UAE Football League

Countries	UAE
Confederation	AFC
Founded	1973
Number of teams	12
Level on pyramid	Level 1
Domestic cup(s)	Super Cup President Cup Vice Presidents Cup Etisalat Emirates Cup
International cup(s)	AFC Champions League
Current champions	Al-Ahli
Most championships	Al-Ain (9)
Website	http://www.uaefa.ae
2009–10 season

The UAE Football League (UFL) is the Emirati professional football league. It is the highest football competition of the United Arab Emirates. It began in 1973. It was renamed as the Premier Division for the 2009-10 season. ^[1]

Some of the great clubs this tournament produced include the Al-Ain, Al-Wasl, Al-Shabbab ACD, Al-Sharjah, Al-Wahda, and Al-Ahli clubs.

The first team to win this league was Al-Sharjah and the team with the most league titles is Al-Ain who have 9.

As Abu Dhabi will host the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup, Al-Ahli, the champion of the league in 2008-09 will be ensured a place in that tournament, as no team from United Arab Emirates will win the AFC Champions League in 2009. Abu Dhabi will return as the Club World Cup host in 2010, so the 2009-10 champion will qualify for the 2010 FIFA Club World Cup, but only if another UAE League team doesn't win the AFC Champions League.

In 1990-91 there was no Championship winner, as the competition could not be completed due to the Gulf War.

[edit] Past champions

Below is a list of all champions from 1973-74 to 2009-10.

[edit] Total championships

The number of national championships that clubs in United Arab Emirates have attained.

[edit] UAE Football League top scorers

This is the list of UAE Football League top scorers season by season.

Season	Player	Club	Goals
2004–05	Valder Anderson	Al-Nasr Sharjah	23
2005–06	Anderson	Sharjah	19
2006–07	Anderson	Al Wasl	19
2007–08	Faisal Khalil Anderson	Al-Ahli Sharjah	16
2008–09	Fernando Baiano	Al-Jazira	25

[edit] Famous Players

The league has also had famous players below a list.

Player	Country	Club
Jorge Valdivia	Chile	Al-Ain
José Sand	Argentina	Al-Ain
Emerson	Brazil	Al-Ain
Boubacar Sanogo	Ivory Coast	Was played for Al-Ain
Ricardo Oliveira	Brazil	Al-Jazeera
Abédi Pelé	Ghana	Was played for Al-Ain
George Weah	Liberia	Was played for Al-Jazeera
Phillip Cocu	Netherlands	Was played for Al-Jazeera
Bonaventure Kalou	Ivory Coast	Was played for Al-Shaab
Amin Erbati	Morocco	Was played for Al-Wehda
James Debbah	Liberia	Was played for Al-Jazeera
Eman Mobali	Iran	Al-Nasser
Javad Kazemian	Iran	Ajman
Hosny Abd Rabo	Egypt	Al-Ahli
Ali Karimi	Iran	Was played for Al-Ahli

[edit] See also

• UAE Super Cup
• UAE President Cup
• UAE Vice Presidents Cup
• Etisalat Emirates Cup

[edit] References

1. ^ http://www.gulfnews.com/sport/Football/10325971.html The UAE FA has renamed the first division as the Premier division
2. ^ No Championship winner are crowned as the league did not be completed due to the Gulf War.