Saudi Professional League

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Saudi Professional League
Founded1976; 45 years ago (1976)
CountrySaudi Arabia
ConfederationAFC
Number of teams16
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toFDL
Domestic cup(s)Kings Cup
Super Cup
International cup(s)AFC Champions League
UAFA Club Cup
GCC Champions League
Current championsAl-Hilal (17th title)
(2020–21)
Most championshipsAl-Hilal (17 titles)
Most appearancesMohamed Al-Deayea (406)
Top goalscorerMajed Abdullah (189 goals)
TV partnersSaudi Sports Company
Websitehttp://www.spl.com.sa
Current: 2021–22 Saudi Professional League

The Saudi Professional League (Arabic: دوري المحترفين السعودي, Dawriyy al-Muḥtarifayni as-Suʿūdī), also known as the SPL,[1] or MBS League,[2] is the top division of association football in the Saudi Arabian league system. From 2013 to 2019, it was known as the Abdul Latif Jameel League, or Dawry Jameel, as it was sponsored by Abdul Latif Jameel.[3][4][5][6]

The first season of competition was the 1976–77 season.[7] Al Hilal is the most successful team, holding 17 titles in its history and most recently winning the title in 2020–21.

History[]

Up until the late 1950s, football in Saudi Arabia was organized on a regional basis, with the only nationwide tournament being the King's Cup. In 1957, the first national league consolidated the regional tournaments of the Central, West, East and North regions. Clubs competed in their regional leagues to qualify for the King's Cup, which was the final stage of the competition. The winner of the King's Cup was the league winner.[8]

In 1981, it was decided to increase the number of clubs and add a second division. The league competition for the 1981–82, known as the ranking league, featured 18 clubs with the top eight qualifying for the first division and the bottom ten to the new second division. The number of first-division clubs was later increased to 12 in the 1984–85 season.

In 1990, it was decided to revamp local competitions and to introduce professional football. A new league championship was formed called "The Custodian of The Two Holy Mosques League Cup", which was a two-stage championship. The first stage was a regular double round-robin league competition with the top 4 qualifying to the final knockout stage, called the golden square. Clubs were allowed to sign players on a professional basis making the league semi professional.

The league became professional in 2007.[9]

As of 2008, four teams from Saudi Arabia qualify for the AFC Champions League annually. This includes the top three teams of the league, together with the winner of the King Cup. If the winner of the King Cup is also among the four top teams then the fourth-best team qualifies to the extensions and if the winner of the King Cup is under the four top teams then the fourth team will not qualify and the third team will qualify for the extension.

Prize money:[10]

  • First place: 3,800,000 Saudi riyals
  • Second place: 2,000,000 Saudi riyals
  • Third place: 1,000,000 Saudi riyals

List of teams (2021–22 season)[]

For details on the 2021–22 Saudi Professional League season, see here.

Locations of teams in the 2021–22 Saudi Professional League
Note: Table lists in alphabetical order.
Team Location Stadium Capacity
Abha Abha Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium 20,000[11]
Al-Ahli Jeddah King Abdullah Sports City 62,345
Al-Batin Hafar Al-Batin Al-Batin Club Stadium 6,000[12]
Al-Ettifaq Dammam Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium 35,000[13]
Al-Faisaly Harmah Al Majma'ah Sports City [1] 7,000
Al-Fateh Al-Hasa Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium 26,000[14][15]
Al-Fayha Al Majma'ah Al Majma'ah Sports City 7,000
Al-Hazem Ar Rass Al-Hazem Club Stadium 8,000[16]
Al-Hilal Riyadh King Fahd International Stadium [2] 62,685
Al-Ittihad Jeddah King Abdullah Sports City 62,345
Al-Nassr Riyadh Mrsool Park 25,000
Al-Raed Buraidah King Abdullah Sport City Stadium 25,000
Al-Shabab Riyadh 15,000
Al-Taawoun Buraidah King Abdullah Sport City Stadium 25,000
Al-Tai Ḥaʼil Prince Abdul Aziz bin Musa'ed Stadium 12,000[17]
Damac Khamis Mushait Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium [3] 20,000

1: ^ Al-Faisaly play their home games in Al Majma'ah.
2: ^ Al-Hilal also use Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium (22,500 seats) as a home stadium.

