# 2021 Ýokary Liga

The 2021 Ýokary Liga season was the 29th edition of the top tier professional Yokary Liga football annual competition in Turkmenistan administered by the Football Federation of Turkmenistan. It began on 20 October 2021 and ended in December 2021. The league champions earned a spot in 2022 AFC Champions League, and the second placed club earned a place in the 2022 AFC Cup.
FC Altyn Asyr were the defending champions from the 2020 season.

## Teams

A total of 8 teams are competing in the league.
| Team | Location | Venue | Capacity |
| Ahal | Änew | Ashgabat Stadium | 20,000 |
| Altyn Asyr | Ashgabat | Büzmeýin Sport Complex | 10,000 |
| Aşgabat | Ashgabat | Nusaý Stadium | 3,000 |
| Nebitçi | Balkanabat | Balkanabat Sport Complex | 10,000 |
| Energetik | Türkmenbaşy village | Energetik Stadium | 4,000 |
| Köpetdag Aşgabat | Ashgabat | Köpetdag Stadium | 26,000 |
| Merw | Mary | Mary Sport Complex | 10,000 |
| Şagadam | Türkmenbaşy | Şagadam Stadium | 5,000 |
| Source: GSA ||||

### Number of teams by district

| Rank | District Football Federations | Number | Teams |
| 1 | Ashgabat | 3 | FC Altyn Asyr, FC Aşgabat and Köpetdag Aşgabat |
| 2 | Mary | 2 | Energetik and Merw |
| 3 | Balkan | 2 | FC Nebitçi and FC Şagadam |
| 4 | Ahal | 1 | Ahal FK |

### Personnel and sponsoring

Source: Globalsportarchive
| Team | Manager | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Sponsor |
| Ahal | Begenç Garaýew | Elman Tagaýew | Jako | TNÖ |
| Altyn Asyr | Ýazguly Hojageldiýew | Ahmet Ataýew | Puma | TM CELL |
| Aşgabat | Said Seýidow | Döwran Orazalyýew | Jako | Ashgabat City Hall |
| Nebitçi | Amangylyç Koçumow | Guwanç Abylow | Joma | Türkmennebit |
| Energetik | Serdar Garajaýew | Maksat Atagarryýew | Nike | Mary Hydroelectric Station |
| Köpetdag Aşgabat | Tofik Şukurow | Serdarmyrat Baýramow | Kappa | Ministry of Internal Affairs |
| Merw | Rahym Kurbanmämmedow | Serdaraly Ataýew | Nike | Turkmengaz |
| Şagadam | Rahmanguly Baýlyýew | Yhlas Magtymow | Joma | Turkmenbashi Complex of Oil Refineries |

### Managerial changes

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
| FC Merw | Magtymguly Begenjew | Of their own accord | 5 November 2021 | 8 | Rahym Kurbanmämmedow | 6 November 2021 |

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Altyn Asyr (C, Q) | 14 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 28 | 15 | +13 | 34 | Qualification for AFC Cup group stage |
| 2 | Ahal (Q) | 14 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 25 | 11 | +14 | 29 | Qualification for AFC Champions League group stage |
| 3 | Şagadam | 14 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 23 | 20 | +3 | 21 | |
| 4 | Köpetdag | 14 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 22 | 18 | +4 | 21 | |
| 5 | Merw | 14 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 23 | 21 | +2 | 17 | |
| 6 | Aşgabat | 14 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 19 | 24 | −5 | 13 | |
| 7 | Nebitçi | 14 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 15 | −7 | 13 | |
| 8 | Energetik | 14 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 9 | 33 | −24 | 5 | |
* 1 2 Only Ahal were granted an AFC Champions League license, so other teams would be eligible for the 2022 AFC Cup.

## Fixtures and results

The season has kicked off on 20 October. Each team will play two matches with all other teams this season.

