Bahraini Premier League

Premier League
2014–15 Bahrain First Division League
Founded
1956
Nation
 Bahrain
Number of Teams
10
Asian Qualification
AFC Champions League
AFC Cup
Cups
King's Cup
FA Cup
Crown Prince Cup
Most time Champions
Muharraq Club (32)
Current Champions (2014)
Bahrain Riffa Club

The Bahraini Premier League is the main football competition in Bahrain. The first season was held in 1957. The winners of the domestic championship qualify for the AFC Cup. The championship is currently contested by 10 clubs.

Structure

Current structure

10 clubs currently play a two round robin set of fixtures totalling 18 games in order to determine the league champions. Although games are played on a home and away basis, almost all games are played at the National Stadium.

The bottom placed club is relegated with the team finishing second bottom entering a relegation/promotion playoff match.

Previous structures

In seasons gone by, the league has been radically overhauled to feature all the professional clubs of Bahrain. Instances being the 2008-09 and 2002 league seasons. The leagues featuring up to 19 teams would play each other on one occasion with the top 10 teams staying in the Premier League top flight and the bottom sides (from 11 to 19) forming the next seasons 2nd division.

Between the seasons of 2002 and 2009, the top four sides of the league would also play in the Crown Prince Cup.

Bahraini Premier League - 2014/15

Team re-structuring

In 2002, a host of clubs were amalgamated together:

[*1] Bahrain are an amalgamation of Bahrain and Al-Khaleej
[*2] Riffa are an amalgamation of West Riffa and Zallaq
[*3] Al-Najma are an amalgamation of Al-Hilal, Al-Qadisiya and Ras Al-Rumman
[*4] Al-Sahel are an amalgamation of Qalali and Hadd
[*5] Al-Tadamun are an amalgamation of Boori, Karazkan, Hamla, Reef Union and Damastan
[*6] Al-Shabab are an amalgamation of Deyya, Sanabis, Jadd Hafs, Naeem, Karrana, Sahla and Karbabad
[*7] Al-Ittifaq are an amalgamation of Al-Arabi, Maqaba and Bani Jumra

List of champions

Champions are:[1]

Total championships

The number of national championships that clubs in Bahrain have attained.

Club
Number of Championships
Al-Muharraq SC32
Al-Riffa SC (includes West Riffa)11
Bahrain SC5
Al-Ahli (Manama)5
Arabi Club1
Al Hala Club1
Al-Nasr1
East Riffa SCC1
Busaiteen1

Top scorers

Year Best scorers Team Goals
2003–04 Bahrain Duaij Naser Abdulla Muharraq Club 15
2004–05 Bahrain Salman Isa Bahrain Riffa Club 15
2005–06 Bahrain Jaycee John Al-Ahli 17
2006–07 Brazil Rico Bahrain Riffa Club 25
2007–08 Bahrain Jaycee John Muharraq Club 24
2008–09 Bahrain Abdulrahman Mubarak Bahrain Riffa Club 14
2009–10 Brazil Rico Muharraq Club 17
2010–11 Brazil
Bahrain
Diego Silva
Abdulrahman Mubarak
Al-Ahli
Bahrain Riffa Club
13

References

  1. "Bahrain - List of Champions". RSSSF. Retrieved 3 March 2012.

External links