Wikipedia

Kuwait Premier League

The Kuwait Premier League (Arabic: الدوري الكويتي, romanized: Dawriyy al-Kuwaytī), known as Zain Premier League due to sponsorship reasons, is the top division of the Kuwait football pyramid system. Formed in 1961, Kuwait SC hold the best record in the competition, having won 18 times.

Kuwait Premier League
Founded1961; 63 years ago (1961)
CountryKuwait Kuwait
ConfederationAFC
Number of teams10
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toKuwaiti Division One
Domestic cup(s)Kuwait Emir Cup
Kuwait Crown Prince Cup
Kuwait Federation Cup
Kuwait Super Cup
International cup(s)AFC Champions League 2
UAFA Club Championship
Current championsKuwait SC (18th title)
(2022–23)
Most championshipsKuwait SC (18 titles)
Top goalscorerKuwait Bader Al-Mutawa
(167 goals)
TV partnersSHASHA
Current: 2023–24 Kuwaiti Premier League

History edit

The Kuwaiti Premier League officially began in the 1961/62 season, after playing unofficially for eight years (played with group of clubs: "Ahli - Al Jazeera - Arabism - Gulf - Solidarity - Al-Qubali, Al-Nahda, Al-Sharqai, Al-Merqab, Al-Mawalim and Al-Taawon). National companies and ministries were club's first sponsors.

1960s edit

In the 1961/1962 season, several new clubs joined (Al-Arabi, Qadsia, Kuwait SC, Kifan High School, Shuwaikh Secondary School, Industrial College and Police Team). Al-Arabi won the league title without losing, and winning 7 points ahead of Qadsia, scoring 42 goals and conceding 10.

In the following season, the number of teams was reduced to 7. Al-Arabi managed to win the second title in a row after winning 18 points ahead of Qadsia, scoring 45 goals and conceding 6.

The third season of the league almost witnessed the end of Arabi monopoly, after fierce competition from Qadsia and other teams. Arabi and Qadsia were equal on points before the decisive match. Arabi managed to maintain the title after defeating Qadsia 2-0, scoring overall 42 goals and conceding nine.

In the fourth season, school teams were removed from participating and league saw participation of 3 new clubs (Salmiya, Fahaheel and Al-Shabab). The Kuwait Club managed to end the Arabi monopoly to achieve its first title, after winning the competition without any defeat.

The 1960s witnessed a sweep of the Arabi club when it won six titles against two titles for Kuwait and a title for Qadsia.

1970s edit

The 1970 era began with Qadsia's winning the 1971/1970 season, for the second time in its history. Al-Arabi lost its championship in a strange way during ten years. They did not win any title during this period until the end of the 1979/1980 season.

1980s edit

The eighties witnessed three new league champions, namely Al-Salmiya who won its first title in the 1980/81 season, and Kazma club which won the titles of 1985/86 and 1986/87, as well as Jahra club, which ended the 1980s by winning the title.

1990s edit

The league championship was not held in the 1990–91 season because of Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Competition began again in the 1991–92 season, which was held as group system with qualification. Old format returned with participation of 14 teams in the 1994–95 season. Era of the nineties witnessed a parity between clubs, where both Al-Arabi and Al-Salmiya won 3 titles, and Qadsia and Kazma two.

2000s edit

At the beginning of a new millennium, Kuwait SC achieved the league championship after a long absence of 22 years, followed by victory of Al-Arabi for the sixteenth time in its history in the 2001–02 season. Since then until 2020–21 season, Qadsia has won nine titles while Kuwait Club won five. Al-Arabi was able to break their dominance and win the mentioned season title.

Previous winners edit

Source:[1]

By season edit

Most titles edit

Club Titles Seasons
Kuwait SC
18
 1964–65, 1967–68, 1971–72, 1973–74, 1976–77, 1978–79, 2000–01, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2021–22, 2022–23
Al-Arabi
17
 1961–62, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1969–70, 1979–80, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1979–88, 1988–89, 1992–93, 1996–97, 2001–02, 2020–21
Qadsia
17
 1968–69, 1970–71, 1972–73, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1977–78, 1991–92, 1998–99, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2015–16
Kazma
4
 1985–86, 1986–87, 1993–94, 1995–96
Al-Salmiya
4
 1980–81, 1994–95, 1997–98, 1999–2000
Al-Jahra
1
 1989–90

Total titles won by Governorate edit

Governorate Number of titles Clubs
Al Asimah
39
 Kuwait SC (18), Al-Arabi (17), Kazma (4)
Hawalli
21
 Qadisia (17), Al-Salmiya (4)
Jahra
1
 Al-Jahra (1)

Topscorers edit

All-time top scorers edit

As of 8 April 2024
Rank Players Goals Club(s)
1   Bader Al-Mutawa 167 Qadsia
2   Firas Al-Khatib 162 Al-Nasr, Al-Arabi, Qadsia, Al-Salmiya, Kuwait
3   Jasem Yaqoub 146 Qadsia
4   Faisal Al-Dakhil 141 Qadsia
5   Yussef Al-Suwayed 137 Kazma
6   Patrick Fabiano 133 Al-Nasr, Kazma, Al-Salmiya, Kuwait
7   Ali Marwi 111 Al-Salmiya
8   Abdulrahman Al-Dawla 105 Al-Arabi
9   Bashar Abdullah 104 Al-Salmiya, Kuwait
10   Anbar Sayed 90 Al-Arabi

