# 2023 Ýokary Liga

The 2023 Ýokary Liga was the 31st edition of the top tier professional Yokary Liga football annual competition in Turkmenistan administered by the Football Federation of Turkmenistan.
The champions were determined on the 23rd matchday, played on 3rd December 2023. FK Arkadag claimed their first championship title, defeating FC Altyn Asyr by 4–0. FK Arkadag won the Liga in 2023 without dropping a single point. This feat came within a 24 matches winning streak, from 18 April to 20 December 2023, a national record. Altyn Asyr finished second to Arkadag.

## Season events

Prior to the start of the season, the Football Federation of Turkmenistan announced that the Liga season would consist of 9 teams, consist of three rounds, and begin on 14 April.

## Teams

9 teams contested in the Liga – the top 8 teams from the previous season and a new FK Arkadag
| Team | Location | Venue | Capacity |
| Arkadag | Arkadag | Nusaý Stadium Arkadag Stadium | 3,000 10,000 |
| Ahal | Anau (Ahal Region) | Ashgabat Stadium | 20,000 |
| Altyn Asyr | Ashgabat | Buzmeyin Sport Complex | 10,000 |
| Aşgabat | Ashgabat | Ashgabat Stadium | 20,000 |
| Nebitçi | Balkanabat | Balkanabat Sport Complex (Balkan Region) | 10,000 |
| Energetik | Saparmyrat Türkmenbaşy, Mary District (Mary Region) | Energetik Stadium (Mary) | 1,000 |
| Köpetdag Aşgabat | Ashgabat | Köpetdag Stadium | 26,000 |
| Merw | Mary (Mary Region) | Mary Sport Complex | 10,000 |
| Şagadam | Türkmenbaşy (Balkan Region) | Şagadam Stadium | 5,000 |

## Personnel and sponsoring

| Team | Manager/head coach | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Sponsor |
| Arkadag | Wladimir Baýramow | Arslanmyrat Amanow | Jako | Arkadag City |
| Ahal | Serdar Geldiýew | | Hummel | TNÖ |
| Altyn Asyr | Ýazguly Hojageldiýew | | Nike | TM CELL |
| Aşgabat | Said Seýidow | | Jako | |
| Nebitçi | Amanmyrat Meredow | | Jako | |
| Energetik | Rahmanguly Baýlyýew | | Kelme | |
| Köpetdag Aşgabat | Tofik Şükürow | | Nike | |
| Merw | Witaliý Alikperow | Merdan Saparow | Jako | Türkmengaz |
| Şagadam | Aleksandr Klimenko | | Joma | |

## Regular season
### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Arkadag (C) | 24 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 83 | 17 | +66 | 72 | Qualification for AFC Challenge League group stage |
| 2 | Altyn Asyr | 24 | 17 | 3 | 4 | 57 | 26 | +31 | 54 | Qualification for AFC Champions League Two Playoffs |
| 3 | Nebitçi | 24 | 13 | 4 | 7 | 41 | 31 | +10 | 43 | |
| 4 | Ahal | 24 | 12 | 2 | 10 | 41 | 32 | +9 | 38 | |
| 5 | Aşgabat | 24 | 9 | 3 | 12 | 35 | 51 | −16 | 30 | |
| 6 | Köpetdag Aşgabat | 24 | 8 | 4 | 12 | 31 | 49 | −18 | 28 | |
| 7 | Energetik | 24 | 5 | 2 | 17 | 16 | 46 | −30 | 17 | |
| 8 | Şagadam | 24 | 3 | 5 | 16 | 16 | 41 | −25 | 14 | |
| 9 | Merw | 24 | 3 | 5 | 16 | 17 | 44 | −27 | 14 | |
* ↑ Arkadag only have AFC Challenge League license.

### Results

| Home \ Away | AHA | ALT | ARK | ASG | ENE | KOP | MER | NEB | SAG | AHA | ALT | ARK | ASG | ENE | KOP | MER | NEB | SAG |
| Ahal | | 0–2 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | | | | 2–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | | 2–2 | |
| Altyn Asyr | 1–2 | | 1–2 | 7–2 | 3–0 | 6–1 | 4–1 | 0–0 | 4–0 | 2–1 | | | 4–0 | | 5–1 | | 2–1 | |
| Arkadag | 5–2 | 4–1 | | 2–0 | 6–1 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 5–0 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 4–0 | | | | | 6–0 | | 3–2 |
| Aşgabat | 0–4 | 0–1 | 2–4 | | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | | | 1–4 | | 1–1 | | 2–0 | | 3–0 |
| Energetik | 0–1 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 0–1 | | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 1–0 | | 1–2 | 0–2 | | | | 1–0 | | 0–0 |
| Köpetdag Aşgabat | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 1–4 | 1–2 | | 4–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | | | 0–3 | 1–3 | 2–1 | | | 2–2 | |
| Merw | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | | 1–2 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | | | | 0–1 | | 1–1 | |
| Nebitçi | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 6–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | | 2–1 | | | 0–4 | 4–2 | 2–0 | | | | 2–0 |
| Şagadam | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–2 | | 29 Dec | 1–2 | | | | 0–0 | 2–1 | | |

### Results by round

| Team ╲ Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| Ahal | W | L | L | L | L | L | L | P | L | P | W | P | W | L | W | W | | |
| Altyn Asyr | D | W | P | W | D | W | W | L | W | W | L | P | P | W | W | W | | W |
| Arkadag | P | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | P | P | W | W | W | W | W | | |
| Aşgabat | W | P | L | W | L | W | L | L | W | D | P | L | W | L | L | L | D | |
| Energetik | L | L | W | L | L | P | L | W | L | P | W | W | L | L | P | L | L | L |
| Köpetdag Aşgabat | W | W | L | W | D | D | P | W | L | W | L | L | L | L | P | P | | |
| Merw | L | L | W | L | P | D | D | L | L | D | P | P | P | P | P | W | W | |
| Nebitçi | D | W | W | P | W | L | W | L | W | L | W | W | P | W | L | L | | |
| Şagadam | L | L | L | L | W | L | D | W | P | L | L | L | L | W | L | L | D | |

## Season statistics
### Hat-tricks

| Player | For | Against | Result | Date | Ref |
| Didar Durdyýew | Arkadag | Energetik | 5–2 (H) | 26 May 2023 | |
| Rakhman Muratberdiev | Ahal | Köpetdag Aşgabat | 6–1 (H) | 19 August 2023 | |
* $^4$ Player scored 4 goals

## Overall

* Most wins – FK Arkadag (24)
* Fewest losses – FK Arkadag (0)
* Most goals scored – FK Arkadag (83)
* Fewest goals conceded – FK Arkadag (17)

## Top scorers

| Rank | Player | Team | Goals |
| 1 | Didar Durdyýew | FK Arkadag | 27 |
| 2 | Wahyt Orazsähedow | FC Altyn Asyr | 12 |
| 3 | Myrat Annaýew | FC Altyn Asyr | 11 |