Saudi First Division League

The Saudi First Division League (Arabic: دوري الدرجة الأولى السعودي), currently known as the Yelo League for sponsorship reasons, is the second tier of professional football in Saudi Arabia. It ranks below the Saudi Pro League and above the Saudi Second Division League in the Saudi Arabian football league system.^[1]

First Division League

Organising body	Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF)
Founded	1976; 49 years ago (1976)
Country	Saudi Arabia
Confederation	AFC
Number of clubs	18 (since 2022–23)
Level on pyramid	2
Promotion to	Saudi Pro League
Relegation to	Saudi Second Division League
Domestic cup(s)	King's Cup
International cup(s)	AFC Champions League Two (via the King's Cup)
Current champions	Al-Qadsiah (4th titles) (2023–24 season)
Most championships	Hajer Al-Wehda Al-Qadsiah (4 titles each)
Top goalscorer	Ousmane Barry (108 goals)
TV partners	KSA SPORT
Website	fdl.sa
Current: 2024–25 First Division League

History

Al-Najma vs Al-Riyadh in the 2010–11 Saudi First Division Season

The league was founded in 1976 alongside the Premier League Which is now known as the Saudi Pro League.

being the second-tier league it allows the first tier league clubs to either discover talents or send players on loan so they can develop.

Hajer, Al-Wehda and Al-Qadsiah hold the record number of championships in the league with four. While Ohod holds the record for number of promotions from the First Division to the top Division with nine.

Competition format

As of 2024

There are 18 clubs in the Saudi First Division League. During the course of a season (usually from August to May) each club plays the other clubs twice (a double round-robin system), once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents, for 34 games. Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss.

The top two teams are promoted to the Saudi Pro League directly, a play-off system to determine the third team to be promoted alongside the two. Teams placed between third and sixth position took part in the promotion play-offs. The fifth-placed would face the fourth, while the sixth-placed team would face the third. The final would be single-legged, hosted by the higher-placed team,^[2] while the bottom three teams are relegated to the Saudi Second Division League.

Each club can have a maximum of 25 players and a minimum of 16. The list can include up to 4 foreign players and 1 player born in Saudi Arabia, with the remaining players being all Saudi. Additionally, the goalkeeper position will be exclusive to Saudi players starting from the 2025–26 season.

Current clubs

For details on the FD League 2024–25 season, see here.

Stadium and locations

Abha

Al-Adalah

Al-Ain

Al-Arabi
Al-Najma

Al-Batin

Al-Bukiryah

Al-Faisaly

Al-Hazem

Al-Jabalain
Al-Tai

Al-Jandal

Al-Jubail

Al-Safa

Al-Zulfi

Jeddah

Neom

Ohod

Locations of teams in the 2024–25 First Division League

Note: Table lists in alphabetical order.

Team	Location	Stadium	Capacity
Abha	Abha	Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium	20,000[3]
Al-Adalah	Al-Hasa	Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium Hajer Club Stadium	26,000[4] 12,000
Al-Ain	Al Atawlah	King Saud Sport City Stadium	10,000[5]
Al-Arabi	Unaizah	Department of Education Stadium	10,000[6]
Al-Batin	Hafar al-Batin	Al-Batin Club Stadium	6,000[7]
Al-Bukiryah	Al Bukayriyah	Al-Bukiryah Club Stadium	5,000[8]
Al-Faisaly	Harmah	Al Majma'ah Sports City (Al Majma'ah)	7,000
Al-Hazem	Ar Rass	Al-Hazem Club Stadium	8,000[9]
Al-Jabalain	Ha'il	Prince Abdul Aziz bin Musa'ed Stadium	12,250[10]
Al-Jandal	Dumat al-Jandal	Al-Orobah Club Stadium (Sakakah)	7,000[11]
Al-Jubail	Jubail	Al-Jubail Club Stadium	3,000[12]
Al-Najma	Unaizah	Department of Education Stadium Al-Najma Club Stadium	10,000 7,000[13]
Al-Safa	Safwa	Al-Safa Club Stadium Prince Saud bin Jalawi Stadium (Khobar) Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium (Dammam)	3,000 15,000[14] 26,000[15]
Al-Tai	Ha'il	Prince Abdulaziz bin Musa'ed Sports City	12,000
Al-Zulfi	Al Zulfi	Al-Zulfi Club Stadium	3,080[16]
Jeddah Club	Jeddah	Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium Sports Hall at King Abdullah Sports City	27,000 1,000
Neom SC	Tabuk	King Khalid Sport City Stadium	12,000[17]
Ohod	Medina	Ohod Club Stadium	5,000[18]

