UAE First Division League is the second tier of football league competition in the United Arab Emirates.
As of 2020–21, the league features 15 sides who play each other in a home and away round-robin format, with a total of 28 games for each team. The top two sides gain promotion to the UAE Pro-League. On 29 May 2019, UAEFA announced that a UAE Second Division League to be established with smaller clubs, privately owned clubs, football academies with semi-professional teams compete for promotion to UAE Division one. On 6 July 2022, UAEFA announced that the number of participants will increase to 17 teams for the 2022–23 season. An increase of 2 teams, promoted from the UAE Second Division, and no relegation for UAE First Division clubs from the 2021–22 season, in an expansion season.
Current teams
''Note: Table lists clubs in alphabetical order.
List of champions
Source:
1974–75: Al-Shabab
1975–76: Al Rams
1976–77: Al-Wahda
1977–78: Oman Club
1978–79: Khor Fakkan Club
1979–80: Ittihad Kalba
1980–81: Al Rams
1981–82: Al Khaleej
1982–83: Al-Jazira
1983–84: Al Qadsia Club
1984–85: Al-Wahda
1985–86: Fujairah
1986–87: Ras Al Khaima
1987–88: Al-Jazira
1988–89: Ittihad Kalba
1989–90: Fujairah
1990–91: Not completed due to Gulf War
1991–92: Al Urooba
1992–93: Al-Shaab
1993–94: Al Khaleej
1994–95: Baniyas
1995–96: Ittihad Kalba
1996–97: Emirates
1997–98: Al-Shaab
1998–99: Ittihad Kalba
1999–00: Sharjah
2000–01: Al Khaleej
2001–02: Al-Dhafra
2002–03: Emirates
2003–04: Dubai
2004–05: Baniyas
2005–06: Fujairah
2006–07: Al-Dhafra
2007–08: Al Khaleej
2008–09: Baniyas
2009–10: Ittihad Kalba
2010–11: Ajman
2011–12: Ittihad Kalba
2012–13: Emirates
2013–14: Ittihad Kalba
2014–15: Dibba Al-Fujairah
2015–16: Hatta
2016–17: Ajman
2017–18: Baniyas
2018–19: Khor Fakkan
2019–20: Not completed due to COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21: Al Urooba
2021–22: Dibba Al Fujairah
2022–23: Hatta
Al Khaleej was renamed in June 2017 to the match the name of the city Khorfakkan
*Champions
Performance by club
1 Club no longer exists.
Performance by city
Performance by emirates
Top scorers
1999–2000: Razzaq Farhan (42 goals) 2007–08: Modibo Kane Diarra (44 goals) (Record) 2008–09: Nabil Daoudi (36 goals) 2009–10: Michaël N'dri (10 goals) 2010–11: Patrick Fabiano (19 goals) 2011–12: Makhete Diop (29 goals) 2012–13: Modibo Kane Diarra (24 goals) 2013–14: Modibo Kane Diarra (27 goals) 2014–15: Michaël N'dri (24 goals) 2015–16: Tássio Maia dos Santos (17 goals) 2016–17: Adeílson Pereira de Mello (23 goals) 2017–18: Marcus Vinícius Araujo Silva (21 goals) 2018–19: Vinícius Lopes (16 goals) 2019–20: Alexssander azeredo Vinícius Lopes (11 goals) 2020–21: Diogo Acosta (20 goals) 2021–22: Diogo Acosta (27 goals) 2022–23: Diogo Acosta (24 goals)