# Saudi First Division League

The Saudi First Division League (Arabic: دوري الدرجة الأولى السعودي), currently known as the Yelo League for sponsorship reasons, is the second tier of professional football in Saudi Arabia. It ranks below the Saudi Pro League and above the Saudi Second Division League in the Saudi Arabian football league system.

## History

The league was founded in 1976 alongside the Premier League Which is now known as the Saudi Pro League.
being the second-tier league it allows the first tier league clubs to either discover talents or send players on loan so they can develop.
Hajer, Al-Wehda and Al-Qadsiah hold the record number of championships in the league with four. While Ohod holds the record for number of promotions from the First Division to the top Division with nine.

## Competition format

    As of 2024
There are 18 clubs in the Saudi First Division League. During the course of a season (usually from August to May) each club plays the other clubs twice (a double round-robin system), once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents, for 34 games. Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss.
The top two teams are promoted to the Saudi Pro League directly, a play-off system to determine the third team to be promoted alongside the two. Teams placed between third and sixth position took part in the promotion play-offs. The fifth-placed would face the fourth, while the sixth-placed team would face the third. The final would be single-legged, hosted by the higher-placed team, while the bottom three teams are relegated to the Saudi Second Division League.
Each club can have a maximum of 25 players and a minimum of 16. The list can include up to 4 foreign players and 1 player born in Saudi Arabia, with the remaining players being all Saudi. Additionally, the goalkeeper position will be exclusive to Saudi players starting from the 2025–26 season.

## Current clubs

For details on the FD League 2024–25 season, see here.

### Stadium and locations

    Note: Table lists in alphabetical order.
| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
| Abha | Abha | Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium | 20,000 |
| Al-Adalah | Al-Hasa | Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium Hajer Club Stadium | 26,000 12,000 |
| Al-Ain | Al Atawlah | King Saud Sport City Stadium | 10,000 |
| Al-Arabi | Unaizah | Department of Education Stadium | 10,000 |
| Al-Batin | Hafar al-Batin | Al-Batin Club Stadium | 6,000 |
| Al-Bukiryah | Al Bukayriyah | Al-Bukiryah Club Stadium | 5,000 |
| Al-Faisaly | Harmah | Al Majma'ah Sports City (Al Majma'ah) | 7,000 |
| Al-Hazem | Ar Rass | Al-Hazem Club Stadium | 8,000 |
| Al-Jabalain | Ha'il | Prince Abdul Aziz bin Musa'ed Stadium | 12,250 |
| Al-Jandal | Dumat al-Jandal | Al-Orobah Club Stadium (Sakakah) | 7,000 |
| Al-Jubail | Jubail | Al-Jubail Club Stadium | 3,000 |
| Al-Najma | Unaizah | Department of Education Stadium Al-Najma Club Stadium | 10,000 7,000 |
| Al-Safa | Safwa | Al-Safa Club Stadium Prince Saud bin Jalawi Stadium (Khobar) Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium (Dammam) | 3,000 15,000 26,000 |
| Al-Tai | Ha'il | Prince Abdulaziz bin Musa'ed Sports City | 12,000 |
| Al-Zulfi | Al Zulfi | Al-Zulfi Club Stadium | 3,080 |
| Jeddah Club | Jeddah | Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium Sports Hall at King Abdullah Sports City | 27,000 1,000 |
| Neom SC | Tabuk | King Khalid Sport City Stadium | 12,000 |
| Ohod | Medina | Ohod Club Stadium | 5,000 |

