Afghanistan Champions League

The Afghanistan Champions League, previously known as the Afghan Premier League and the Rahmani Foundation Afghan Premier League for sponsorship reasons,[1] is a professional men's soccer league run by the Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF). It is the country's primary competition for the sport. The competition commenced in September 2012. The league is currently contested by twelve teams. Seasons usually runs from September, followed by final series involving two highest-placed teams in each group. National champion gains qualification into the continental competition, AFC Cup. Most games are played at the Afghanistan Football Federation Stadium in Kabul.[2]

"Afghan Premier League" redirects here. For the cricket league, see Afghanistan Premier League.
Afghanistan Champions League
Founded2012 (2012)
CountryAfghanistan
ConfederationAFC
Number of teams12
Level on pyramid1
International cup(s)AFC Cup
Current championsAttack Energy SC (1)
Most championshipsShaheen Asmayee (6 titles)
TV partnersTOLO
Lemar
Eleven Sports
YouTube
(live streaming)

Since the league's inaugural season, a total of three clubs have been crowned Afghan Premier League champions. Shaheen Asmayee, have a record 6 premier league titles.

History

The League was established in 2012 with the first season running through September and October of that year. 8 teams were concurrently established in 2012 to become the inaugural competitors.[3]

Before 2012, the league in Afghanistan was broken down into 7 groups that covered the country.[4]

Players for the league were selected with the help of a reality television talent show called Maidan e sabz ("The Green Pitch"),[5] helmed by Mokhtar Lashkari, star of Tolo TV, Afghanistan's equivalent of The Oprah Winfrey Show.[6]

The concept came from the Afghanistan Football Federation and the Afghanistan-based MOBY Group, which owns a number of TV channels and radio stations and is the largest media group in the country. MOBY Group channels will broadcast matches. Players were voted onto teams by a jury and by the television audience. The 34 provinces were grouped into eight larger zones. Eight teams of 18 players, one from every region, were formed.[7][6]

The Afghan High Peace Council has praised the creation and development of the League as an, "opportunity to bring peace and stability" to Afghanistan.[3] The process has given opportunities to minorities such as the Hazara who were treated as an underclass. Many players and supporters have undergone considerable trauma for which the League serves as a form of therapy.[6] Along with the Shpageeza Cricket League which started in 2013, Afghan Premier League football is one of the few big sporting competitions in Afghanistan, offering precious relief from the violence of every day life.[8]

Shaheen Asmayee F.C. have won a record 5 Afghan Premier League titles (2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2020). They are the only team to have reached the Afghan Premier League final in eight consecutive seasons (2013–2020).

In 2021, for the first time since the inaugural season, 6 teams instead of 8 are contesting the league due to financial reasons.

Champions
Year Winner Finals result Runners-up Top Scorers (golden boot) Goals
2012Toofan Harirod F.C.2–1Simorgh Alborz F.C.Hamidullah Karimi (Toofan Harirod F.C.)9
2013Shaheen Asmayee F.C.3–1 a.e.t.Simorgh Alborz F.C.Hamidullah Karimi (Toofan Harirod F.C.), Hashmatullah Barakzai (Shaheen Asmayee F.C.)7
2014Shaheen Asmayee F.C.3–2Oqaban Hindukush F.C.Mohammad Riza Rizayee (Oqaban Hindukush F.C.)6
2015De Spin Ghar Bazan F.C.3–3 PenaltiesShaheen Asmayee F.C.Mustafa Afshar (De Maiwand Atalan F.C.)5
2016Shaheen Asmayee F.C.2–1 a.e.tDe Maiwand Atalan F.C.Amrruddin Sharifi (Shaheen Asmayee F.C.)6
2017Shaheen Asmayee F.C.4–3 a.e.t.De Maiwand Atalan F.C.Amrruddin Sharifi (De Maiwand Atalan F.C.)5
2018Toofan Harirod F.C.1–0 a.e.t.Shaheen Asmayee F.C.Yar Mohammad Zakarkhel (Toofaan Harirod F.C.)[9]
2019Toofan Harirod F.C.1–0 a.e.t.Shaheen Asmayee F.C.Raoof Qaderi (Shaheen Asmayee F.C.)[10]
2020Shaheen Asmayee F.C.1–0Simorgh Alborz F.C.Javid Mirzad (Oqaban Hindukush F.C.),
Mostafa Rezaei (Simorgh Alborz F.C.)		3

Wins by club
Club Wins Winning years
Shaheen Asmayee 6 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021
Toofan Harirod 3 2012, 2018, 2019
De Spin Ghar Bazan 1 2015

Clubs

2021 season (Safe Cup جام امن)

The following 6 clubs competed in the Premier League during 2021 season. In the 7th and final day of this competition, Shaheen Asmayee defeated Simorgh Alburz 2-0 and won the inaugural and only season of Safe Cup on 11 November 2021.

Location of Afghan Premier League teams
Club Position
in 2020 (group)		 First season in
Afghan Premier League		 Seasons
in Afghan Premier
League		 Most
recent top
division title		 Stadium Capacity
De Abasin Sape3rd (A)20128—Khost City Ground18,000
De Maiwand Atalan3rd (B)20128—Kandahar Stadium5,000
Oqaban Hindukush4th (B)20128—--
Shaheen Asmayee1st (B)201282020Ghazi Stadium25,000
Simorgh Alborz2nd (B)20128—--
Toofan Harirod1st (A)201282019--

Media coverage

Private media group Moby Group has the official rights to cover all matches of the ACL. The matches are aired live on the company's two television channels in Afghanistan, namely TOLO and Lemar,[11] and also offer live commentary on their radio stations, Arman FM and Arakozia FM. Matches are also available live on the league's official YouTube page.[12]

Sponsorship

Roshan Telecom is the title sponsor of Afghan Champions League after which it is named as Roshan Afghan Premier League. Official Partners of Afghan Premier League are Afghanistan International Bank and Hummel International which provided kit for the teams.[13]

See also

References
  1. "Afghan Premier League on Latestinfos.com". Archived from the original on 2014-10-06. Retrieved 2012-07-09.
  2. "Preview & post reports". APL. AFL. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  3. Rezwan Natiq; Mir Sayed (10 October 2012). "Afghan Football League Heads to First Semi-Final". Tolo News. Archived from the original on October 15, 2012.
  4. Activity Report Second quarter 2007. Afghanistan Football Federation. 2008 [circa]. Archived from the original on 18 September 2008. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  5. Roshan Afghan Premier League a hit with fans by Tahir Qadiry (BBC News, 22 September 2012)
  6. Guido Mingels (October 25, 2012). "New Football League Helps Heal Afghanistan". Spiegel Online. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  7. "Talent search at Hindukush" (in German). fussball.de. 28 August 2012. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
  8. "Afghanistan cricket fans defy bombers as T20 league takes off - Sports News". India Today. Reuters. September 15, 2017. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  9. "A quick review of the RFAPL 2018". APL. October 31, 2018. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  10. "A quick review of the APL 2019". APL. October 2, 2019. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  11. "Afghans Launch First Professional Football League". nz.sports.yahoo.com. 11 July 2012. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
  12. YouTube – Afghan Premier League
  13. Afghan Premier League – Sponsors
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