Syrian Basketball League
The Syrian Basketball League (Arabic: الدوري السوري لكرة السلة) is the top-tier professional men's basketball league in Syria. It is organized annually as a national championship with playoffs and a national cup by the Syrian Basketball Federation. Both Aleppo teams, Jalaa SC and Al-Ittihad SC, dominated the league until 1993.[1]
Organising body | Syrian Basketball Federation |
---|---|
Founded | 1956 |
First season | 1956–1957 |
Country | Syria |
Confederation | FIBA Asia (Asia) WABA (West Asia) |
Number of teams | 12 |
Level on pyramid | 1 |
Relegation to | Division 2 |
Domestic cup(s) | Syrian Basketball Cup |
Supercup | Syrian Super Cup |
International cup(s) | FIBA Asia Champions Cup West Asia Super League Arab Club Basketball Championship |
Current champions | Al Wahda (10th title) (2022) |
Most championships | Jalaa SC (18 titles) |
TV partners | Sama TV Syria TV |
Website | www.syrbf.org |
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History

Jalaa SC, previously known as Shabibeh, dominated the league from 1956 until 1978. Then another team from Aleppo, Al-Ittihad SC, took all the titles until 1993.[2] Later on, Damascus clubs Al Wahda and Al-Jaish SC won some titles sporadically.[3] In 2021, for the first time in SBL history, the league was won by a club from the city of Homs, Al-Karamah SC.[4]
Sponsorship
As of 2022, the league's main partners are Sinalco,[5] Syriatel, Cham Wings Airlines, Sama TV and Syria TV.
Competition format

The SBL is played by the international FIBA rules. Since 2020–21 the SBL season has a new format. In the regular season, all teams play each other first home and away.[6]
Based on the order in the first round, the top four teams play the playoff system.[7] The semi-final consists of a series played in the twice-to-beat format of the best team with the worst and the second with the third of four.[7]
The final is played in the format of two advancing semi-finalists in a series of three winning matches in the best of five format.[8]
Promotion and relegation
The two worst teams relegate at the end of the season and the two best teams in Division 2 advance to the league.[6]
Current clubs