## Champions
### Champions and Runners-up

| Season | Winners | Runners-up |
| 1976–77 | Al-Nahda | Al-Ettifaq |
| 1977–78 | Al-Riyadh | Al-Tai |
| 1978–79 | Al-Shabab | Ohod |
| 1979–80 | Al-Jabalain | Al-Riyadh |
| 1980–81 | Ohod | Al-Rawdhah |
| 1981–82 | Not held$^1$ | Not held$^1$ |
| 1982–83 | Al-Wehda | Al-Riyadh |
| 1983–84 | Ohod | Al-Jabalain |
| 1984–85 | Al-Tai | Al-Kawkab |
| 1985–86 | Al-Ansar | Al-Raed |
| 1986–87 | Al-Kawkab | Ohod |
| 1987–88 | Hajer | Al-Rawdhah |
| 1988–89 | Al-Riyadh | Al-Raed |
| 1989–90 | Al-Najma | Al-Arabi |
| 1990–91 | Al-Nahda | Ohod |
| Season | Winners | Runners-up |
| 1991–92 | Al-Raed | Al-Najma |
| 1992–93 | Al-Nahda | Ohod |
| 1993–94 | Al-Najma | Al-Rawdhah |
| 1994–95 | Al-Tai | Al-Taawoun |
| 1995–96 | Al-Wehda | Al-Ansar |
| 1996–97 | Al-Taawoun | Al-Shoulla |
| 1997–98 | Hajer | Al-Ansar |
| 1998–99 | Sdoos | Al-Raed |
| 1999–2000 | Al-Ansar | Al-Qadsiah |
| 2000–01 | Al-Tai | Al-Shoulla |
| 2001–02 | Al-Qadsiah | Al-Raed |
| 2002–03 | Al-Wehda | Al-Khaleej |
| 2003–04 | Ohod | Al-Ansar |
| 2004–05 | Al-Hazem | Abha |
| 2005–06 | Al-Khaleej | Al-Faisaly |
| Season | Winners | Runners-up |
| 2006–07 | Al-Watani | Najran |
| 2007–08 | Al-Raed | Abha |
| 2008–09 | Al-Qadsiah | Al-Fateh |
| 2009–10 | Al-Faisaly | Al-Taawoun |
| 2010–11 | Hajer | Al-Ansar |
| 2011–12 | Al-Shoulla | Al-Wehda |
| 2012–13 | Al-Orobah | Al-Nahda |
| 2013–14 | Hajer | Al-Khaleej |
| 2014–15 | Al-Qadsiah | Al-Wehda |
| 2015–16 | Al-Ettifaq | Al-Batin |
| 2016–17 | Al-Fayha | Ohod |
| 2017–18 | Al-Wehda | Al-Hazem |
| 2018–19 | Abha | Damac |
| 2019–20 | Al-Batin | Al-Qadsiah |
| 2020–21 | Al-Hazem | Al-Fayha |
| Season | Winners | Runners-up |
| 2021–22 | Al-Khaleej | Al-Adalah |
| 2022–23 | Al-Ahli | Al-Hazem |
| 2023–24 | Al-Qadsiah | Al-Orobah |

#### Note

    $^1$First Division and Premier League were merged in 1981–82 out of concern for the 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification process.

### Performance by club

| Club | Winners | Winning years |
| Hajer | 4 | 1988, 1998, 2011, 2014 |
| Al-Wehda | 4 | 1983, 1996, 2003, 2018 |
| Al-Qadsiah | 4 | 2002, 2009, 2015, 2024 |
| Al-Nahda | 3 | 1977, 1991, 1993 |
| Al-Tai | 3 | 1985, 1995, 2001 |
| Ohod | 3 | 1981, 1984, 2004 |
| Al-Riyadh | 2 | 1978, 1989 |
| Al-Najma | 2 | 1990, 1994 |
| Al-Ansar | 2 | 1986, 2000 |
| Al-Raed | 2 | 1992, 2008 |
| Al-Hazem | 2 | 2005, 2021 |
| Al-Khaleej | 2 | 2006, 2022 |
| Al-Shabab | 1 | 1979 |
| Al-Jabalain | 1 | 1980 |
| Al-Kawkab | 1 | 1987 |
| Al-Taawoun | 1 | 1997 |
| Sdoos | 1 | 1999 |
| Al-Watani | 1 | 2007 |
| Al-Faisaly | 1 | 2010 |
| Al-Shoulla | 1 | 2012 |
| Al-Orobah | 1 | 2013 |
| Al-Ettifaq | 1 | 2016 |
| Al-Fayha | 1 | 2017 |
| Abha | 1 | 2019 |
| Al-Batin | 1 | 2020 |
| Al-Ahli | 1 | 2023 |