### Rounds 1–14

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

### Round 14
## Season statistics
### Top scorers

    As of 19 December 2021
| Player | Club | Goals |
| Elman Tagaýew | FC Ahal | 10 |
| Gurbangeldi Sähedow | FC Aşgabat | 8 |
| Begenç Alamow | FC Merw | 7 |
| Altymyrat Annadurdyýew | FC Altyn Asyr | 6 |
| Begenç Akmämmedow | Köpetdag Aşgabat | 6 |
| Nazar Towakelow | FC Şagadam | 6 |
| Amangeldi Saparow | FC Merw | 5 |
| Pirmyrat Gazakow | FC Merw | 5 |
| Kerim Hojaberdiýew | FC Şagadam | 5 |
| Yhlas Magtymow | FC Şagadam | 4 |

### Own Goals

| Player | Club | Own Goals | Against |
| Şöhrat Söýünow | FC Ahal | 1 | Köpetdag Aşgabat |
| Mekan Saparov | FC Altyn Asyr | 1 | FC Ahal |
| Murat Ýakşiýew | FC Altyn Asyr | 1 | FC Şagadam |
| Merdan Paltaýew | FC Energetik | 1 | FC Şagadam |
| Garly Garlyýew | FC Energetik | 1 | FC Nebitçi |
| Bagtyýar Gürgenow | Köpetdag Aşgabat | 1 | FC Ahal |
| Döwletgeldi Mirsultanow | FC Merw | 1 | FC Altyn Asyr |

## Annual awards

| Award | Winner | Club |
| League Manager of the Season | Ýazguly Hojageldiýew | Altyn Asyr FC |
| League Player of the Season | Elman Tagaýew | Ahal FC |
Team of the Year :
| Goalkeeper | Mammet Orazmuhammedow (Altyn Asyr) | Mammet Orazmuhammedow (Altyn Asyr) | Mammet Orazmuhammedow (Altyn Asyr) | Mammet Orazmuhammedow (Altyn Asyr) | Mammet Orazmuhammedow (Altyn Asyr) | Mammet Orazmuhammedow (Altyn Asyr) | Mammet Orazmuhammedow (Altyn Asyr) | Mammet Orazmuhammedow (Altyn Asyr) | Mammet Orazmuhammedow (Altyn Asyr) | Mammet Orazmuhammedow (Altyn Asyr) | Mammet Orazmuhammedow (Altyn Asyr) | Mammet Orazmuhammedow (Altyn Asyr) |
| Defenders | Güýçmyrat Annagulyýew (Altyn Asyr) | Güýçmyrat Annagulyýew (Altyn Asyr) | Güýçmyrat Annagulyýew (Altyn Asyr) | Mekan Saparow (Altyn Asyr) | Mekan Saparow (Altyn Asyr) | Mekan Saparow (Altyn Asyr) | Abdy Bäşimow (Ahal) | Abdy Bäşimow (Ahal) | Abdy Bäşimow (Ahal) | Zafar Babajanow (Altyn Asyr) | Zafar Babajanow (Altyn Asyr) | Zafar Babajanow (Altyn Asyr) |
| Midfielders | Arslanmyrat Amanow (Ahal) | Arslanmyrat Amanow (Ahal) | Arslanmyrat Amanow (Ahal) | Arslanmyrat Amanow (Ahal) | Yhlas Magtymow (Şagadam) | Yhlas Magtymow (Şagadam) | Yhlas Magtymow (Şagadam) | Yhlas Magtymow (Şagadam) | Ahmet Ataýew (Altyn Asyr) | Ahmet Ataýew (Altyn Asyr) | Ahmet Ataýew (Altyn Asyr) | Ahmet Ataýew (Altyn Asyr) |
| Forwards | Elman Tagaýew (Ahal) | Elman Tagaýew (Ahal) | Elman Tagaýew (Ahal) | Elman Tagaýew (Ahal) | Altymyrat Annadurdyýew (Altyn Asyr) | Altymyrat Annadurdyýew (Altyn Asyr) | Altymyrat Annadurdyýew (Altyn Asyr) | Altymyrat Annadurdyýew (Altyn Asyr) | Pirmyrat Gazakow (Merw) | Pirmyrat Gazakow (Merw) | Pirmyrat Gazakow (Merw) | Pirmyrat Gazakow (Merw) |