Ýokary Liga

Ýokary Liga
The Turkmenistan Higher League, also called Türkmenistan Ýokary Liga (Turkmen: Ýokary liga futbol klublarynyň arasyndaky futbol boýunça Türkmenistanyň çempionaty), is the top division of professional football in Turkmenistan, operated under the auspices of the Turkmenistan Football Federation.
It was founded in 1992. Nine clubs participate in the Higher League of the Turkmenistan National Championship. The season runs between April and November.
There are 9 teams in the competition. As of the 2022 season, the league had one AFC Champions League qualifying spot for the league winner league, and one spot in the AFC Cup were allocated to the runners-up team.
Since the introduction of the Turkmenistan Higher League in 1992, FC Altyn Asyr (8 times), FC Kopetdag (6 times), FC Nebitchi (4 times), FC Nisa (4 times), FC Yedigen (4 times), FC Ashgabat (2 times), FC Ahal (1 time) and FC Shagadam (1 time) have won the title. FC Ahal are the current champions fo the first time.
History
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, starting in 1992, each former Soviet republic organized an independent national championship.
FC Kopetdag won the first four titles. Nisa Aşgabat was the only team which managed to break Kopetdag's dominance, winning the top division title in 1996.
In 2022, FC Ahal won the title for the first time in their history in Turkmenistan professional football.
Competition
The league traditionally used to run in summer, from April to November.
As of the 2022 season, the champions qualify for the AFC Champions League group stage. The runners-up qualifies for the AFC Cup group stage. If the winner of Turkmenistan Cup ends in first or second on the championship in same season, then the third-place team qualifies to AFC Cup group stage.
Current clubs
A total of 9 teams will contest the league. The following teams are competing in the 2023 season:
Soviet era champions
1937–38: Lokomotiw Aşgabat
1938: Dinamo Aşgabat
1939–45: no championship
1946: Dinamo Aşgabat
1947: Spartak Aşgabat
1948: Dinamo Aşgabat
1949: Lokomotiw Aşgabat
1950: Spartak Aşgabat
1951: DOSA Aşgabat
1952: DOSA Aşgabat
1953: Dinamo Aşgabat
1954: Combined team of Mary Oblast
1955: Combined team of Aşgabat
1956: Gyzyl Metallist Aşgabat
1957: Combined team of Aşgabat Oblast
1958: Combined team of Aşgabat
1959: Combined team of Nebitdag
1960: Combined team of Çärjew
1961: Energetik Nebitdag
1962: Energetik Nebitdag
1963: Gurluşykçy Mary
1964: Serhetçi Aşgabat
1965: Serhetçi Aşgabat
1966: Serhetçi Aşgabat
1967: Serhetçi Aşgabat
1968: Serhetçi Aşgabat
1969: Serhetçi Aşgabat
1970: Garagum Mary
1971: Maýak Çärjew
1972: Energogurluşykçy Mary
1973: Sementçi Büzmeýin
1974: Awtomobilist Aşgabat
1975: Nebitçi Krasnowodsk
1976: Energetik Mary
1977: Şatlyk Mary
1978: Nebitçi Krasnowodsk
1979: Nebitçi Krasnowodsk
1980: Nebitçi Krasnowodsk
1981: Gurluşykçy Nebitdag
1982: Lokomotiw Aşgabat
1983: Obahojalyktehnika Çärjew
1984: Nebitçi Krasnowodsk
1985: Lokomotiw Aşgabat
1986: Nebitçi Krasnowodsk
1987: SKIF Aşgabat
1988: Ahal Aşgabat Raýon
1989: Medik Nebitdag
1990: Awtomobilist Aşgabat
1991: Sel'khoztekhnika Aşgabat
Seasons summary
Performance by club
League participation
Note: The tallies below include up to the 2023 season. Teams denoted in bold are current participants.
31 seasons: Merw, Nebitçi
29 seasons: Şagadam
23 seasons: Ahal, Köpetdag Aşgabat, Turan
18 seasons: Aşgabat
17 seasons: Bagtyyarlyk-Lebap
16 seasons: Altyn Asyr
13 seasons: Ýedigen
12 seasons: Nisa Aşgabat
9 seasons: Energetik Mary
7 seasons: Talyp Sporty
6 seasons: Büzmeýin
3 seasons: Dagdan Aşgabat, Galkan Aşgabat, Gazçy Gazojak
2 seasons: Asudalyk Aşgabat, Balkan Nebitdag, Gara Altyn, Kolhozçy Türkmengala, TSHT Aşgabat
1 season: Arkaç Gyzylarbat, Arkadag, Babadayhan Babadayhansky Etrap, Bereket Tejen, Hazyna, Hlopkovik Çärjew, Jeýhun Seýdi, Pakhtachi Çärjew, SMM+ Karatamak, Umyt Baýramaly
Youth championship
The Youth League, also known as Youth teams championship full name Youth football championship of Turkmenisatn among teams of clubs of the Higher League, is a league that runs in parallel to the Ýokary Liga and includes the youth or reserve teams of the Turkmenistan Higher League teams. The number of players a team can have on the pitch at a time that are over 21 years of age or without a Turkmenistan citizenship is limited. 8 teams participate in the league. Matches are commonly played a day before the match of the senior teams of the respective teams.
Youth championship winners (since 2019)
2019: FC Altyn Asyr-2
2020: FC Altyn Asyr-2
2021: FC Altyn Asyr-2
2022: FC Altyn Asyr-2
References
External links
Current Yokary Liga table and results at Soccerway
Yokary Liga at fifa.com
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Turk
Sports leagues established in 1992
1992 establishments in Turkmenistan