Kuwait Premier League

The Kuwait Premier League (Arabic: الدوري الكويتي, romanizedDawriyy al-Kuwaytī), known as Zain Premier League due to sponsorship reasons, is the top division of the Kuwait football pyramid system. Formed in 1961, Kuwait SC holds the best record in the competition, having won 19 times.

Kuwait Premier League
Founded1961; 63 years ago (1961)
CountryKuwait
ConfederationAFC
Number of teams10
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toKuwaiti Division One
Domestic cup(s)Kuwait Emir Cup
Kuwait Crown Prince Cup
Kuwait Federation Cup
Kuwait Super Cup
International cup(s)AFC Champions League Two
Arab Club Champions Cup
Current championsKuwait SC (19th title)
(2023–24)
Most championshipsKuwait SC (19 titles)
Top goalscorerKuwait Bader Al-Mutawa (167 goals)
TV partnersSHASHA
Current: 2023–24 Kuwaiti Premier League

History

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The Kuwaiti Premier League officially began in the 1961/62 season, after playing unofficially for eight years (played with group of clubs: "Ahli - Al Jazeera - Arabism - Gulf - Solidarity - Al-Qubali, Al-Nahda, Al-Sharqai, Al-Merqab, Al-Mawalim and Al-Taawon). National companies and ministries were club's first sponsors.

1960s

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In the 1961/1962 season, several new clubs joined (Al-Arabi, Qadsia, Kuwait SC, Kifan High School, Shuwaikh Secondary School, Industrial College and Police Team). Al-Arabi won the league title without losing, and winning 7 points ahead of Qadsia, scoring 42 goals and conceding 10.

In the following season, the number of teams was reduced to 7. Al-Arabi managed to win the second title in a row after winning 18 points ahead of Qadsia, scoring 45 goals and conceding 6.

The third season of the league almost witnessed the end of Arabi monopoly, after fierce competition from Qadsia and other teams. Arabi and Qadsia were equal on points before the decisive match. Arabi managed to maintain the title after defeating Qadsia 2-0, scoring overall 42 goals and conceding nine.

In the fourth season, school teams were removed from participating and league saw participation of 3 new clubs (Salmiya, Fahaheel and Al-Shabab). The Kuwait Club managed to end the Arabi monopoly to achieve its first title, after winning the competition without any defeat.

The 1960s witnessed a sweep of the Arabi club when it won six titles against two titles for Kuwait and a title for Qadsia.

1970s

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The 1970 era began with Qadsia's winning the 1971/1970 season, for the second time in its history. Al-Arabi lost its championship in a strange way during ten years. They did not win any title during this period until the end of the 1979/1980 season.

1980s

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The eighties witnessed three new league champions, namely Al-Salmiya who won its first title in the 1980/81 season, and Kazma club which won the titles of 1985/86 and 1986/87, as well as Jahra club, which ended the 1980s by winning the title.

1990s

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The league championship was not held in the 1990–91 season because of Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Competition began again in the 1991–92 season, which was held as group system with qualification. Old format returned with participation of 14 teams in the 1994–95 season. Era of the nineties witnessed a parity between clubs, where both Al-Arabi and Al-Salmiya won 3 titles, and Qadsia and Kazma two.

2000s

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At the beginning of a new millennium, Kuwait SC achieved the league championship after a long absence of 22 years, followed by victory of Al-Arabi for the sixteenth time in its history in the 2001–02 season. Since then until 2020–21 season, Qadsia has won nine titles while Kuwait Club won five. Al-Arabi was able to break their dominance and win the mentioned season title.

Previous winners

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Source:[1]

By season

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Most titles

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ClubTitlesSeasons
Kuwait SC
19
1964–65, 1967–68, 1971–72, 1973–74, 1976–77, 1978–79, 2000–01, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24
Al-Arabi
17
1961–62, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1969–70, 1979–80, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1979–88, 1988–89, 1992–93, 1996–97, 2001–02, 2020–21
Qadsia
17
1968–69, 1970–71, 1972–73, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1977–78, 1991–92, 1998–99, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2015–16
Kazma
4
1985–86, 1986–87, 1993–94, 1995–96
Al-Salmiya
4
1980–81, 1994–95, 1997–98, 1999–2000
Al-Jahra
1
1989–90

Total titles won by Governorate

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GovernorateNumber of titlesClubs
Al Asimah
40
Kuwait SC (19), Al-Arabi (17), Kazma (4)
Hawalli
21
Qadisia (17), Al-Salmiya (4)
Jahra
1
Al-Jahra (1)

Topscorers

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All-time top scorers

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As of 27 May 2024
RankPlayersGoalsClub(s)
1 Bader Al-Mutawa167Qadsia
2 Firas Al-Khatib162Al-Nasr, Al-Arabi, Qadsia, Al-Salmiya, Kuwait
3 Jasem Yaqoub146Qadsia
4 Faisal Al-Dakhil141Qadsia
5 Yussef Al-Suwayed137Kazma
6 Patrick Fabiano133Al-Nasr, Kazma, Al-Salmiya, Kuwait
7 Ali Marwi111Al-Salmiya
8 Abdulrahman Al-Dawla105Al-Arabi
9 Bashar Abdullah104Al-Salmiya, Kuwait
10 Yousif Naser103Kazma, Qadsia, Kuwait SC

