page_title: Sport in Bahrain
section_title: Football
hierarchical_section_title: Sport in Bahrain / Football
caption_attribution_description: English: Socoroos vs Bahrain. World Cup Qualifier
context_page_description: A variety of sports in Bahrain are popular and widespread. Association football is the most popular sport in the country. Other traditionally-popular sports include basketball, volleyball and handball. Sports such as horse racing, mixed martial arts and rugby union have gained popularity over the past few decades.
context_section_description: Bahrain has its own top-tier domestic professional football league, the Bahraini Premier League. It features 10 football clubs that play a two-round robin set, with each team playing a total of 18 fixtures. The winners of the domestic championship qualify for the AFC Cup.
  The league uses a promotion and relegation system with the Bahraini Classification League, Bahrain's second tier football league. The season usually starts in September and concludes in May, as in other football leagues. The first season was held in 1952. Although games are played on a home and away basis, almost all games are played at the Bahrain National Stadium.
  The bottom placed club is relegated with the team finishing second bottom entering a relegation/promotion playoff match. The most successful club in the league's history is Al-Muharraq SC. The current reigning champion of the 2011-2012 football season is Riffa club.
  
  
  After Bahrain will host for football a 24 Arabian Gulf Cup, AFC Asian Cup 2009 with World Cup
caption: The Bahrain national football team playing Australia on June 10, 2009 in a World Cup qualifier
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