Topscorers by season edit

Table key
Record number of goals
Year[2] Top scorers Team Goals
1961–62   Khalifa Al-Shatti Qadsia 21
  Saleh Zakaria Al-Kuliya Al-Sanaya
1962–63   Abdulrahman Al-Dawla Al-Arabi 15
1963–64   Othman Al-Ossimi Qadsia 17
1964–65   Abdulrahman Al-Dawla Al-Arabi 16
1965–66   Abdulrahman Al-Dawla Al-Arabi 22
1966–67   Abdulrahman Al-Dawla Al-Arabi 12
1967–68   Mohamed Yusif Al-Salmiya 6
1968–69   Mohamed Al-Misud Qadsia 6
  Ali Hasiz Arti Al-Arabi
1969–70   Hassan Shehata Kazma 7
1970–71   Hassan Shehata Kazma 9
1971–72   Mohamed Al Misud Qadsia 7
  Hassan Shehata Kazma
1972–73   Ali Al-Mali Al-Arabi 16
1973–74   Jasem Yaqoub Qadsia 10
1974–75   Jasem Yaqoub Qadsia 25
1975–76   Jasem Yaqoub Qadsia 16
1976–77   Faisal Al-Dakhil Qadsia 12
  Jasem Yaqoub Qadsia
1977–78   Saud Buhamad Qadsia 10
1978–79   Ali Al-Mali Al-Arabi 10
1979–80   Jasem Yaqoub Qadsia 31
1980–81   Faisal Al-Dakhil Qadsia 19
  Ahmad Khalaf Al-Arabi
1981–82   Tariq Najm Kazma 16
1982–83   Talib Hasin Sulaibikhat 23
1983–84   Yussef Al-Suwayed Kazma 26
1984–85   Faisal Al-Dakhil Qadsia 22
1985–86   Salah Al-Masnad Kazma 9
1986–87   Nassir Al-Ghanem Kazma 9
1987–88   Faisal Al-Dakhil Qadsia 11
1988–89   Bader Al-Anbari Kazma 8
1989–90   Khaled Al-Nasr Al-Arabi 8
1991–92   Jassem Al Houwaidi Al-Salmiya 10
1992–93   Ali Marwi Al-Salmiya 10
1993–94   Hamad Al Salah Qadsia 12
  Nawaf Jadid Al Jahra
1994–95   Roman Hanus Kazma 13
1995–96   Luiz Carlos Kazma 14
1996–97   Luiz Carlos Kazma 11
1997–98   Ali Marwi Al-Salmiya 28
1998–99   Ali Marwi Al-Salmiya 22
1999–2000   Bashar Abdullah Al-Salmiya 11
2000–01   Faraj Laheeb
  Bashar Abdullah		 Kuwait
Al-Salmiya		 10
2001–02   Malek John Kazma 10
2002–03   Dênis Marques Kuwait 9
2003–04   Khalaf Al Salamah Qadsia 12
2004–05   Firas Al Khatib Al-Arabi 13
2005–06   Hamad Al Harbi Al-Fahaheel 22
2006–07   Bashar Abdullah Kuwait 10
2007–08   Ahmad Ajab Qadsia 14
2008–09   Careca Kuwait 13
2009–10   Ismail Al Ajmi Kuwait 13
2010–11   Firas Al Khatib Qadsia 14
2011–12   Vinícius Lopes Al-Jahra 9
2012–13   Rogerinho Kuwait 11
2013–14   Omar Al Soma Qadsia 23[3]
2014–15   Patrick Fabiano Kazma 22[4]
2015–16   Firas Al Khatib Al-Arabi 23[5]
2016–17   David da Silva Qadsia 14[6]
2017–18   Faisal Ajab Al Tadhamon 15
2018–19   Hussain Al-Musawi Al-Arabi 17
2019–20   Yousef Nasser
  Patrick Fabiano		 Kuwait
Al-Salmiya		 14
2020–21   Oday Dabbagh Al-Arabi 13
2021–22   Shabaib Al-Khaldi Kazma 11
2022–23   Taha Yassine Khenissi Kuwait 20

Participation by the years edit

Notes:

References edit

  1. ^ Atsushi Fujioka (6 May 2016). "Kuwait – List of Champions". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 28 September 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  2. ^ "الاتحاد الكويتي لكرة القدم". Archived from the original on 2016-08-14. Retrieved 2016-07-07.
  3. ^ "دوري VIVA الكويت". www.kooora.com. Archived from the original on 2016-08-17. Retrieved 2016-07-06.
  4. ^ "دوري VIVA الكويت". www.kooora.com. Archived from the original on 2016-08-17. Retrieved 2016-07-06.
  5. ^ "دوري VIVA الكويت". www.kooora.com. Archived from the original on 2016-07-03. Retrieved 2016-07-06.
  6. ^ "دوري VIVA الكويت". www.kooora.com. Archived from the original on 2017-05-20. Retrieved 2017-05-26.

External links edit

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