Topscorers by season

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Table key
Record number of goals
Year[2]Top scorersTeamGoals
1961–62 Khalifa Al-ShattiQadsia21
Saleh ZakariaAl-Kuliya Al-Sanaya
1962–63 Abdulrahman Al-DawlaAl-Arabi15
1963–64 Othman Al-OssimiQadsia17
1964–65 Abdulrahman Al-DawlaAl-Arabi16
1965–66 Abdulrahman Al-DawlaAl-Arabi22
1966–67 Abdulrahman Al-DawlaAl-Arabi12
1967–68 Mohamed YusifAl-Salmiya6
1968–69 Mohamed Al-MisudQadsia6
Ali Hasiz ArtiAl-Arabi
1969–70 Hassan ShehataKazma7
1970–71 Hassan ShehataKazma9
1971–72 Mohamed Al MisudQadsia7
Hassan ShehataKazma
1972–73 Ali Al-MaliAl-Arabi16
1973–74 Jasem YaqoubQadsia10
1974–75 Jasem YaqoubQadsia25
1975–76 Jasem YaqoubQadsia16
1976–77 Faisal Al-DakhilQadsia12
Jasem YaqoubQadsia
1977–78 Saud BuhamadQadsia10
1978–79 Ali Al-MaliAl-Arabi10
1979–80 Jasem YaqoubQadsia31
1980–81 Faisal Al-DakhilQadsia19
Ahmad KhalafAl-Arabi
1981–82 Tariq NajmKazma16
1982–83 Talib HasinSulaibikhat23
1983–84 Yussef Al-SuwayedKazma26
1984–85 Faisal Al-DakhilQadsia22
1985–86 Salah Al-MasnadKazma9
1986–87 Nassir Al-GhanemKazma9
1987–88 Faisal Al-DakhilQadsia11
1988–89 Bader Al-AnbariKazma8
1989–90 Khaled Al-NasrAl-Arabi8
1991–92 Jassem Al HouwaidiAl-Salmiya10
1992–93 Ali MarwiAl-Salmiya10
1993–94 Hamad Al SalahQadsia12
Nawaf JadidAl Jahra
1994–95 Roman HanusKazma13
1995–96 Luiz CarlosKazma14
1996–97 Luiz CarlosKazma11
1997–98 Ali MarwiAl-Salmiya28
1998–99 Ali MarwiAl-Salmiya22
1999–2000 Bashar AbdullahAl-Salmiya11
2000–01 Faraj Laheeb
Bashar Abdullah
Kuwait
Al-Salmiya
10
2001–02 Malek JohnKazma10
2002–03 Dênis MarquesKuwait9
2003–04 Khalaf Al SalamahQadsia12
2004–05 Firas Al KhatibAl-Arabi13
2005–06 Hamad Al HarbiAl-Fahaheel22
2006–07 Bashar AbdullahKuwait10
2007–08 Ahmad AjabQadsia14
2008–09 CarecaKuwait13
2009–10 Ismail Al AjmiKuwait13
2010–11 Firas Al KhatibQadsia14
2011–12 Vinícius LopesAl-Jahra9
2012–13 RogerinhoKuwait11
2013–14 Omar Al SomaQadsia23[3]
2014–15 Patrick FabianoKazma22[4]
2015–16 Firas Al KhatibAl-Arabi23[5]
2016–17 David da SilvaQadsia14[6]
2017–18 Faisal AjabAl Tadhamon15
2018–19 Hussain Al-MusawiAl-Arabi17
2019–20 Yousef Nasser
Patrick Fabiano
Kuwait
Al-Salmiya
14
2020–21 Oday DabbaghAl-Arabi13
2021–22 Shabaib Al-KhaldiKazma11
2022–23 Taha Yassine KhenissiKuwait20
2023–24 Hamza KhabbaAl-Arabi21

Participation by the years

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Notes:

References

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  1. ^ Atsushi Fujioka (6 May 2016). "Kuwait – List of Champions". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 28 September 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  2. ^ "الاتحاد الكويتي لكرة القدم". Archived from the original on 2016-08-14. Retrieved 2016-07-07.
  3. ^ "دوري VIVA الكويت". www.kooora.com. Archived from the original on 2016-08-17. Retrieved 2016-07-06.
  4. ^ "دوري VIVA الكويت". www.kooora.com. Archived from the original on 2016-08-17. Retrieved 2016-07-06.
  5. ^ "دوري VIVA الكويت". www.kooora.com. Archived from the original on 2016-07-03. Retrieved 2016-07-06.
  6. ^ "دوري VIVA الكويت". www.kooora.com. Archived from the original on 2017-05-20. Retrieved 2017-05-26.
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