The Saudi First Division League (FDL), also known as the Yelo League for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Saudi Arabia and serves as the second tier of the Saudi football league system. It ranks directly below the Saudi Pro League and above the Saudi Second Division League.Official SAFF site in English
History
The First Division League, originally thought to have been established in 1976, was officially recognized in 2025 as having been founded in 1957, following the findings of the 2023–2025 Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) historical documentation project. This revision aligns the league's origins with those of the Saudi Pro League, whose early development occurred in the same era.
Prior to 1976, records of Saudi football competitions were sporadic and poorly archived. In response, a national effort was undertaken to verify and document early league structures. The SAFF project uncovered evidence of organized second-tier competitions dating back to the late 1950s, which were eventually unified and formally structured into what became the First Division.
From the 2017–18 season to the 2020–21 season, the league was named in honor of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Throughout its history, the league has served as a vital platform for club development and promotion to the top flight. Among its most successful participants, Hajer, Al-Wehda, Al-Qadsiah, and Al-Jabalain each hold four titles—the most in the league’s recorded history.
Competition format There are 18 clubs in the First Division League. During the course of a season (usually from August to May) each club plays every other club twice (a double round-robin system), once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents, for 34 games. Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss.
The top two teams are promoted to the Saudi Pro League directly, a play-off system to determine the third team to be promoted alongside the two. Teams placed between third and sixth position take part in the promotion play-offs. The fifth-placed would face the fourth, while the sixth-placed team would face the third. The final would be single-legged, hosted by the higher-placed team, while the bottom three teams are relegated to the Saudi Second Division League.
Each club can have a maximum of 25 players and a minimum of 16. The list can include up to 4 foreign players and 1 player born in Saudi Arabia, with the remaining players being all Saudi. Foreign goalkeepers were first allowed during the 2017–18 season. However, since the 2025–26 season, the goalkeeper position has been restricted exclusively to Saudi players.
Current clubs For details on the FD League 2025–26 season, see here. Stadiums and locations
Note: Table lists in alphabetical order. Team Location Stadium CapacityAbhaAbhaAl-Mahalah StadiumDamac Club Stadium Al-AdalahAl-AhsaHofuf stadiumHajer Club StadiumAl-AnwarHotat Bani TamimAl-Anwar Club StadiumAl-Shoulla Club Stadium Al-ArabiUnaizahDepartment of Education StadiumAl-BatinHafar al-Batin Al-Batin Club Stadium Al-BukiryahAl-BukiryahAl-Bukiryah Club StadiumDiriyahDiriyahPrince Turki bin Abdulaziz Stadium Al-FaisalyHarmahAl-Majma'ah Sports City Stadium Al-JabalainHailPrince Abdulaziz bin Musa'ed Sports City StadiumAl-JandalDumat al-JandalAl-Jawf University Stadium