Team | City | Venue |
---|---|---|
Jalaa SC | Aleppo | Al-Assad Sports Arena |
Al-Ittihad SC | Aleppo | Al-Hamadaniah Sports Arena |
Al-Hurriya SC | Aleppo | Al-Assad Sports Arena |
Al-Jaish SC | Damascus | Al-Fayhaa Arena |
Al Wahda SC | Damascus | Al-Fayhaa Arena |
Al-Fayhaa | Damascus | Al-Fayhaa Arena |
Al-Thawra SC | Damascus | Al-Fayhaa Arena |
Al-Karamah SC | Homs | Ghazwan Abu Zaid Arena |
Al-Wathba SC | Homs | Ghazwan Abu Zaid Arena |
Al-Nawair SC | Hama | Naseh al-Wani Arena |
Al-Taliya SC | Hama | Naseh al-Wani Arena |
Huteen SC | Latakia | Latakia Sports Arena |
Title holders
Season | Champion |
---|---|
1958 until 1976–77 | Jalaa SC |
1978–79 until 1992–93 | Al-Ittihad SC |
1993–94 | Al Wahda |
1994–95 | Al-Ittihad SC |
1995–96 | Al-Ittihad SC |
1996–97 | Al Wahda |
1997–98 | Al Wahda |
1998–99 | Al Wahda |
1999–00 | Al-Ittihad SC |
2000–01 | Al Wahda |
2001–02 | Al Wahda |
2002–03 | Al Wahda |
2003–04 | Al-Jaish SC |
2004–05 | Al-Jaish SC |
2005–06 | Al-Ittihad SC |
2006–07 | Jalaa SC |
2007–08 | Jalaa SC |
2008–09 | Jalaa SC |
2009–10 | Al-Jaish SC |
2010–11 | Jalaa SC |
2011–12 | Jalaa SC |
No Championship | |
2013–14 | Al Wahda |
2014–15 | Al Wahda |
2015–16 | Al-Jaish SC |
2016–17 | Al-Jaish SC |
2017–18 | Al-Jaish SC |
2018–19 | Al-Jaish SC |
Season was suspended at the semi-finals due to COVID-19 pandemic in Syria | |
2020–21 | Al-Karamah SC |
2021–22 | Al-Ittihad SC |
2022–23 | Al Wahda |
Performances
Finals
Season | Champions | Score | Runners-up | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2003–04 | Al-Jaish | No play-offs | Jalaa | |||||
2004–05 | Al-Jaish | No play-offs | Jalaa | |||||
2005–06 | Al-Ittihad | No play-offs | Jalaa | |||||
2006–07 | Jalaa | 2–0 | Al-Ittihad | |||||
2007–08 | Jalaa | No play-offs | Al-Jaish | |||||
2008–09 | Jalaa | 3–0 | Al-Jaish | |||||
2009–10 | Al-Jaish | 2–1 | Jalaa | |||||
2010–11 | Jalaa | 3–0 | Al-Jaish | |||||
2011–12 | Jalaa | 2–0 | Al-Ittihad | |||||
2012–13 | No Championship | |||||||
2013–14 | Al-Wahda | 1–0 | Al-Ittihad | |||||
2014–15 | Al-Wahda | 2–1 | Al-Ittihad | |||||
2015–16 | Al-Jaish | 3–0 | Al-Karamah | |||||
2016–17 | Al-Jaish | No play-offs | — | |||||
2017–18 | Al-Jaish | No play-offs | — | |||||
2018–19 | Al-Jaish | 3–1 | Jalaa | |||||
2019–20 | No Championship | |||||||
2020–21 | Al-Karamah | 2–1 | Al-Wahda | |||||
2021–22 | Al-Ittihad | 3–0 | Al-Karamah | |||||
2022–23 | Al-Wahda | 3–0 | Al-Ittihad |
Performance by club
Club | Winners | Winning years |
---|---|---|
Jalaa SC | 18 | 1958 - 1962 - 1963 - 1964 - 1965 - 1966 - 1968 - 1969 - 1970 - 1973 - 1975 - 1976 - 1977 - 2007 - 2008 - 2009 - 2011 - 2012 |
Al-Ittihad SC | 17 | 1979 - 1982 - 1983 - 1984 - 1985 - 1986 - 1987 - 1988 - 1989 - 1990 - 1991 - 1992 - 1993 - 1996 - 2000 - 2006 - 2021 |
Al Wahda | 10 | 1994 - 1997 - 1998 - 1999 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2014 - 2015 - 2022 |
Al-Jaish SC | 7 | 2004 - 2005 - 2010 - 2016 - 2017 - 2018 - 2019 |
Al-Karamah SC | 1 | 2021 |
Performance by city
City | Winners | Club(s) |
---|---|---|
Aleppo | 35 | Jalaa SC, Al-Ittihad SC |
Damascus | 17 | Al Wahda, Al-Jaish SC |
Homs | 1 | Al-Karamah SC |
Women's league
Team | City | Venue |
---|---|---|
Al-Jalaa SC | Aleppo | Al-Jalaa Arena |
Al-Ittihad SC | Aleppo | Al-Assad Sports Arena |
Ouroube SC | Aleppo | Al-Yarmouk Arena |
Al-Thawra SC | Damascus | Al-Fayhaa Arena |
Al-Wahda SC | Damascus | Al-Fayhaa Arena |
Barada SC | Damascus | Al-Fayhaa Arena |
Qasioun SC | Damascus | Al-Fayhaa Arena |
Tishreen SC | Latakia | Latakia Sports Arena |
Muhardeh SC | Muhardeh | Muhardeh Arena |
Al-Sahel SC | Tartous | Basel al-Assad Arena |
References
- "Al Jalaa, History". asia-basket. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
- "Al-Ittihad, History". asia-basket. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
- "Al Wahda, History". asia-basket. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
- "Al-Karamah Homs, History". asia-basket. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
- Sinalco Syria
- "Syrian Basketball League, season 2020-2021". goalzz.com. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- "Syrian Basketball League, season 2020-2021– Play-off". goalzz.com. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- "Syrian Basketball League, season 2020-2021 Final". goalzz.com. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- "Division I – Round 3: Al Huryieh lose to Al Jalaa". asia-basket.com. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
- "SBL Standings". asia-basket.com. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
- "Women League (Season 2021-22)". asia-basket.com. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
- "Syrian Women Basketball League". goalzz.com. Retrieved 14 January 2022.