UAE Pro League

The UAE Pro League (Arabic: دوري المحترفين الإماراتي), known for sponsorship reasons as the ADNOC Pro League,^[1] is the top professional football league in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The first team to win the title was Al Orouba (Sharjah), whilst Al Ain has the record with 14 league titles to their name. Fourteen clubs compete in the League that operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the First Division League.

ADNOC Pro League

Organising body	Pro League Committee
Founded	1973; 51 years ago (1973)
Country	United Arab Emirates
Confederation	AFC
Number of teams	14
Level on pyramid	1
Relegation to	First Division League
Domestic cup(s)	UAE President's Cup UAE Super Cup
League cup(s)	UAE League Cup
International cup(s)	AFC Champions League Elite AFC Champions League Two
Current champions	Al Wasl FC (8th title) (2023–24)
Most championships	Al Ain (14 titles)
TV partners	Abu Dhabi Sports Dubai Sports Sharjah Sports Fanseat
Website	uaeproleague.ae
Current: 2024–25 season

The League was founded in 1973 as the UAE Football League. The first 1973–74 season was a "trial" championship but was declared official by the UAE FA in 2001.^[2] In February 2007, the Pro League Committee was formed, and became the organising body of the League.

Name change

Starting from the 2006–07 season the name was changed from UAE League to Etisalat League. And since the 2013–14 season, the name was changed from Etisalat Pro League to Arabian Gulf League, which was named after the Arabian Gulf as per the chairman of Pro League Committee.^[3] However, the name change has been viewed as a revival of the Persian Gulf naming dispute^[4] with Iran accusing the United Arab Emirates of bigotry,^[5] and the Iranian Football Federation barring the transfer of Javad Nekounam to a UAE club.^[6] After about four months of the name change a 70 million AED one-year renewable partnership deal was announced with Arabian Gulf Development to be named Official Title Partner.^[7][8][9] On 8 August, the Pro League signed a new partnership deal with ADNOC worth 80 million AED, from the start of the 2021–22 season, the league was renamed to the UAE's ADNOC Pro League.^[1]

Ranking

Main article: AFC Club Competitions Ranking

As of 26 May 2024^[10]

Ranking				Member association (L: League, C: Cup, LC: League cup)	Club points								Total	2025–26 Competition
2023–24	2022 [11]	Mvmt	Region		2015 (×0.3)	2016 (×0.4)	2017 (×0.5)	2018 (×0.6)	2019 (×0.7)	2021 (×0.8)	2022 (×0.9)	2023–24 (×1.0)		ACL Elite	ACL Two	Challenge
1	1	—	W 1	Saudi Arabia (L, C)	15.250	9.500	18.600	10.000	26.350	20.950	19.075	27.100	103.148	3+0	1+0	0
2	2	—	E 1	Japan (L, C, LC)	15.250	10.500	21.850	13.850	21.800	17.875	20.088	21.350	96.999	3+0	1+0	0
3	3	—	E 2	South Korea (L, C)	16.750	20.750	9.950	18.350	13.600	22.750	15.800	22.350	93.600	2+1	1+0	0
4	6	+2	W 2	United Arab Emirates (L, C)	25.000	18.000	11.350	8.100	7.633	14.400	8.083	24.000	73.373	2+1	1+0	0

Clubs

Member clubs (2024–25)

Note: Table lists clubs in alphabetical order.

Club	Home city	Stadium	Capacity
Ajman	Ajman	Ajman Stadium	5,537
Al Ain	Al-Ain	Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium	22,965
Al Bataeh	Al Bataeh	Al Bataeh Stadium	2,000
Al Jazira	Abu Dhabi (Al Nahyan)	Mohammad Bin Zayed Stadium	42,056
Al Nasr	Dubai (Oud Metha)	Al-Maktoum Stadium	15,058
Al Urooba	Qidfa / Mirbah	Al Sharqi Stadium	3,000
Al Wahda	Abu Dhabi (Al Nahyan)	Al Nahyan Stadium	12,201
Al Wasl	Dubai (Zabeel)	Zabeel Stadium	8,439
Baniyas	Abu Dhabi (Al Shamkha)	Baniyas Stadium	10,000
Dibba Al Hisn	Dibba Al-Hisn	Dibba (H) Stadium	700
Kalba	Kalba	Ittihad Kalba Stadium	8,500
Khor Fakkan	Khor Fakkan	Saqr bin Mohammad al Qassimi Stadium	7,500
Shabab Al Ahli	Dubai (Deira)	Rashid Stadium	12,052
Sharjah	Sharjah	Sharjah Stadium	20,000

Prior to UAE League's transition to the professional era in 2008, many clubs have competed in the country's top tier division from 1973–74 to 2007–08. The below list is clubs that have competed in the UAE top-tier league since the Pro League era starting in 2008–09.

