Bahraini Premier League
Association football league in the Kingdom of Bahrain
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Bahraini Premier League is the main domestic football competition in the kingdom of Bahrain. Currently known as the Nasser bin Hamad Premier League, the first season was held in 1956–1957. The winners of the domestic championship qualify for the AFC Champions League Two. The championship is currently contested by 12 clubs.
| |
| Founded | 1956 |
|---|---|
| Country | Bahrain |
| Confederation | AFC |
| Number of clubs | 12 |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Relegation to | Bahraini Second Division |
| Domestic cup(s) | King's Cup Khalid Bin Hamad Cup Super Cup |
| League cup | FA Cup |
| International cup | AFC Champions League Two |
| Current champions | Al-Muharraq (35th title) (2024–25) |
| Most championships | Al-Muharraq SC (35 titles) |
| Top scorer | Ismail Abdullatif (124) |
| Broadcaster(s) | Bahrain Sports TV |
| Current: 2025–26 Bahraini Premier League | |
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 theoretically to be 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 entering 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 Second Division.
Between the seasons of 2002 and 2009, the top four sides of the league would also play in the Crown Prince Cup.
Clubs (2024–25)
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:[1]
Total championships
The number of national championships that clubs in Bahrain have attained.
| Club |
Number of Championships |
|---|---|
| Al-Muharraq SC | 35 |
| Al-Riffa (includes West Riffa) | 14 |
| Bahrain SC | 5 |
| Al-Ahli SC | 5 |
| Al-Hidd | 2 |
| Al-Khaldiya | 2 |
| Al-Nasr | 1 |
| Al-Arabi (Al-Najma SC now) | 1 |
| Al Hala | 1 |
| East Riffa SCC | 1 |
| Busaiteen | 1 |
| Malkiya SCC | 1 |
Top scorers
| Year | Best scorers | Team | Goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003–04 |  | Duaij Naser Abdulla Yousif Zowaid | Al-Muharraq | 14[2] |
| 2004–05 | | Salman Isa | Al-Riffa | 15[3] |
| 2005–06 | | Jaycee John Okwunwanne | Al-Ahli | 17[4] |
| 2006–07 |  | Rico | Al-Riffa | 25[5] |
| 2007–08 | | Jaycee John Okwunwanne | Al-Muharraq | 24[6] |
| 2008–09 | | Abdulrahman Mubarak | Al-Riffa | 14[7] |
| 2009–10 | | Rico | Al-Muharraq | 17[8] |
| 2010–11 | | Diego Silva Abdulrahman Mubarak | Al-Ahli Al-Riffa | 13 |
| 2011–12 | | Ahmed Al Khattal | Al Hala | 14[9] |
| 2012–13 |  | Mohammed Al Shamrani | Manama | 10[10] |
| 2013–14 | | Pele | Al-Muharraq | 4[11] |
| 2014–15 | | Ismail Abdullatif | Al-Muharraq | 16[12] |
| 2015–16 | | Mohamed Al-Romaihi | Al-Hidd | 17[13] |
| 2016–17 | | Everton | Manama Club | 11[14] |
| 2017–18 |  | Uche | Al Najma Club | 18[14] |
| 2018–19 |  | Mahamadou Dramé | Al Najma Club | 14[15] |
| 2019–20 | | Kamil Al Aswad | Al-Riffa | 14[16] |
| 2020–21 | | Mahdi Abduljabbar | Manama Club | 12 |
| 2021–22 | | Mahdi Abduljabbar | Manama Club | 17 |
| 2022–23 | | Mahdi Al-Humaidan | Al-Khaldiya | 14[17] |
| 2023–24 | | Juninho | Al-Najma | 20[18] |
| 2024–25 | |
Juninho | Al-Muharraq | 6 |