Kuwait Premier League

Kuwait Premier League

Founded	1961 (1961)
Country	Kuwait
Confederation	AFC
Number of clubs	10
Level on pyramid	1
Relegation to	Kuwaiti 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 champions	Kuwait SC (19th title) (2023–24)
Most championships	Kuwait SC (19 titles)
Top goalscorer	Bader Al-Mutawa (167 goals)
TV partners	SHASHA
Current: 2024–25 Kuwaiti Premier League

The Kuwait Premier League (Arabic: الدوري الكويتي, romanized: Dawriyy 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.

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.

Previous winners

Source:

By season

• 1961–62 : Al-Arabi
• 1962–63 : Al-Arabi
• 1963–64 : Al-Arabi
• 1964–65 : Al-Kuwait
• 1965–66 : Al-Arabi
• 1966–67 : Al-Arabi
• 1967–68 : Al-Kuwait
• 1968–69 : Al-Qadsia SC
• 1969–70 : Al-Arabi
• 1970–71 : Al-Qadsia SC
• 1971–72 : Al-Kuwait
• 1972–73 : Al-Qadsia SC
• 1973–74 : Al-Kuwait
• 1974–75 : Al-Qadsia SC
• 1975–76 : Al-Qadsia SC
• 1976–77 : Al-Kuwait
• 1977–78 : Al-Qadsia SC
• 1978–79 : Al-Kuwait
• 1979–80 : Al-Arabi
• 1980–81 : Al-Salmiya
• 1981–82 : Al-Arabi
• 1982–83 : Al-Arabi
• 1983–84 : Al-Arabi
• 1984–85 : Al-Arabi
• 1985–86 : Kazma
• 1986–87 : Kazma
• 1987–88 : Al-Arabi
• 1988–89 : Al-Arabi
• 1989–90 : Al-Jahra
• 1990–91 : Not held due to Gulf War
• 1991–92 : Al-Qadsia SC
• 1992–93 : Al-Arabi SC
• 1993–94 : Kazma SC
• 1994–95 : Al-Salmiya SC
• 1995–96 : Kazma SC
• 1996–97 : Al-Arabi SC
• 1997–98 : Al-Salmiya SC
• 1998–99 : Al-Qadsia SC
• 1999–2000 : Al-Salmiya SC
• 2000–01 : Kuwait SC
• 2001–02 : Al-Arabi SC
• 2002–03 : Al-Qadsia SC
• 2003–04 : Al-Qadsia SC
• 2004–05 : Al-Qadsia SC
• 2005–06 : Kuwait SC
• 2006–07 : Kuwait SC
• 2007–08 : Kuwait SC
• 2008–09 : Al-Qadsia SC
• 2009–10 : Al-Qadsia SC
• 2010–11 : Al-Qadsia SC
• 2011–12 : Al-Qadsia SC
• 2012–13 : Kuwait SC
• 2013–14 : Al-Qadsia SC
• 2014–15 : Kuwait SC
• 2015–16 : Al-Qadsia SC
• 2016–17 : Kuwait SC
• 2017–18 : Kuwait SC
• 2018–19 : Kuwait SC
• 2019–20 : Kuwait SC
• 2020–21 : Al-Arabi SC
• 2021–22 : Kuwait SC
• 2022–23 : Kuwait SC
• 2023–24 : Kuwait SC
• 2024–25 : ongoing

Most titles

Club	Titles	Seasons
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

Governorate	Number of titles	Clubs
Al Asimah	40	Kuwait SC (19), Al-Arabi (17), Kazma (4)
Hawalli	21	Qadisia (17), Al-Salmiya (4)
Jahra	1	Al-Jahra (1)

Topscorers

All-time top scorers

As of 20 December 2024

Rank	Players	Goals	Club(s)
1	Bader Al-Mutawa	169	Qadsia
2	Firas Al-Khatib	162	Al-Nasr, Al-Arabi, Qadsia, Al-Salmiya, Kuwait
3	Jasem Yaqoub	146	Qadsia
4	Faisal Al-Dakhil	141	Qadsia
5	Yussef Al-Suwayed	137	Kazma
6	Patrick Fabiano	133	Al-Nasr, Kazma, Al-Salmiya, Kuwait
7	Ali Marwi	111	Al-Salmiya
8	Yousif Naser	108	Kazma, Qadsia, Kuwait SC
9	Abdulrahman Al-Dawla	105	Al-Arabi
10	Bashar Abdullah	104	Al-Salmiya, Kuwait