Champions

Champions and Runners-up^[19]

Season Winners Runners-up 1976–77 Al-Nahda Al-Ettifaq 1977–78 Al-Riyadh Al-Tai 1978–79 Al-Shabab Ohod 1979–80 Al-Jabalain Al-Riyadh 1980–81 Ohod Al-Rawdhah 1981–82 Not held1 1982–83 Al-Wehda Al-Riyadh 1983–84 Ohod Al-Jabalain 1984–85 Al-Tai Al-Kawkab 1985–86 Al-Ansar Al-Raed 1986–87 Al-Kawkab Ohod 1987–88 Hajer Al-Rawdhah 1988–89 Al-Riyadh Al-Raed 1989–90 Al-Najma Al-Arabi 1990–91 Al-Nahda Ohod

Season Winners Runners-up 1991–92 Al-Raed Al-Najma 1992–93 Al-Nahda Ohod 1993–94 Al-Najma Al-Rawdhah 1994–95 Al-Tai Al-Taawoun 1995–96 Al-Wehda Al-Ansar 1996–97 Al-Taawoun Al-Shoulla 1997–98 Hajer Al-Ansar 1998–99 Sdoos Al-Raed 1999–2000 Al-Ansar Al-Qadsiah 2000–01 Al-Tai Al-Shoulla 2001–02 Al-Qadsiah Al-Raed 2002–03 Al-Wehda Al-Khaleej 2003–04 Ohod Al-Ansar 2004–05 Al-Hazem Abha 2005–06 Al-Khaleej Al-Faisaly

Season Winners Runners-up 2006–07 Al-Watani Najran 2007–08 Al-Raed Abha 2008–09 Al-Qadsiah Al-Fateh 2009–10 Al-Faisaly Al-Taawoun 2010–11 Hajer Al-Ansar 2011–12 Al-Shoulla Al-Wehda 2012–13 Al-Orobah Al-Nahda 2013–14 Hajer Al-Khaleej 2014–15 Al-Qadsiah Al-Wehda 2015–16 Al-Ettifaq Al-Batin 2016–17 Al-Fayha Ohod 2017–18 Al-Wehda Al-Hazem 2018–19 Abha Damac 2019–20 Al-Batin Al-Qadsiah 2020–21 Al-Hazem Al-Fayha

Season Winners Runners-up 2021–22 Al-Khaleej Al-Adalah 2022–23 Al-Ahli Al-Hazem 2023–24 Al-Qadsiah Al-Orobah

Note

¹First Division and Premier League were merged in 1981–82 out of concern for the 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification process.

Performance by club

Club	Winners	Winning years
Hajer	4	1988, 1998, 2011, 2014
Al-Wehda	4	1983, 1996, 2003, 2018
Al-Qadsiah	4	2002, 2009, 2015, 2024
Al-Nahda	3	1977, 1991, 1993
Al-Tai	3	1985, 1995, 2001
Ohod	3	1981, 1984, 2004
Al-Riyadh	2	1978, 1989
Al-Najma	2	1990, 1994
Al-Ansar	2	1986, 2000
Al-Raed	2	1992, 2008
Al-Hazem	2	2005, 2021
Al-Khaleej	2	2006, 2022
Al-Shabab	1	1979
Al-Jabalain	1	1980
Al-Kawkab	1	1987
Al-Taawoun	1	1997
Sdoos	1	1999
Al-Watani	1	2007
Al-Faisaly	1	2010
Al-Shoulla	1	2012
Al-Orobah	1	2013
Al-Ettifaq	1	2016
Al-Fayha	1	2017
Abha	1	2019
Al-Batin	1	2020
Al-Ahli	1	2023