Seasons in Pro League

• 16 seasons: Al Ain, Al Jazira, Al Nasr, Al Wahda, Al Wasl
• 15 seasons: Sharjah
• 14 seasons: Baniyas
• 13 seasons: Ajman, Al Dhafra
• 10 seasons: Emirates, Kalba
• 9 seasons: Al Ahli, Al Shabab
• 7 seasons: Shabab Al Ahli
• 6 seasons: Dibba Al Fujairah, Khor Fakkan
• 4 seasons: Al Shaab, Dubai, Fujairah, Hatta
• 3 seasons: Al Bataeh
• 2 seasons: Al Urooba
• 1 season: Dibba Al Hisn

Notes:

• Italtics indicates that the club no longer exists
• Bold indicates that the club is still competing in the UAE Pro League as of 2023–24

Managers

Nat.	Name	Club	Appointed	Time in charge
	Cosmin Olăroiu	Sharjah	10 November 2021	894 days
	Marko Nikolić	Shabab Al-Ahli	2 June 2023	325 days
	Miloš Milojević	Al Wasl
	Darko Milanič	Baniyas	8 June 2023	319 day
	Fabio Viviani	Hatta	5 September 2023	230 days
	Daniel Isăilă	Ajman	3 October 2023	202 days
	Nebojša Jovović	Khor Fakkan	28 October 2023	177 days
	Hernán Crespo	Al Ain	14 November 2023	160 days
	Alfred Schreuder	Al Nasr	27 November 2023	147 days
	Goran Tufegdžić	Al Wahda	3 January 2024	110 days
	Mirel Rădoi	Al Jazira	5 January 2024	108 days
	Walter Zenga	Emirates
	Goran Tomić	Al Bataeh	7 January 2024	106 days
	Ghazi Fahad	Ittihad Kalba	2 March 2024	51 days

List of champions

Source:^[12]

No Season Champion Runner up   1 1973–74 Sharjah Al Ahli   2 1974–75 Al Ahli Sharjah   3 1975–76 Al Ain   4 1976–77 Al Ain Sharjah   5 1977–78 Al Nasr Al Ain   6 1978–79 Sharjah   7 1979–80 Al Ahli Al Shaab   8 1980–81 Al Ain Al Nasr   9 1981–82 Al Wasl Al Ain   10 1982–83 Sharjah   11 1983–84 Al Ain Al Wasl   12 1984–85 Al Wasl Al Shaab   13 1985–86 Al Nasr Al Wasl   14 1986–87 Sharjah   15 1987–88 Al Wasl Sjarjah   16 1988–89 Sharjah Al Wasl   17 1989–90 Al Shabab × 1990–91 Cancelleda   18 1991–92 Al Wasl Sharjah   19 1992–93 Al Ain Al Wasl   20 1993–94 Sharjah Al Ain   21 1994–95 Al Shabab   22 1995–96 Sharjah Al Wasl   23 1996–97 Al Wasl Al Nasr   24 1997–98 Al Ain Sharjah   25 1998–99 Al Wahda Al Ain   26 1999–2000 Al Ain Al Nasr   27 2000–01 Al Wahda Al Ahli   28 2001–02 Al Ain Al Jazira   29 2002–03 Al Wahda   30 2003–04 Al Shabab   31 2004–05 Al Wahda Al Ain   32 2005–06 Al Ahli Al Wahda   33 2006–07 Al Wasl   34 2007–08 Al Shabab Al Jazira   35 2008–09 Al Ahli   36 2009–10 Al Wahda   37 2010–11 Al Jazira Baniyas   38 2011–12 Al Ain Al Nasr   39 2012–13 Al Ahli   40 2013–14 Al Ahli Al Wahda   41 2014–15 Al Ain Al Jazira   42 2015–16 Al Ahli Al Ain   43 2016–17 Al Jazira Al Wasl   44 2017–18 Al Ain Al Wahda   45 2018–19 Sharjah Shabab Al Ahli × 2019–20 Cancelledb   46 2020–21 Al Jazira Baniyas   47 2021–22 Al Ain Sharjah   48 2022–23 Shabab Al Ahli Al Ain   49 2023–24 Al Wasl Shabab Al Ahli