List of champions[18][]

No Season Champion
1 1968–69 Al-Ahli
2 1974–75 Al-Nassr
- 1975–76 Not continued
3 1976–77 Al-Hilal
4 1977–78 Al-Ahli
5 1978–79 Al-Hilal
6 1979–80 Al-Nassr
7 1980–81 Al-Nassr
8 1981–82 Al-Ittihad
9 1982–83 Al-Ettifaq
10 1983–84 Al-Ahli
11 1984–85 Al-Hilal
12 1985–86 Al-Hilal
13 1986–87 Al-Ettifaq
14 1987–88 Al-Hilal
15 1988–89 Al-Nassr
16 1989–90 Al-Hilal
No. Season Champion
17 1990–91 Al-Shabab
18 1991–92 Al-Shabab
19 1992–93 Al-Shabab
20 1993–94 Al-Nassr
21 1994–95 Al-Nassr
22 1995–96 Al-Hilal
23 1996–97 Al-Ittihad
24 1997–98 Al-Hilal
25 1998–99 Al-Ittihad
26 1999–00 Al-Ittihad
27 2000–01 Al-Ittihad
28 2001–02 Al-Hilal
29 2002–03 Al-Ittihad
30 2003–04 Al-Shabab
31 2004–05 Al-Hilal
32 2005–06 Al-Shabab
33 2006–07 Al-Ittihad
No. Season Champion
34 2007–08 Al-Hilal
35 2008–09 Al-Ittihad
36 2009–10 Al-Hilal
37 2010–11 Al-Hilal
38 2011–12 Al-Shabab
39 2012–13 Al-Fateh
40 2013–14 Al-Nassr
41 2014–15 Al-Nassr
42 2015–16 Al-Ahli
43 2016–17 Al-Hilal
44 2017–18 Al-Hilal
45 2018–19 Al-Nassr
46 2019–20 Al-Hilal
47 2020–21 Al-Hilal

Performance by club[]

Most successful clubs[]

# Club Winners Runners-up
1 Al-Hilal
17
13
2 Al-Nassr
9
6
3 Al Ittihad
8
7
4 Al-Shabab
6
4
5 Al-Ahli
4
9
6 Al-Ettifaq
2
1
7 Al-Fateh
1
0
8 Al-Riyadh
0
1

Total titles won by city[]

City Number of titles Clubs
Riyadh
32
 Al-Hilal (17), Al-Nassr (9), Al-Shabab (6)
Jeddah
12
 Al-Ittihad (8), Al-Ahli (4)
Dammam
2
 Al-Ettifaq (2)
Al-Hasa
1
 Al-Fateh (1)

[4]

Top scorers[]

Most goals[]

As of matches played 21 October 2021[19][20]

Boldface indicates a player still active in the Pro League.

Rank Player Club(s) Years Goals Apps Ratio
1 Saudi Arabia Majed Abdullah Al-Nassr 1977–1997 189 194 0.97
2 Saudi Arabia Nasser Al-Shamrani Al-Wehda, Al-Shabab, Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad 2003–2019 167 301 0.55
3 Syria Omar Al Somah Al-Ahli 2014– 137 162 0.94
4 Saudi Arabia Al-Riyadh 1985–2000 120 252 0.48
5 Saudi Arabia Yasser Al-Qahtani Al-Qadsiah, Al-Hilal 2000–2018 112 206 0.56
6 Saudi Arabia Mohammad Al-Sahlawi Al-Qadsiah, Al-Nassr, Al-Shabab, Al-Taawoun 2005– 106 244 0.45
7 Saudi Arabia Sami Al-Jaber Al-Hilal 1988–2007 101 268 0.38
8 Saudi Arabia Hamzah Idris Ohod, Al-Ittihad 1992–2007 96 N/A
9 Saudi Arabia Obeid Al-Dosari Al-Wehda, Al-Ahli 1996–2005 93 N/A

Top scorers by season[]

