Kuwait Premier League

The Kuwait Premier League (Arabic: الدوري الكويتي, romanized: Dawriyy al-Kuwaytī), known as STC Premier League due to sponsorship reasons, is the top division of the Kuwait football pyramid system. Formed in 1961, Kuwait SC hold the best record in the competition, having won 18 times.

Kuwait Premier League
Founded1961 (1961)
CountryKuwait Kuwait
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 Cup
UAFA Club Championship
Current championsKuwait SC (18th title)
(2022–23)
Most championshipsKuwait SC (18 titles)
Top goalscorerSyria Firas Al-Khatib
(162 goals)
TV partnersKTV Sport
Al-Kass
Current: 2023–24 Kuwaiti Premier League

History

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

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

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

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

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

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.

KPL clubs (2022–23)

Source:[1]

Previous winners

Source:[2]

By season

Most titles
Club Titles Seasons
Kuwait SC
18
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
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
Governorate Number of titles Clubs
Al Asimah
39
 Kuwait SC (18), Al-Arabi (17), Kazma (4)
Hawalli
21
 Qadisia (17), Al-Salmiya (4)
Jahra
1
 Al-Jahra SC (1)

Topscorers

All-time top scorers
As of 13 March 2023
Rank Players Goals Club(s)
1 Syria Firas Al-Khatib162Al-Nasr, Al-Arabi, Qadsia, Al-Salmiya, Kuwait
2 Kuwait Bader Al-Mutawa154Qadsia
3 Kuwait Jasem Yaqoub146Qadsia
4 Kuwait Faisal Al-Dakhil141Qadsia
5 Kuwait Yussef Al-Suwayed137Kazma
6 Brazil Patrick Fabiano133Al-Nasr, Kazma, Al-Salmiya, Kuwait
7 Kuwait Ali Marwi111Al-Salmiya
8 Kuwait Abdulrahman Al-Dawla105Al-Arabi
9 Kuwait Bashar Abdullah104Al-Salmiya, Kuwait
10 Kuwait Anbar Sayed90Al-Arabi

Topscorers by season
Table key
Record number of goals
Year[3] Top scorers Team Goals
1961–62 Kuwait Khalifa Al-ShattiQadsia21
Kuwait Saleh ZakariaAl-Kuliya Al-Sanaya
1962–63 Kuwait Abdulrahman Al-DawlaAl-Arabi15
1963–64 Kuwait Othman Al-OssimiQadsia17
1964–65 Kuwait Abdulrahman Al-DawlaAl-Arabi16
1965–66 Kuwait Abdulrahman Al-DawlaAl-Arabi22
1966–67 Kuwait Abdulrahman Al-DawlaAl-Arabi12
1967–68 Kuwait Mohamed YusifAl-Salmiya6
1968–69 Kuwait Mohamed Al-MisudQadsia6
Kuwait Ali Hasiz ArtiAl-Arabi
1969–70 Egypt Hassan ShehataKazma7
1970–71 Egypt Hassan ShehataKazma9
1971–72 Kuwait Mohamed Al MisudQadsia7
Egypt Hassan ShehataKazma
1972–73 Kuwait Ali Al-MaliAl-Arabi16
1973–74 Kuwait Jasem YaqoubQadsia10
1974–75 Kuwait Jasem YaqoubQadsia25
1975–76 Kuwait Jasem YaqoubQadsia16
1976–77 Kuwait Faisal Al-DakhilQadsia12
Kuwait Jasem YaqoubQadsia
1977–78 Kuwait Saud BuhamadQadsia10
1978–79 Kuwait Ali Al-MaliAl-Arabi10
1979–80 Kuwait Jasem YaqoubQadsia31
1980–81 Kuwait Faisal Al-DakhilQadsia19
Kuwait Ahmad KhalafAl-Arabi
1981–82 Kuwait Tariq NajmKazma16
1982–83 Kuwait Talib HasinSulaibikhat23
1983–84 Kuwait Yussef Al-SuwayedKazma26
1984–85 Kuwait Faisal Al-DakhilQadsia22
1985–86 Kuwait Salah Al-MasnadKazma9
1986–87 Kuwait Nassir Al-GhanemKazma9
1987–88 Kuwait Faisal Al-DakhilQadsia11
1988–89 Kuwait Bader Al-AnbariKazma8
1989–90 Kuwait Khaled Al-NasrAl-Arabi8
1991–92 Kuwait Jassem Al HouwaidiAl-Salmiya10
1992–93 Kuwait Ali MarwiAl-Salmiya10
1993–94 Kuwait Hamad Al SalahQadsia12
Kuwait Nawaf JadidAl Jahra
1994–95 Czech Republic Roman HanusKazma13
1995–96 Brazil Luiz CarlosKazma14
1996–97 Brazil Luiz CarlosKazma11
1997–98 Kuwait Ali MarwiAl-Salmiya28
1998–99 Kuwait Ali MarwiAl-Salmiya22
1999–2000 Kuwait Bashar AbdullahAl-Salmiya11
2000–01 Kuwait Faraj Laheeb
Kuwait Bashar Abdullah		Kuwait
Al-Salmiya		10
2001–02 Senegal Malek JohnKazma10
2002–03 Brazil Dênis MarquesKuwait9
2003–04 Kuwait Khalaf Al SalamahQadsia12
2004–05 Syria Firas Al KhatibAl-Arabi13
2005–06 Kuwait Hamad Al HarbiAl-Fahaheel22
2006–07 Kuwait Bashar AbdullahKuwait10
2007–08 Kuwait Ahmad AjabQadsia14
2008–09 Brazil CarecaKuwait13
2009–10 Oman Ismail Al AjmiKuwait13
2010–11 Syria Firas Al KhatibQadsia14
2011–12 Brazil Vinícius LopesAl-Jahra9
2012–13 Brazil RogerinhoKuwait11
2013–14 Syria Omar Al SomaQadsia23[4]
2014–15 Brazil Patrick FabianoKazma22[5]
2015–16 Syria Firas Al KhatibAl-Arabi23[6]
2016–17 Brazil David da SilvaQadsia14[7]
2017–18 Kuwait Faisal AjabAl Tadhamon15
2018–19 Kuwait Hussain Al-MusawiAl-Arabi17
2019–20 Kuwait Yousef Nasser
Brazil Patrick Fabiano		Kuwait
Al-Salmiya		14
2020–21 State of Palestine Oday DabbaghAl-Arabi13
2021–22 Kuwait Shabaib Al-KhaldiKazma11
2022–23 Tunisia Taha Yassine KhenissiKuwait20

Participation by the years

Notes:

References
  1. "Kuwait Premier League 2022/2023". Soccerway. Perform. Archived from the original on 2022-08-03. Retrieved 2022-08-03.
  2. Atsushi Fujioka (6 May 2016). "Kuwait - List of Champions". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 28 September 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  3. "الاتحاد الكويتي لكرة القدم". Archived from the original on 2016-08-14. Retrieved 2016-07-07.
  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 2016-08-17. Retrieved 2016-07-06.
  6. "دوري VIVA الكويت". www.kooora.com. Archived from the original on 2016-07-03. Retrieved 2016-07-06.
  7. "دوري VIVA الكويت". www.kooora.com. Archived from the original on 2017-05-20. Retrieved 2017-05-26.
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