## Top scorers

    As of the 2023–2024 season
| Nat. | Top Scorers | Club | Season | Goals |
| | Mbaye Diagne | Al-Qadsiah | 2023–24 | 26 |
| | Ablaye Mbengue | Al-Arabi | 2022–23 | 29 |
| | Carolus Andria | Ohod | 2021–22 | 25 |
| | Ibrahim Diomandé | Ohod | 2020–21 | 24 |
| | Ousmane Barry | Al-Bukiryah | 2019–20 | 27 |
| | Carolus Andria | Al-Adalah | 2018–19 | 22 |
| | Mashari Al-Enezi | Al-Tai | 2017–18 | 21 |
| | Abdulfattah Adam | Al-Jeel | 2016–17 | 20 |
| | Abdulfattah Adam | Al-Jeel | 2015–16 | 20 |
| | Mousa Madkhali | Al-Wehda | 2014–15 | 20 |
| | Hamad Al-Juhaim | Al-Tai | 2013–14 | 20 |
| | Mousa Madkhali | Hetten | 2012–13 | 22 |
| | Younes Alaiwi | Al-Batin | 2011–12 | 21 |
| | Hussain Al-Turki | Al-Khaleej | 2010–11 | 20 |
| | Hussain Al-Turki | Al-Khaleej | 2009–10 | 16 |
| | Mohammad Al-Sahlawi Mohammad Al-helo | Al-Qadsiah Sdoos | 2008–09 | 15 |
| | Khalid Al Rejaib | Hajer | 2007–08 | 9 |
| | Al-Hasan Al-Yami | Najran | 2006–07 | 20 |
| | Mubarak Al Khaleefah | Al-Khaleej | 2005–06 | 18 |
| | Mohammed Abuarad | Abha | 2004–05 | 19 |
| | Mohammed Abuarad | Abha | 2003–04 | 15 |
| | Mohammed Abuarad | Abha | 2002–03 | 16 |
| | Mohammed Manga | Sdoos | 2001–02 | 12 |
| | Mohammed Abuarad | Abha | 2000–01 | 14 |
| | Mohammed Harshan | Najran | 1999–00 | 11 |
| | Mubarak Al Khaleefah | Al-Rawdhah | 1998–99 | 13 |
| | | | 1997–98 | |
| | Mousa Sahab | Al-Taawoun | 1996–97 | |
| | Obeid Al-Dosari | Al-Wehda | 1995–96 | |
| | Yehey Jako | Al-Tai | 1994–95 | 11 |
| | Khalid Al-Mansour | Al-Arabi | 1993–94 | 15 |
| | Hamzah Idris | Ohod | 1992–93 | 10 |
| | Sulaiman Al Hadaithi Mohamed Al Khalifa Nasser Al-Qahtani | Al-Najma Hajer Al-Rawdhah | 1991–92 | 11 |
| | Ahmed Al-Zaaq | Al-Taawoun | 1990–91 | 11 |
| | Khalid Al-Mansour Hamzah Idris | Al-Arabi Ohod | 1989–90 | 11 |
| | Khalid Al-Mansour | Al-Arabi | 1988–89 | 14 |
| | Khalid Al-Mansour Fahd Al-Hamdan | Al-Arabi Al-Riyadh | 1987–88 | 11 |
| | Khalid Al-Mansour | Al-Arabi | 1986–87 | 16 |
| | Abdullah Al-Saab | Al-Fayha | 1985–86 | 8 |
| | Walid Sharqi | Al-Ansar | 1984–85 | |
| | Mohamed Al-Suwaiyed | Damac | 1983–84 | 11 |
| | Shaye Al-Nafisah | Al-Kawkab | 1982–83 | 12 |
| - | - | - | 1981–82 First Division and Premier League were merged in 1981–82 out of concern for the 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification process. | - |
| | Abdullah Al-Mansour | Al-Taawoun | 1980–81 | 9 |
| | Daran Al Daran | Al-Jabalain | 1979–80 | 16 |
| | | | 1978–79 | |
| | | | 1977–78 | |
| | | | 1976–77 | |

## Sponsorship

Sponsorship Names
* No sponsorship (1976–2011)
* Rakaa league (2012–2013)
* No sponsorship (2014–2020)
* Yelo league (2021–present)