000

How Many Seasons Teams Have Played

Many clubs have played in the UAE's top football league since it started in 1973. The list below shows how many seasons teams have been in the Pro League era, which began in 2008–09.

15 seasons: Al Ain, Al Jazira, Al Nasr, Al Wahda, Al Wasl
14 seasons: Sharjah
13 seasons: Al Dhafra, Baniyas
12 seasons: Ajman
10 seasons: Emirates
9 seasons: Al Ahli, Al Shabab, Kalba
6 seasons: Dibba Al Fujairah, Shabab Al Ahli
5 seasons: Khor Fakkan
4 seasons: Al Shaab, Dubai, Fujairah, Hatta
2 seasons: Al Bataeh
1 season: Al Urooba

Italics mean the club no longer exists.
Bold means the club is still playing in the UAE Pro League in the 2023–24 season.

League Champions Over the Years

Here is a list of all the teams that have won the UAE Pro League title since it began.

	No	Season	Champion	Runner up
	1	1973–74	Sharjah	Al Ahli
	2	1974–75	Al Ahli	Sharjah
	3	1975–76	Al Ahli	Al Ain
	4	1976–77	Al Ain	Sharjah
	5	1977–78	Al Nasr	Al Ain
	6	1978–79	Al Nasr	Sharjah
	7	1979–80	Al Ahli	Al Shaab
	8	1980–81	Al Ain	Al Nasr
	9	1981–82	Al Wasl	Al Ain
	10	1982–83	Al Wasl	Sharjah
	11	1983–84	Al Ain	Al Wasl
	12	1984–85	Al Wasl	Al Shaab
	13	1985–86	Al Nasr	Al Wasl
	14	1986–87	Sharjah	Al Wasl
	15	1987–88	Al Wasl	Sjarjah
	16	1988–89	Sharjah	Al Wasl
	17	1989–90	Al Shabab	Al Wasl
×		1990–91	Cancelled
	18	1991–92	Al Wasl	Sharjah
	19	1992–93	Al Ain	Al Wasl
	20	1993–94	Sharjah	Al Ain
	21	1994–95	Al Shabab	Al Ain
	22	1995–96	Sharjah	Al Wasl
	23	1996–97	Al Wasl	Al Nasr
	24	1997–98	Al Ain	Sharjah
	25	1998–99	Al Wahda	Al Ain
	26	1999–2000	Al Ain	Al Nasr
	27	2000–01	Al Wahda	Al Ahli
	28	2001–02	Al Ain	Al Jazira
	29	2002–03		Al Wahda
	30	2003–04		Al Shabab
	31	2004–05	Al Wahda	Al Ain
	32	2005–06	Al Ahli	Al Wahda
	33	2006–07	Al Wasl	Al Wahda
	34	2007–08	Al Shabab	Al Jazira
	35	2008–09	Al Ahli
	36	2009–10	Al Wahda
	37	2010–11	Al Jazira	Baniyas
	38	2011–12	Al Ain	Al Nasr
	39	2012–13	Al Ain	Al Ahli
	40	2013–14	Al Ahli	Al Wahda
	41	2014–15	Al Ain	Al Jazira
	42	2015–16	Al Ahli	Al Ain
	43	2016–17	Al Jazira	Al Wasl
	44	2017–18	Al Ain	Al Wahda
	45	2018–19	Sharjah	Shabab Al Ahli
×		2019–20	Cancelled
	46	2020–21	Al Jazira	Baniyas
	47	2021–22	Al Ain	Sharjah
	48	2022–23	Shabab Al Ahli	Al Ain
	49	2023–24	Al Wasl	Shabab Al Ahli

Some seasons were cancelled due to events like the Gulf War or the COVID-19 pandemic.

Who Are the Top Champions?

Football clubs in the UAE earn stars on their jerseys. They get one star for every five league titles they win. This shows how successful a club has been!