_{Notes
1.^ Competition cancelled due to Persian Gulf War
2.^ Competition cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Arab Emirates^[13]}

Champions

Performance by club

As of 2024, following clubs are officially allowed to wear stars while playing in the League. Each country's usage is unique and in UAE the practice is to award one star for each five titles won. The number in parentheses is for League titles won.^[14]

Club	Won	Runners-up	Winning seasons
Al Ain	14	9	1976–77, 1980–81, 1983–84, 1992–93, 1997–98, 1999–00, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2017–18, 2021–22
Al Wasl	8	8	1981–82, 1982–83, 1984–85, 1987–88, 1991–92, 1996–97, 2006–07, 2023–24
Shabab Al Ahli	8	4	1974–75, 1975–76, 1979–80, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2022–23
Sharjah	6	7	1973–74, 1986–87, 1988–89, 1993–94, 1995–96, 2018–19
Al Wahda	4	5	1998–99, 2000–01, 2004–05, 2009–10
Al Jazira	3	5	2010–11, 2016–17, 2020–21
Al Nasr		4	1977–78, 1978–79, 1985–86
Al Shababc	3	1	1989–90, 1994–95, 2007–08
Al Shaabd	0	2	—
Baniyas	0	2	—

_{Notes
1.^ Al Shabab along with Dubai CSC merged into Al-Ahli form Shabab Al Ahli in 2017
2.^ Al Shaab dissolved in 2017}

Performance by city

City / Area	Titles	Clubs	Winning seasons
Dubai	22	Al Ahli	(8): 1974–75, 1975–76, 1979–80, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2022–23
		Al Wasl	(8): 1981–82, 1982–83, 1984–85, 1987–88, 1991–92, 1996–97, 2006–07, 2023–24
		Al Nasr	(3): 1977–78, 1978–79, 1985–86
		Al Shabab	(3): 1989–90, 1994–95, 2007–08
Al Ain	14	Al Ain	(14): 1976–77, 1980–81, 1983–84, 1992–93, 1997–98, 1999–00, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2017–18, 2021–22
Abu Dhabi	7	Al Wahda	(4): 1998–99, 2000–01, 2004–05, 2009–10
		Al Jazira	(3): 2010–11, 2016–17, 2020–21
Sharjah	6	Sharjah	(6): 1973–74, 1986–87, 1988–89, 1993–94, 1995–96, 2018–19

Performance by emirates

Emirates	Titles	Clubs	Winning seasons
Dubai	22	Al Ahli	(8): 1974–75, 1975–76, 1979–80, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2022–23
		Al Wasl	(8): 1981–82, 1982–83, 1984–85, 1987–88, 1991–92, 1996–97, 2006–07, 2023–24
		Al Nasr	(3): 1977–78, 1978–79, 1985–86
		Al Shabab	(3): 1989–90, 1994–95, 2007–08
Abu Dhabi	21	Al Ain	(14): 1976–77, 1980–81, 1983–84, 1992–93, 1997–98, 1999–00, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2017–18, 2021–22
		Al Wahda	(4): 1998–99, 2000–01, 2004–05, 2009–10
		Al Jazira	(3): 2010–11, 2016–17, 2020–21
Sharjah	6	Sharjah	(6): 1973–74, 1986–87, 1988–89, 1993–94, 1995–96, 2018–19

Players

All-time top scorers

Source:^[15]

