Bahraini Premier League

Bahraini Premier League
The Bahraini Premier League is the main football competition in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Currently known as the Nasser bin Hamad Premier League, the first season was held in 1957. The winners of the domestic championship qualify for the AFC Cup. The championship is currently contested by 12 clubs.
Structure
Current structure
12 clubs currently play a two round robin set of fixtures totaling 22 games in order to determine the league champions. Although games are played on a home and away basis, almost all games are played at the National Stadium.
The eleventh and twelfth-placed clubs are relegated with the ninth and tenth enter the relegation play-offs.
Previous structures
In earlier seasons, the league has been radically overhauled to feature all the professional clubs of Bahrain. Instances being the 2008–09 and 2002 league seasons. The leagues featuring up to 19 teams would play each other on one occasion with the top 10 teams staying in the Premier League top flight and the bottom sides (from 11 to 19) forming the next seasons 2nd division.
Between the seasons of 2002 and 2009, the top four sides of the league would also play in the Crown Prince Cup.
Clubs (2023–24)
Al-Ahli
Al-Hala
Al-Hidd
Al-Khaldiya
Al-Muharraq
Al-Riffa
Al-Shabab
Busaiteen
Al-Najma
East Riffa
Manama
Sitra
2022–23 Clubs' stadiums
Team re-structuring
In 2002, a host of clubs were amalgamated:
Bahrain is an amalgamation of Bahrain and Al-Khaleej.
Riffa is an amalgamation of West Riffa and Zallaq.
Al-Najma is an amalgamation of Al-Hilal, Al-Qadisiya and Ras Al-Rumman.
Al-Sahel is an amalgamation of Qalali and Hadd.
Al-Tadamun is an amalgamation of Boori, Karazkan, Hamla, Reef Union and Damastan.
Al-Shabab is an amalgamation of Deyya, Sanabis, Jadd Hafs, Naeem, Karrana, Sahla and Karbabad.
Al-Ittifaq is an amalgamation of Al-Arabi, Maqaba and Bani Jumra.
List of champions
Champions are:
1956–57 : Al-Muharraq
1957–58 : Al-Muharraq
1958–59 : Al-Nasr
1959–60 : Al-Muharraq
1960–61 : Al-Muharraq
1961–62 : Al-Muharraq
1962–63 : Al-Muharraq
1963–64 : Al-Muharraq
1964–65 : Al-Muharraq
1965–66 : Al-Muharraq
1966–67 : Al-Muharraq
1967–68 : Bahrain (Muharraq)
1968–69 : Al-Ahli (Manama)
1969–70 : Al-Muharraq
1970–71 : Al-Muharraq
1971–72 : Al-Ahli (Manama)
1972–73 : Al-Muharraq
1973–74 : Al-Muharraq
1974–75 : Al-Arabi (Al-Najma now)
1975–76 : Al-Muharraq
1976–77 : Al-Ahli (Manama)
1977–78 : Bahrain (Muharraq)
1978–79 : Al Hala
1979–80 : Al-Muharraq
1980–81 : Bahrain (Muharraq)
1981–82 : West Riffa
1982–83 : Al-Muharraq
1983–84 : Al-Muharraq
1984–85 : Bahrain (Muharraq)
1985–86 : Al-Muharraq
1986–87 : West Riffa
1987–88 : Al-Muharraq
1988–89 : Bahrain (Muharraq)
1989–90 : West Riffa
1990–91 : Al-Muharraq
1991–92 : Al-Muharraq
1992–93 : West Riffa
1993–94 : East Riffa
1994–95 : Al-Muharraq
1995–96 : Al-Ahli (Manama)
1996–97 : West Riffa
1997–98 : West Riffa
1998–99 : Al-Muharraq
1999–00 : West Riffa
2000–01 : Al-Muharraq
2002 : Al-Muharraq
2002–03 : Al-Riffa
2003–04 : Al-Muharraq
2004–05 : Al-Riffa
2005–06 : Al-Muharraq
2006–07 : Al-Muharraq
2007–08 : Al-Muharraq
2008–09 : Al-Muharraq
2009–10 : Al-Ahli (Manama)
2010–11 : Al-Muharraq
2011–12 : Al-Riffa
2012–13 : Busaiteen
2013–14 : Al-Riffa
2014–15 : Al-Muharraq
2015–16 : Al-Hidd
2016–17 : Malkiya
2017–18 : Al-Muharraq
2018–19 : Al-Riffa
2019–20 : Al-Hidd
2020–21 : Al-Riffa
2021–22 : Al-Riffa
2022–23 : Al-Khaldiya
Total championships
The number of national championships that clubs in Bahrain have attained.
Top scorers
References
External links
Bahrain Premiere League
goalzz.com – Bahraini Premiere League
Soccerway – Bahrain Premier League
Weltfussballarchiv – Bahraini Premier League
Bahrain Premier League – Hailoosport.com
Bahrain Premier League – Hailoosport.com
Football competitions in Bahrain
Top level football leagues in Asia
Sports leagues established in 1956