Club Performance in the League

As of 2023, here are the clubs with the most titles:

Club	Won	Runners-up	Winning seasons
Al Ain	14	9	1976–77, 1980–81, 1983–84, 1992–93, 1997–98, 1999–00, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2017–18, 2021–22
Shabab Al Ahli	8	4	1974–75, 1975–76, 1979–80, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2022–23
Al Wasl	8	8	1981–82, 1982–83, 1984–85, 1987–88, 1991–92, 1996–97, 2006–07,2023-04
Sharjah	6	7	1973–74, 1986–87, 1988–89, 1993–94, 1995–96, 2018–19
Al Wahda	4	5	1998–99, 2000–01, 2004–05, 2009–10
Al Jazira	3	5	2010–11, 2016–17, 2020–21
Al Nasr	3	4	1977–78, 1978–79, 1985–86
Al Shabab	3	1	1989–90, 1994–95, 2007–08
Al Shaab	0	2	—
Baniyas	0	2	—

Al Shabab and Dubai CSC joined together to form Shabab Al Ahli in 2017.
Al Shaab club was closed down in 2017.

Champions by City

Football clubs from different cities have won the league title. Here's how many titles each city's clubs have won:

City / Area	Titles	Clubs	Winning seasons
Dubai	21	Al Ahli	(8): 1974–75, 1975–76, 1979–80, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2022–23
		Al Wasl	(8): 1981–82, 1982–83, 1984–85, 1987–88, 1991–92, 1996–97, 2006–07,2023–24
		Al Nasr	(3): 1977–78, 1978–79, 1985–86
		Al Shabab	(3): 1989–90, 1994–95, 2007–08
Al Ain	14	Al Ain	(14): 1976–77, 1980–81, 1983–84, 1992–93, 1997–98, 1999–00, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2017–18, 2021–22
Abu Dhabi	7	Al Wahda	(4): 1998–99, 2000–01, 2004–05, 2009–10
Abu Dhabi	7	Al Jazira	(3): 2010–11, 2016–17, 2020–21
Sharjah	6	Sharjah	(6): 1973–74, 1986–87, 1988–89, 1993–94, 1995–96, 2018–19

Champions by Emirate

The UAE is made up of different emirates. Here's a look at how many league titles clubs from each emirate have won:

Emirates	Titles	Clubs	Winning seasons
Abu Dhabi	21	Al Ain	(14): 1976–77, 1980–81, 1983–84, 1992–93, 1997–98, 1999–00, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2017–18, 2021–22
		Al Wahda	(4): 1998–99, 2000–01, 2004–05, 2009–10
		Al Jazira	(3): 2010–11, 2016–17, 2020–21
Dubai		Al Ahli	(8): 1974–75, 1975–76, 1979–80, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2022–23
		Al Wasl	(7): 1981–82, 1982–83, 1984–85, 1987–88, 1991–92, 1996–97, 2006–07
		Al Nasr	(3): 1977–78, 1978–79, 1985–86
		Al Shabab	(3): 1989–90, 1994–95, 2007–08
Sharjah	6	Sharjah	(6): 1973–74, 1986–87, 1988–89, 1993–94, 1995–96, 2018–19

Top Players in the League

Many talented players have played in the UAE Pro League. Some have scored a lot of goals!

All-Time Top Goal Scorers

These players have scored the most goals in the history of the league:

Rank	Name	Club	Years	Goals	Apps
1	Ali Mabkhout	Al Jazira	2009–2024	218	299
2	Sebastián Tagliabúe	Al Wahda Al Nasr Sharjah	2013–	184	239
3	Fahad Khamees	Al Wasl	1980–1997	175	N/A
4	Fábio Lima	Al Wasl	2014–	165	217
5	Adnan Al Talyani	Al Shaab	1980–1999	133	N/A
6	Mohammad Omar	Al Wasl Al Ain Al Jazira Al Dhafra Al Nasr Ajman	1992–2011	132	N/A
7	Abdulaziz Mohamed	Sharjah	1980–2003	127	N/A
8	Ahmed Abdullah	Al Ain	1978–1995	122	N/A
9	Atiq Hassan	Al Ahli	1988–2002	119	N/A
10	Faisal Khalil	Al Ahli Al Wasl Al Shaab	1999–2013	114	302
11	Makhete Diop	Al Dhafra Shabab Al Ahli Sharjah	2011–2018, 2021–2023	108	180
12	Asamoah Gyan	Al-Ain Al Ahli	2011–2017	101	97
13	Ismail Matar	Al Wahda	2001–	101	418
14	Anderson Barbosa	Sharjah Al Wasl	2003–2009	99	128
15	Kodjo Fo-Doh Laba	Al-Ain	2019–	98	107
16	Ahmed Khalil	Al Ain Shabab Al Ahli Al Bataeh	2007–	94	263
17	Ali Thani	Sharjah	N/A	93	N/A

Top Goal Scorers Each Season

Every season, one player scores more goals than anyone else. Here are the top scorers for each year:

Season	Player	Club	Goals
1974–75	Suhail Salim	Al Ahli	14
1975–76	Ali Nawaz Baloch	Al Wahda	13
1976–77	Alfadel Santo	Al Nasr	11
1977–78	Mohieddine Habita	Al Ain	20
1978–79	Mostafa Mahrous	Al Ahli	16
1979–80	Alo Ali Mohamed	Emirates	14
1980–81	Karim Abdul Razak	Emirates	14
1981–82	Ahmed Abdullah	Al Ain	13
1982–83	Luiz Carlos	Al Nasr	12
1983–84	Ahmed Abdullah Fahad Khamees	Al Ain Al Wasl	20
1984–85	Fahad Khamees Adnan Al Talyani	Al Wasl Al Shaab	14
1985–86	Mohammed Salem	Al Wahda	16
1986–87	Adnan Al Talyani Khalil Ghanim	Al Shaab Khor Fakkan	13
1987–88	Zuhair Bakheet	Al Wasl	24
1988–89	Fahad Khamees	Al Wasl	13
1989–90	Hussain Yaslam	Baniyas	16
1990–91	Cancelled
1991–92	Youssouf Atiq	Al Ahli	25
1992–93	Saif Sultan	Al Ain	21
1993–94	Abdulaziz Mohamed	Sharjah	18
1994–95	Bader Jassim	Al Wahda	10
1995–96	Jassim Al Dokhi	Al Shaab	10
1996–97	Bader Jassim	Al Wahda	11
1997–98	Ali Thani	Sharjah	19
1998–99	Alboury Lah	Al Wahda	29
1999–00	Alboury Lah		18
2000–01	Mohammed Al Enazi		22
2001–02	Mohammed Al Enazi		22
2002–03	Cristián Montecinos	Dubai	19
2003–04	Ali Karimi	Al Ahli	14
2004–05	Valdir Anderson Barbosa	Al Nasr Sharjah	23
2005–06	Anderson Barbosa	Sharjah	20
2006–07	Anderson Barbosa Ali Samereh	Al Wasl Al Shaab	18
2007–08	Faisal Khalil Anderson Barbosa	Al Ahli Sharjah	16
2008–09	Fernando Baiano	Al Jazira	24
2009–10	José Sand	Al Ain	24
2010–11	André Senghor	Baniyas	18
2011–12	Asamoah Gyan	Al Ain	22
2012–13			31
2013–14			29
2014–15	Mirko Vučinić	Al Jazira	25
2015–16	Sebastián Tagliabúe	Al Wahda	25
2016–17	Ali Mabkhout	Al Jazira	33
2017–18	Marcus Berg	Al Ain	25
2018–19	Sebastián Tagliabúe	Al Wahda	27
2019–20	Kodjo Laba	Al Ain	19
2020–21	Ali Mabkhout	Al Jazira	25
2021–22	Kodjo Laba	Al Ain	26
2022–23	Kodjo Laba	Al Ain	28