Dhivehi Premier League

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Founded22 December 2014; 11 years ago (2014-12-22)
CountryMaldives
Number of clubs10
Dhivehi Premier League
Founded22 December 2014; 11 years ago (2014-12-22)
CountryMaldives
ConfederationAFC
Number of clubs10
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toSecond Division
Domestic cup(s)FA Cup
President's Cup
Charity Shield
International cupAFC Challenge League
Current championsMaziya (6th title)
(2025–26)
Most championshipsMaziya (6 titles)
Broadcaster(s)Television Maldives
Current: 2025–26 Dhivehi Premier League

The Dhivehi Premier League, known as the Dhiraagu Dhivehi Premier League for sponsorship reasons, is a Maldivian men's professional football league. At the top of the Maldives football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 10 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Second Division Football Tournament.

The Dhivehi Premier League succeeded the Dhivehi League. Currently all ten teams are based in the capital city of Male' at the National Football Stadium.

Titles by club

Season Champions Runners-up Topscorers
2015 New Radiant Trust and Care SC Maldives Assadhulla Abdulla (9 goals)
2016 Maziya Trust and Care SC Maldives Ali Fasir (29 goals)
2017 New Radiant Trust and Care SC Maldives Ali Ashfaq (13 goals)
2018 Trust and Care SC Maziya Maldives Ahmed Rizuvan (31 goals)
2019–20 Maziya Eagles Maldives Ahmed Rizuvan (28 goals)
2020–21 Maziya Valencia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Cornelius Stewart (10 goals)
2022 Maziya Eagles Spain Tana (18 goals)
2023 Maziya Eagles Maldives Ahmed Rizuvan (23 goals)
2025–26 Maziya Odi Sports TBC


Clubs Champions Winning season Runners-up Runner-up season
Maziya 6 2016, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2022, 2023, 2025–26 1 2018
New Radiant 2 2015, 2017 0
Trust and Care SC 1 2018 3 2015, 2016, 2017
Eagles 0 3 2019–20, 2022, 2023
Valencia 0 1 2020–21
Odi Sports 0 1 2025–26

Source: rsssf.org[1]

Competition format

The Premier League began with 8 teams, with a format in which each club plays the others thrice (a double round-robin system), for a total of 21 games. Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, then goal difference, and then goals scored. If still equal, teams are deemed to occupy the same position. If there is a tie for the championship, for relegation, or for qualification to other competitions, a play-off match decides rank.

In 2025, the league format changed to now include 10 teams, now the club plays the others twice for a total of 18 games. Teams are ranked by total points, goal difference, and goals scored. If still equal, teams are deemed to occupy the same position. If there is a tie for the championship or relegation, a play-off match decides the rank. The bottom two teams of the league gets relegated to the Regional Leagues, (the current Second Division), while the teams who finish 7th and 8th respectively they will go to the Promotion/Relegation playoff with the winners of the 4 FAM Regional League, with the top 6 avoiding relegation all together.

Qualification for Asian competitions

Two teams qualify for the AFC Cup. The winner directly qualifies to the group stage. While the second spot is a play-off. It is given to the winner of the FA Cup. If the winner of the league wins the FA Cup the second spot goes to the second placed team in the league. The team must win play-off to get to the group stage.

Since the inauguration of the AFC Challenge League in 2024, only one team, the winner qualify for the AFC Challenge League play-offs. The team must win play-offs to get to the group stage.

Sponsorship

Period Sponsor Brand
2015–2018 Ooredoo MaldivesOoredoo Dhivehi Premier League
2019–21 DhiraaguDhiraagu Dhivehi Premier League
2022 Ooredoo MaldivesOoredoo Dhivehi Premier League
2023 MWSCMWSC Dhivehi Premier League
2025– DhiraaguDhiraagu Dhivehi Premier League

Awards

The Football Association of Maldives (FAM) provides each Premier League team with an amount of MVR 1.6 million. The Champion team also receives a MVR 1 million cash prize.[citation needed][2]

Current clubs

All-time table

Clubs continental head to head records

References

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