# 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 holds the best record in the competition, having won 19 times.

## History

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source:

### By season

* 1961–62 : Al-Arabi
* 1962–63 : Al-Arabi
* 1963–64 : Al-Arabi
* 1964–65 : Al-Kuwait
* 1965–66 : Al-Arabi
* 1966–67 : Al-Arabi
* 1967–68 : Al-Kuwait
* 1968–69 : Al-Qadsia SC
* 1969–70 : Al-Arabi
* 1970–71 : Al-Qadsia SC
* 1971–72 : Al-Kuwait
* 1972–73 : Al-Qadsia SC
* 1973–74 : Al-Kuwait
* 1974–75 : Al-Qadsia SC
* 1975–76 : Al-Qadsia SC
* 1976–77 : Al-Kuwait
* 1977–78 : Al-Qadsia SC
* 1978–79 : Al-Kuwait
* 1979–80 : Al-Arabi
* 1980–81 : Al-Salmiya
* 1981–82 : Al-Arabi
* 1982–83 : Al-Arabi
* 1983–84 : Al-Arabi
* 1984–85 : Al-Arabi
* 1985–86 : Kazma
* 1986–87 : Kazma
* 1987–88 : Al-Arabi
* 1988–89 : Al-Arabi
* 1989–90 : Al-Jahra
* 1990–91 : Not held due to Gulf War
* 1991–92 : Al-Qadsia SC
* 1992–93 : Al-Arabi SC
* 1993–94 : Kazma SC
* 1994–95 : Al-Salmiya SC
* 1995–96 : Kazma SC
* 1996–97 : Al-Arabi SC
* 1997–98 : Al-Salmiya SC
* 1998–99 : Al-Qadsia SC
* 1999–2000 : Al-Salmiya SC
* 2000–01 : Kuwait SC
* 2001–02 : Al-Arabi SC
* 2002–03 : Al-Qadsia SC
* 2003–04 : Al-Qadsia SC
* 2004–05 : Al-Qadsia SC
* 2005–06 : Kuwait SC
* 2006–07 : Kuwait SC
* 2007–08 : Kuwait SC
* 2008–09 : Al-Qadsia SC
* 2009–10 : Al-Qadsia SC
* 2010–11 : Al-Qadsia SC
* 2011–12 : Al-Qadsia SC
* 2012–13 : Kuwait SC
* 2013–14 : Al-Qadsia SC
* 2014–15 : Kuwait SC
* 2015–16 : Al-Qadsia SC
* 2016–17 : Kuwait SC
* 2017–18 : Kuwait SC
* 2018–19 : Kuwait SC
* 2019–20 : Kuwait SC
* 2020–21 : Al-Arabi SC
* 2021–22 : Kuwait SC
* 2022–23 : Kuwait SC
* 2023–24 : Kuwait SC
* 2024–25 : ongoing

### Most titles

| Club | Titles | Seasons |
| Kuwait SC | 19 | 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, 2023–24 |
| 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

| Governorate | Number of titles | Clubs |
| Al Asimah | 40 | Kuwait SC (19), Al-Arabi (17), Kazma (4) |
| Hawalli | 21 | Qadisia (17), Al-Salmiya (4) |
| Jahra | 1 | Al-Jahra (1) |

## Topscorers
### All-time top scorers

    As of 27 February 2025
| Rank | Players | Goals | Club(s) |
| 1 | Bader Al-Mutawa | 171 | 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 | Yousif Naser | 114 | Kazma, Qadsia, Kuwait SC |
| 8 | Ali Marwi | 111 | Al-Salmiya |
| 9 | Abdulrahman Al-Dawla | 105 | Al-Arabi |
| 10 | Bashar Abdullah | 104 | Al-Salmiya, Kuwait |

### Topscorers by season

Table key :
* Record number of goals
| Year | Top scorers | Team | Goals |
| 1961–62 | Khalifa Al-Shatti | Qadsia | 21 |
| 1961–62 | Saleh Zakaria | Al-Kuliya Al-Sanaya | 21 |
| 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 |
| 1968–69 | Ali Hasiz Arti | Al-Arabi | 6 |
| 1969–70 | Hassan Shehata | Kazma | 7 |
| 1970–71 | Hassan Shehata | Kazma | 9 |
| 1971–72 | Mohamed Al Misud | Qadsia | 7 |
| 1971–72 | Hassan Shehata | Kazma | 7 |
| 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 |
| 1976–77 | Jasem Yaqoub | Qadsia | 12 |
| 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 |
| 1980–81 | Ahmad Khalaf | Al-Arabi | 19 |
| 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 |
| 1993–94 | Nawaf Jadid | Al Jahra | 12 |
| 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 |
| 2014–15 | Patrick Fabiano | Kazma | 22 |
| 2015–16 | Firas Al Khatib | Al-Arabi | 23 |
| 2016–17 | David da Silva | Qadsia | 14 |
| 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 |
| 2023–24 | Hamza Khabba | Al-Arabi | 21 |

## Participation by the years

| Period | Number of clubs |
| 1961–62 | 7 |
| 1962–63 to 1970–71 | 6 |
| 1971–72 to 1973–74 | 7 |
| 1974–75 to 1978–79 | 8 |
| 1979–80 to 1984–85 | 14* |
| 1985–86 | 7 |
| 1986–87 to 1989–90 | 8 |
| 1990–91 | N/A Not held due to Gulf War |
| 1991–92 | 14* |
| 1992–93 to 1993–94 | 8 |
| 1994–95 | 14* |
| 1995–96 | 6* |
| Period | Number of clubs |
| 1996–97 | 13* |
| 1997–98 to 1999–2000 | 14 |
| 2000–01 to 2002–03 | 8 |
| 2003–04 to 2005–06 | 14 |
| 2006–07 | 8 |
| 2007–08 | 9 |
| 2008–09 to 2012–13 | 8 |
| 2013–14 to 2014–15 | 14* |
| 2015–16 | 13* |
| 2016–17 | 15 |
| 2017–18 | 8 |
| 2018–19–present | 10 |
Notes:
* 1979–80 to 1984–85: Kuwaiti Division One was Stopped.
* 1991–92: all Clubs participated after the Gulf War
* 1994–95: Kuwaiti Division One was Stopped.
* 1996–97: Qadsia SC Withdrew.
* 2013–14 to 2014–15: Kuwaiti Division One was Stopped.
* 2015–16: Al Tadhamon SC Withdrew.