The Bahraini Premier League is the main football competition in the kingdom of Bahrain. Currently known as the Nasser bin Hamad Premier League, the first season was held in 1957. The winners of the domestic championship qualify for the AFC Champions League 2. The championship is currently contested by 12 clubs.
Founded | 1956 |
---|---|
Country | Bahrain |
Confederation | AFC |
Number of teams | 12 |
Level on pyramid | 1 |
Relegation to | Bahraini Second Division |
Domestic cup(s) | King's Cup FA Cup Super Cup |
International cup(s) | AFC Champions League 2 |
Current champions | Al-Khaldiya (1st title) (2022–23) |
Most championships | Al-Muharraq (34 titles) |
Top goalscorer | Ismail Abdullatif (122) |
TV partners | Bahrain Sports TV |
Current: 2023–24 Bahraini Premier League |
12 clubs currently play a two round robin set of fixtures totaling 22 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 eleventh and twelfth-placed clubs are relegated with the ninth and tenth enter the relegation play-offs.
In earlier seasons, 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.
Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
---|---|---|---|
Al-Ahli | Manama | Al Ahli Stadium (Bahrain) | 10,000 |
Al-Hala | Muharraq | Muharraq Club Stadium | 10,000 |
Al-Hidd | Riffa | Bahrain National Stadium | 24,000 |
Al-Khaldiya | Riffa | Bahrain National Stadium | 24,000 |
Al-Muharraq | Muharraq | Al Muharraq Stadium | 20,000 |
Al-Riffa | Riffa | Bahrain National Stadium | 24,000 |
Al-Shabab | Riffa | Bahrain National Stadium | 24,000 |
Busaiteen SC | Busaiteen | ||
Al-Najma | Manama | ||
East Riffa | Riffa | Bahrain National Stadium | 24,000 |
Manama | Riffa | Bahrain National Stadium | 24,000 |
Sitra | Riffa | Bahrain National Stadium | 24,000 |
In 2002, a host of clubs were amalgamated:
Champions are:[1]
The number of national championships that clubs in Bahrain have attained.
Club |
Number of Championships |
---|---|
Al-Muharraq SC | 34 |
Al-Riffa (includes West Riffa) | 14 |
Bahrain SC | 5 |
Al-Ahli SC | 5 |
Al-Hidd | 2 |
Al-Nasr | 1 |
Al-Arabi (Al-Najma SC now) | 1 |
Al Hala | 1 |
Al-Khaldiya | 1 |
East Riffa SCC | 1 |
Busaiteen | 1 |
Malkiya SCC | 1 |
Year | Best scorers | Team | Goals | |
2003–04 | Duaij Naser Abdulla Yousif Zowaid |
Al-Muharraq | 14 [2] | |
2004–05 | Salman Isa | Al-Riffa | 15 [3] | |
2005–06 | Jaycee John Okwunwanne | Al-Ahli | 17 [4] | |
2006–07 | Rico | Al-Riffa | 25 [5] | |
2007–08 | Jaycee John Okwunwanne | Al-Muharraq | 24 [6] | |
2008–09 | Abdulrahman Mubarak | Al-Riffa | 14 [7] | |
2009–10 | Rico | Al-Muharraq | 17 [8] | |
2010–11 | |
Diego Silva Abdulrahman Mubarak |
Al-Ahli Al-Riffa |
13 |
2011–12 | Ahmed Al Khattal | Al Hala | 14 [9] | |
2012–13 | Mohammed Al Shamrani | Manama | 10 [10] | |
2013–14 | Pele | Al-Muharraq | 4 [11] | |
2014–15 | Ismail Abdullatif | Al-Muharraq | 16 [12] | |
2015–16 | Mohamed Al-Romaihi | Al-Hidd | 17 [13] | |
2016–17 | Everton | Manama Club | 11 [14] | |
2017–18 | Uche | Al Najma Club | 18 [14] | |
2018–19 | Mahamadou Dramé | Al Najma Club | 14 [15] | |
2019–20 | Kamil Al Aswad | Al-Riffa | 14 [16] | |
2020–21 | Mahdi Abduljabbar | Manama Club | 12 | |
2021–22 | Mahdi Abduljabbar | Manama Club | 17 | |
2022–23 | Mahdi Al-Humaidan | Al-Khaldiya | 14[17] |