Rank	Nat	Name	Club	Years	Goals	Apps
1		Ali Mabkhout	Al Jazira Al Nasr	2009–	219	301
2		Sebastián Tagliabúe	Al Wahda Al Nasr Sharjah	2013–2024	184	239
3		Fahad Khamees	Al Wasl	1980–1997	175	—
4		Fábio Lima	Al Wasl	2014–	167	219
5		Adnan Al Talyani	Al Shaab	1980–1999	133	—
6		Mohammad Omar	Al Wasl Al Ain Al Jazira Al Dhafra Al Nasr Ajman	1992–2011	132	—
7		Abdulaziz Mohamed	Sharjah	1980–2003	127	—
8		Ahmed Abdullah	Al Ain	1978–1995	122	—
9		Atiq Hassan	Al Ahli	1988–2002	119	—
10		Faisal Khalil	Al Ahli Al Wasl Al Shaab	1999–2013	114	302
11		Makhete Diop	Al Dhafra Shabab Al Ahli Sharjah	2011–2018, 2021–2023	108	180
12		Kodjo Fo-Doh Laba	Al-Ain	2019–	102	109
13		Asamoah Gyan	Al-Ain Al Ahli	2011–2017	101	97
14		Ismail Matar	Al Wahda	2001–2024	101	418
15		Anderson Barbosa	Sharjah Al Wasl	2003–2009	99	128
16		Ahmed Khalil	Al Ain Shabab Al Ahli Al Bataeh	2007–	94	263
17		Ali Thani	Sharjah	—	93	—

Top scorers by season

Season	Player	Club	Goals
1974–75[16]	Suhail Salim	Al Ahli	14
1975–76[17]	Ali Nawaz Baloch	Al Emirates	13
1976–77[17]	Alfadel Santo	Al Nasr	11
1977–78[17]	Mohieddine Habita	Al Ain	20
1978–79[17]	Mostafa Mahrous	Al Ahli	16
1979–80[17]	Alo Ali Mohamed	Emirates	14
1980–81[18]	Karim Abdul Razak
1981–82[17]	Ahmed Abdullah	Al Ain	13
1982–83[19]	Luiz Carlos[17]	Al Nasr	12
1983–84[20]	Ahmed Abdullah Fahad Khamees	Al Ain Al Wasl	20
1984–85[21]	Fahad Khamees Adnan Al Talyani	Al Wasl Al Shaab	14
1985–86[18][21]	Mohammed Salem	Al Wahda	16
1986–87[18][21]	Adnan Al Talyani Khalil Ghanim	Al Shaab Khor Fakkan	13
1987–88[17]	Zuhair Bakheet	Al Wasl	24
1988–89[17]	Fahad Khamees		13
1989–90[21]	Hussain Yaslam	Baniyas	16
1990–91	Cancelleda
1991–92[22]	Youssouf Atiq	Al Ahli	25
1992–93[17]	Saif Sultan	Al Ain	21
1993–94[18][23]	Abdulaziz Mohamed	Sharjah	18
1994–95[18][17]	Bader Jassim	Al Wahda	10
1995–96[17][24]	Jassim Al Dokhi	Al Shaab
1996–97[18][17]	Bader Jassim	Al Wahda	11
1997–98[17]	Ali Thani	Sharjah	19
1998–99[25]	Alboury Lah	Al Wahda	29
1999–00[17][26]			18
2000–01[27][28]	Mohammed Al Enazi		22
2001–02[27][29]
2002–03[30]	Cristián Montecinos	Dubai	19
2003–04[31]	Ali Karimi	Al Ahli	14
2004–05[19][32]	Valdir Anderson Barbosa	Al Nasr Sharjah	23
2005–06[33]	Anderson Barbosa	Sharjah	20
2006–07[17]	Anderson Barbosa Ali Samereh	Al Wasl Al Shaab	18
2007–08[34]	Faisal Khalil Anderson Barbosa	Al Ahli Sharjah	16
2008–09[17]	Fernando Baiano	Al Jazira	24
2009–10[35]	José Sand	Al Ain
2010–11[36]	André Senghor	Baniyas	18
2011–12[37]	Asamoah Gyan	Al Ain	22
2012–13[38]			31
2013–14[39]			29
2014–15[40]	Mirko Vučinić	Al Jazira	25
2015–16[41]	Sebastián Tagliabúe	Al Wahda
2016–17[42]	Ali Mabkhout	Al Jazira	33
2017–18[43]	Marcus Berg	Al Ain	25
2018–19[44]	Sebastián Tagliabúe	Al Wahda	27
2019–20[45]	Kodjo Laba	Al Ain	19
2020–21[46]	Ali Mabkhout	Al Jazira	25
2021–22	Kodjo Laba	Al Ain	26
2022–23			28
2023–24	Omar Khribin	Al Wahda	18