Season Nat. Top scorer(s) Club(s) Goals
1975–76 Saudi Arabia Mohammad S. Abdeli Al-Nassr 13
1976–77 Saudi Arabia Al-Qadsiah 12
1977–78 Saudi Arabia Al-Ahli 14
1978–79 Saudi Arabia Majed Abdullah Al-Nassr 18
1979–80 Saudi Arabia Majed Abdullah Al-Nassr 17
1980–81 Saudi Arabia Majed Abdullah Al-Nassr 21
1981–82 Saudi Arabia Al-Shabab 22
1982–83 Saudi Arabia Majed Abdullah Al-Nassr 14
1983–84 Saudi Arabia Al-Ahli 14
1984–85 Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal 15
1985–86 Saudi Arabia Majed Abdullah Al-Nassr 15
1986–87 Saudi Arabia Al-Ittihad 17
1987–88 Saudi Arabia Al-Shabab 12
1988–89 Saudi Arabia Majed Abdullah Al-Nassr 19
1989–90 Saudi Arabia Sami Al-Jaber Al-Hilal 16
1990–91 Saudi Arabia Fahad Al-Mehallel Al-Shabab 20
1991–92 Saudi Arabia Saeed Al-Owairan Al-Shabab 16
1992–93 Saudi Arabia Sami Al-Jaber Al-Hilal 18
1993–94 Senegal Moussa Ndao Al-Hilal 15
1994–95 Saudi Arabia Al-Riyadh 15
1995–96 Ghana Ohene Kennedy Al-Nassr 14
1996–97 Morocco Ahmed Bahja Al-Ittihad 21
1997–98 Saudi Arabia Al-Najma 15
1998–99 Saudi Arabia Obeid Al-Dosari Al-Wehda 20
1999–00 Saudi Arabia Hamzah Idris Al-Ittihad 33
2000–01 Angola Al-Ettifaq 13
2001–02 Senegal Al-Riyadh 10
2002–03 Ecuador Carlos Tenorio Al-Nassr 15
2003–04 Ghana
Ivory Coast		 Godwin Attram
Kandia Traoré		 Al-Shabab
Al-Hilal		 15
2004–05 Senegal Mohammed Manga Al-Shabab 15
2005–06 Saudi Arabia Essa Al-Mehyani Al-Wehda 16
2006–07 Ghana Godwin Attram Al-Shabab 13
Saudi Arabia Nasser Al-Shamrani Al-Shabab 18
2008–09 Saudi Arabia
Morocco		 Nasser Al-Shamrani
Hicham Aboucherouane		 Al-Shabab
Al-Ittihad		 12
2009–10 Saudi Arabia Mohammad Al-Shalhoub Al-Hilal 12
2010–11 Saudi Arabia Nasser Al-Shamrani Al-Shabab 17
2011–12 Saudi Arabia
Brazil		 Nasser Al-Shamrani
Victor Simões		 Al-Shabab
Al-Ahli		 21
2012–13 Argentina Sebastián Tagliabué Al-Shabab 19
2013–14 Saudi Arabia Nasser Al-Shamrani Al-Hilal 21
2014–15 Syria Omar Al Somah Al-Ahli 22
2015–16 Syria Omar Al Somah Al-Ahli 27
2016–17 Syria Omar Al Somah Al-Ahli 24
2017–18 Chile Ronnie Fernández Al-Fayha 13
2018–19 Morocco Abderrazak Hamdallah Al-Nassr 34
2019–20 Morocco Abderrazak Hamdallah Al-Nassr 29
2020–21 France Bafétimbi Gomis Al-Hilal 24

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ The notation used in the logo is "SPL" or "MBS".
  2. ^ Official SAFF site in English
  3. ^ Aboulkheir, Rajia (25 February 2015). "Meet Jameel, the Saudi Football League's new showman". Al Arabiya English. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
  4. ^ "Abdul Latif Jameel marks a year of success at SIMS '13". Saudi Gazette. 3 January 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
  5. ^ "Jameel League sponsorship hits the target". Opening Doors. Abdul Latif Jameel. Winter 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
  6. ^ Varvodic, Marin (24 January 2016). "Al RiyadyaTV (Saudi Sport) – live on sat football via Nilesat 7°W". SportEventz. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
  7. ^ "Live Scores – Clubs: Al Hilalclub_hint=Al Nassr". =FIFA. Archived from the original on August 1, 2009.
  8. ^ دوري المحترفين السعودي, ويكيبيديا، الموسوعة الحرة (in Arabic), 2019-05-16, retrieved 2019-05-18
  9. ^ "Morocco's Abderrazak Hamdallah breaks scoring record in Saudi Arabia". 19 April 2019 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  10. ^ لائحة المسابقات والبطولات بالإتحاد العربي السعودي لكرة القدم [Regulations of Saudi Arabian Football Federation Competitions] (PDF) (in Arabic). Saudi Arabian Football Federation. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
  11. ^ "Prince Sultan Sport City Stadium (Mahalah)".
  12. ^ "Al batin Club Stadiuem".
  13. ^ "Prince Mohammed Bin Fahad Stadium".
  14. ^ "ملعب الأحساء ينهي استعداداته لاستقبال العائلات".
  15. ^ "Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Sports City Stadium".
  16. ^ "Alhazm Club Stadium".
  17. ^ "استاد الأمير عبدالعزيز بن مساعد بن جلوي". kooora.com. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
  18. ^ "Saudi Arabia - List of Champions". www.rsssf.com. Retrieved 2019-11-26.
  19. ^ "احصائيات هدافي الدوري تاريخيا والاكثر حصولا على لقب الهداف".
  20. ^ "ماجد عبد الله، السهلاوي والقحطاني وأبرز الهدافيين التاريخيين في الدوري السعودي".

External links[]

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