Top scorers

As of the 2023–2024 season

Nat.	Top Scorers	Club	Season	Goals
	Mbaye Diagne	Al-Qadsiah	2023–24	26
	Ablaye Mbengue	Al-Arabi	2022–23	29
	Carolus Andria	Ohod	2021–22	25
	Ibrahim Diomandé	Ohod	2020–21	24
	Ousmane Barry	Al-Bukiryah	2019–20	27
	Carolus Andria	Al-Adalah	2018–19	22
	Mashari Al-Enezi	Al-Tai	2017–18	21
	Abdulfattah Adam	Al-Jeel	2016–17	20
	Abdulfattah Adam	Al-Jeel	2015–16	20
	Mousa Madkhali	Al-Wehda	2014–15	20
	Hamad Al-Juhaim	Al-Tai	2013–14	20
	Mousa Madkhali	Hetten	2012–13	22
	Younes Alaiwi	Al-Batin	2011–12	21
	Hussain Al-Turki	Al-Khaleej	2010–11	20
	Hussain Al-Turki	Al-Khaleej	2009–10	16
	Mohammad Al-Sahlawi Mohammad Al-helo	Al-Qadsiah Sdoos	2008–09	15[20]
	Khalid Al Rejaib	Hajer	2007–08	9
	Al-Hasan Al-Yami	Najran	2006–07	20
	Mubarak Al Khaleefah	Al-Khaleej	2005–06	18
	Mohammed Abuarad	Abha	2004–05	19
	Mohammed Abuarad	Abha	2003–04	15
	Mohammed Abuarad	Abha	2002–03	16
	Mohammed Manga	Sdoos	2001–02	12
	Mohammed Abuarad	Abha	2000–01	14
	Mohammed Harshan	Najran	1999–00	11
	Mubarak Al Khaleefah	Al-Rawdhah	1998–99	13
			1997–98
	Mousa Sahab	Al-Taawoun	1996–97
	Obeid Al-Dosari	Al-Wehda	1995–96
	Yehey Jako	Al-Tai	1994–95	11
	Khalid Al-Mansour	Al-Arabi	1993–94	15
	Hamzah Idris	Ohod	1992–93	10
	Sulaiman Al Hadaithi Mohamed Al Khalifa Nasser Al-Qahtani	Al-Najma Hajer Al-Rawdhah	1991–92	11
	Ahmed Al-Zaaq	Al-Taawoun	1990–91	11
	Khalid Al-Mansour Hamzah Idris	Al-Arabi Ohod	1989–90	11
	Khalid Al-Mansour	Al-Arabi	1988–89	14
	Khalid Al-Mansour Fahd Al-Hamdan	Al-Arabi Al-Riyadh	1987–88	11
	Khalid Al-Mansour	Al-Arabi	1986–87	16
	Abdullah Al-Saab	Al-Fayha	1985–86	8
	Walid Sharqi	Al-Ansar	1984–85
	Mohamed Al-Suwaiyed	Damac	1983–84	11
	Shaye Al-Nafisah	Al-Kawkab	1982–83	12
-	-	-	1981–82 First Division and Premier League were merged in 1981–82 out of concern for the 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification process.	-
	Abdullah Al-Mansour	Al-Taawoun	1980–81	9
	Daran Al Daran	Al-Jabalain	1979–80	16
			1978–79
			1977–78
			1976–77

Sponsorship

Sponsorship Names

• No sponsorship (1976–2011)
• Rakaa league (2012–2013)
• No sponsorship (2014–2020)
• Yelo league (2021–present)

See also

• Saudi Arabian Football Federation
• List of football stadiums in Saudi Arabia
• Saudi Pro League
• Saudi Second Division League
• Saudi Third Division League
• Saudi Fourth Division League

References

1. Official SAFF site in English
2. ""PLAY-OFF» يحدد صاعدي «يلو"".
3. "Prince Sultan Sport City Stadium (Mahalah)".
4. "Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Sports City Stadium".
5. "استاد مدينة الملك سعود الرياضية". kooora.com. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
6. "Department of Education Stadium in Unaizah".
7. "Al batin Club Stadiuem".
8. "Albukiryah Club Stadium".
9. "Alhazm Club Stadium".
10. "استاد الأمير عبدالعزيز بن مساعد بن جلوي". kooora.com. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
11. "ملعب نادي العروبة - AlOrubah Club Stadium".
12. "ملعب نادي الجبيل".
13. "ملعب نادي النجمة".
14. "استاد مدينة الأمير سعود بن جلوي الرياضية (الراكة)".
15. "استاد الأمير محمد بن فهد - Prince Mohammed Bin Fahad Stadium".
16. "ملعب نادي الزلفي - Zulfi Club Stadium".
17. "مدينة الملك خالد.. 30 عاماً في خدمة الشباب والرياضة".
18. "ملعب نادي أحد".
19. "سجل الفائزين". Retrieved 17 May 2019.
20. alriyadh 12 May 2009 issue 14932 (in Arabic)

External links

• Saudi Arabia Football Federation
• Saudi Arabia First Division - Hailoosport.com (Arabic)
• Saudi Arabia First Division - Hailoosport.com