Topscorers by season

Table key

Record number of goals

Year	Top scorers	Team	Goals
1961–62	Khalifa Al-Shatti	Qadsia	21
	Saleh Zakaria	Al-Kuliya Al-Sanaya
1962–63	Abdulrahman Al-Dawla	Al-Arabi	15
1963–64	Othman Al-Ossimi	Qadsia	17
1964–65	Abdulrahman Al-Dawla	Al-Arabi	16
1965–66	Abdulrahman Al-Dawla	Al-Arabi	22
1966–67	Abdulrahman Al-Dawla	Al-Arabi	12
1967–68	Mohamed Yusif	Al-Salmiya	6
1968–69	Mohamed Al-Misud	Qadsia	6
	Ali Hasiz Arti	Al-Arabi
1969–70	Hassan Shehata	Kazma	7
1970–71	Hassan Shehata	Kazma	9
1971–72	Mohamed Al Misud	Qadsia	7
	Hassan Shehata	Kazma
1972–73	Ali Al-Mali	Al-Arabi	16
1973–74	Jasem Yaqoub	Qadsia	10
1974–75	Jasem Yaqoub	Qadsia	25
1975–76	Jasem Yaqoub	Qadsia	16
1976–77	Faisal Al-Dakhil	Qadsia	12
	Jasem Yaqoub	Qadsia
1977–78	Saud Buhamad	Qadsia	10
1978–79	Ali Al-Mali	Al-Arabi	10
1979–80	Jasem Yaqoub	Qadsia	31
1980–81	Faisal Al-Dakhil	Qadsia	19
	Ahmad Khalaf	Al-Arabi
1981–82	Tariq Najm	Kazma	16
1982–83	Talib Hasin	Sulaibikhat	23
1983–84	Yussef Al-Suwayed	Kazma	26
1984–85	Faisal Al-Dakhil	Qadsia	22
1985–86	Salah Al-Masnad	Kazma	9
1986–87	Nassir Al-Ghanem	Kazma	9
1987–88	Faisal Al-Dakhil	Qadsia	11
1988–89	Bader Al-Anbari	Kazma	8
1989–90	Khaled Al-Nasr	Al-Arabi	8
1991–92	Jassem Al Houwaidi	Al-Salmiya	10
1992–93	Ali Marwi	Al-Salmiya	10
1993–94	Hamad Al Salah	Qadsia	12
	Nawaf Jadid	Al Jahra
1994–95	Roman Hanus	Kazma	13
1995–96	Luiz Carlos	Kazma	14
1996–97	Luiz Carlos	Kazma	11
1997–98	Ali Marwi	Al-Salmiya	28
1998–99	Ali Marwi	Al-Salmiya	22
1999–2000	Bashar Abdullah	Al-Salmiya	11
2000–01	Faraj Laheeb Bashar Abdullah	Kuwait Al-Salmiya	10
2001–02	Malek John	Kazma	10
2002–03	Dênis Marques	Kuwait	9
2003–04	Khalaf Al Salamah	Qadsia	12
2004–05	Firas Al Khatib	Al-Arabi	13
2005–06	Hamad Al Harbi	Al-Fahaheel	22
2006–07	Bashar Abdullah	Kuwait	10
2007–08	Ahmad Ajab	Qadsia	14
2008–09	Careca	Kuwait	13
2009–10	Ismail Al Ajmi	Kuwait	13
2010–11	Firas Al Khatib	Qadsia	14
2011–12	Vinícius Lopes	Al-Jahra	9
2012–13	Rogerinho	Kuwait	11
2013–14	Omar Al Soma	Qadsia	23
2014–15	Patrick Fabiano	Kazma	22
2015–16	Firas Al Khatib	Al-Arabi	23
2016–17	David da Silva	Qadsia	14
2017–18	Faisal Ajab	Al Tadhamon	15
2018–19	Hussain Al-Musawi	Al-Arabi	17
2019–20	Yousef Nasser Patrick Fabiano	Kuwait Al-Salmiya	14
2020–21	Oday Dabbagh	Al-Arabi	13
2021–22	Shabaib Al-Khaldi	Kazma	11
2022–23	Taha Yassine Khenissi	Kuwait	20
2023–24	Hamza Khabba	Al-Arabi	21

Participation by the years

Period	Number of clubs
1961–62	7
1962–63 to 1970–71	6
1971–72 to 1973–74	7
1974–75 to 1978–79	8
1979–80 to 1984–85	14*
1985–86	7
1986–87 to 1989–90	8
1990–91	N/A Not held due to Gulf War
1991–92	14*
1992–93 to 1993–94	8
1994–95	14*
1995–96	6*

Period	Number of clubs
1996–97	13*
1997–98 to 1999–2000	14
2000–01 to 2002–03	8
2003–04 to 2005–06	14
2006–07	8
2007–08	9
2008–09 to 2012–13	8
2013–14 to 2014–15	14*
2015–16	13*
2016–17	15
2017–18	8
2018–19 to 2021–22	10
2022–23–present	6

Notes:

• 1979–80 to 1984–85: Kuwaiti Division One was Stopped.
• 1991–92: all Clubs participated after the Gulf War
• 1994–95: Kuwaiti Division One was Stopped.
• 1996–97: Qadsia SC Withdrew.
• 2013–14 to 2014–15: Kuwaiti Division One was Stopped.
• 2015–16: Al Tadhamon SC Withdrew.

External links

• Kuwait: VIVA Premier League Fixtures and Results at FIFA (archived)
• xscores.com Kuwait Premier League
• goalzz.com – Kuwaiti League
• Kuwait-fa.org/