Top scorers by country

Country	Players	Seasons
United Arab Emirates	17	22
Brazil	4	6
Ghana	2	4
Argentina		3
Senegal
Iran		1
Togo	1	3
Pakistan		1
Sudan
Tunisia
Chile
Montenegro
Sweden
Syria

References

1. "ADNOC and UAE Pro League announce title partnership". WAM. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
2. "1973/74 UAE Football League". Retrieved 25 July 2013.
3. "New League name announced by H.E. Mohammed Thani Murshed Al Romaithi". Pro League Committee. 26 May 2013.
4. James M. Dorsey (29 July 2013). "Gulf rivalry between Iran, UAE transfered [sic] to the football pitch". Hürriyet Daily News.
5. Category: Asia (29 May 2013). "Iran accuses UAE of racism in renaming Pro League to the Persian Gulf League". Inside World Football.
6. "Iran bars captain's UAE transfer over Gulf name". Fox News. 21 July 2013.
7. Studios, XS. "Arabian Gulf Development introduced as new Title Sponsor for the Arabian Gulf League – News – UAE Pro League Committee". www.uaeproleague.ae. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
8. Studios, XS. "Arabian Gulf Development renews League sponsorship – News – UAE Pro League Committee". agleague.ae. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
9. "Arabian Gulf Development takes UAE League Cup title spot". SportBusiness Sponsorship. 2 April 2014.
10. "AFC Club Competitions Ranking 2024". FootyRankings. 26 May 2024. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
11. "AFC Club Competitions Ranking 2022". www.the-afc.com. 15 May 2023. Archived from the original on 7 January 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
12. Atsushi Fujioka (19 May 2011). "United Arab Emirates – List of Champions". UAE FA website. RSSSF. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
13. "PRESS STATEMANT". 18 June 2020. Archived from the original on 21 June 2020.
14. "لماذا ستوضع نجمة على قمصان بعض الفرق الإماراتية؟ – سبورت 360 عربية". arabic.sport360.com.
15. "100s". FootballUAE.net. Archived from the original on 25 June 2002. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
16. "United Arab Emirates 1974/75". RSSSF.
17. "الأبطال.. من الهواية إلى الاحتراف" (in Arabic). AlBayan.ae.
18. "Scorers 1980–2001". FootballUAE.net (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 16 December 2001. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
19. "Top-scorer Valder calls for professional set-up in UAE". GulfNews.com.
20. "1983–84: Goals" (in Arabic). Al Ittihad.
21. "1984–91" (in Arabic). Al Ittihad.
22. "1991–92: Goals". RSSSF.
23. "1993–94: Goals". RSSSF.
24. "1995–96: Goals". RSSSF.
25. "The Pro-League 4th edition launches today". AGLeague.
26. "1999–00: Goals". RSSSF.
27. "2000–01: Goals". GulfNews.com.
28. "2000–01: Goals". RSSSF.
29. "2001–02: Goals". GulfNews.
30. "2002–03: Goals". GulfNews.
31. "2003–04: Goals". RSSSF.
32. "2004–05: Goals". Goalzz.
33. "2005–06: Goals". Goalzz.
34. "2007–08: Goals". Goalzz.
35. "2009–10: Goals". Soccerway.
36. "2010–11: Goals". Soccerway.
37. "2011–12: Goals". Soccerway.
38. "2012–13: Goals". Soccerway.
39. "2013–14: Goals". Soccerway.
40. "2014–15: Goals". Soccerway.
41. "2015–16: Goals". Soccerway.
42. "2016–17: Goals". Soccerway.
43. "2017–18: Goals". Soccerway.
44. "2018–19: Goals". Soccerway.
45. "2019–20: Goals". Soccerway.
46. "2020–21: Goals". Soccerway.

External links

• Official website (in English and Arabic)