Al-JubailJubailPrince Nayef Sports City Stadium Prince Saud bin Jalawi Sports City Stadium Al-OrobahSakakahAl-Jawf University StadiumAl-Orobah Club StadiumAl-RaedBuraidahAl-Raed Club StadiumKing Abdullah Sports City Stadium BuraidahAl-TaiHailPrince Abdulaziz bin Musa'ed Sports City StadiumAl-Ulaal-UlaPrince Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz Sports City Al-WehdaMeccaKing Abdulaziz Sports City Stadium Al-Zulfi Al-Zulfi Al-Zulfi Club StadiumJeddahJeddahAl-Faisal StadiumSports Hall at King Abdullah Sports City
Champions List of champions # Season Champions Runners-up 1 1957–58 Al-Alamein – 2 1958–59 Al-Shatei – 3 1959–60 Thaqeef – 4 1960–61 Al-Kawakeb – 5 1961–62 Nusoor Al-Hejaz – 6 1962–63 Nusoor Al-Hejaz – 7 1963–64 Al-Nassr – 8 1964–65 Al-Sharq Al-Watani – 9 1965–66 Al-Sharq Al-Watani – 10 1966–67 Hajer – 11 1967–68 Al-Tadamon – 12 1968–69 Al-Jabalain – 13 1969–70 Hajer – 14 1970–71 Al-Jabalain – 15 1971–72 Abha – 16 1972–73 Al-Jabalain – 17 1973–74 Not held 18 1974–75 Not held 19 1975–76 Not completed 20 1976–77 Al-Nahda Al-Ettifaq 21 1977–78 Al-Riyadh Al-Tai 22 1978–79 Al-Shabab Ohod 23 1979–80 Al-Jabalain Al-Riyadh 24 1980–81 Ohod Al-Rawdah 25 1981–82 Not held 26 1982–83 Al-Wehda Al-Riyadh 27 1983–84 Ohod Al-Jabalain 28 1984–85 Al-Tai Al-Kawkab 29 1985–86 Al-Ansar Al-Raed 30 1986–87 Al-Kawkab Ohod 31 1987–88 Hajer Al-Rawdah 32 1988–89 Al-Riyadh Al-Raed 33 1989–90 Al-Najma Al-Arabi 34 1990–91 Al-Nahda Ohod 35 1991–92 Al-Raed Al-Najma 36 1992–93 Al-Nahda Ohod 37 1993–94 Al-Najma Al-Rawdah 38 1994–95 Al-Tai Al-Taawoun 39 1995–96 Al-Wehda Al-Ansar 40 1996–97 Al-Taawoun Al-Shoulla 41 1997–98 Hajer Al-Ansar 42 1998–99 Sdoos Al-Raed 43 1999–2000 Al-Ansar Al-Qadsiah 44 2000–01 Al-Tai Al-Shoulla 45 2001–02 Al-Qadsiah Al-Raed 46 2002–03 Al-Wehda Al-Khaleej 47 2003–04 Ohod Al-Ansar 48 2004–05 Al-Hazem Abha 49 2005–06 Al-Khaleej Al-Faisaly 50 2006–07 Al-Watani Najran 51 2007–08 Al-Raed Abha 52 2008–09 Al-Qadsiah Al-Fateh 53 2009–10 Al-Faisaly Al-Taawoun 54 2010–11 Hajer Al-Ansar 55 2011–12 Al-Shoulla Al-Wehda 56 2012–13 Al-Orobah Al-Nahda 57 2013–14 Hajer Al-Khaleej 58 2014–15 Al-Qadsiah Al-Wehda 59 2015–16 Al-Ettifaq Al-Batin 60 2016–17 Al-Fayha Ohod 61 2017–18 Al-Wehda Al-Hazem 62 2018–19 Abha Damac 63 2019–20 Al-Batin Al-Qadsiah 64 2020–21 Al-Hazem Al-Fayha 65 2021–22 Al-Khaleej Al-Adalah 66 2022–23 Al-Ahli Al-Hazem 67 2023–24 Al-Qadsiah Al-Orobah 68 2024–25 Neom Al-Najma 69 2025–26 Abha Al Faisaly
Performance by club Club Titles Winning years Hajer 4 1966–67, 1979–80, 1987–88, 2013–14 Al-Jabalain 4 1968–69, 1970–71, 1972–73, 1979–80 Al-Wehda 4 1982–83, 1995–96, 2002–03, 2017–18 Al-Qadsiah 4 2001–02, 2008–09, 2014–15, 2023–24 Al-Nahda 3 1976–77, 1990–91, 1992–93 Al-Tai 3 1984–85, 1994–95, 2000–01 Abha 3 1971–72, 2018–19, 2025–26 Ohod 3 1980–81, 1983–84, 2003–04 Al-Riyadh 2 1977–78, 1988–89 Al-Najma 2 1989–90, 1993–94 Al-Ansar 2 1985–86, 1999–2000 Al-Raed 2 1991–92, 2007–08 Al-Hazem 2 2004–05, 2020–21 Al-Khaleej 2 2005–06, 2021–22 Al-Sharq Al-Watani 2 1964–65, 1965–66 Nusoor Al-Hejaz 2 1961–62, 1962–63 Al-Nassr 1 1963–64 Al-Shabab 1 1978–79 Al-Kawkab 1 1986–87 Al-Taawoun 1 1996–97 Sdoos 1 1998–99 Al-Watani 1 2006–07 Al-Faisaly 1 2009–10 Al-Shoulla 1 2011–12 Al-Orobah 1 2012–13 Al-Ettifaq 1 2015–16 Al-Fayha 1 2016–17 Al-Ahli 1 2022–23 Al-Batin 1 2019–20 Neom 1 2024–25 Al-Alamein 1 1957–58 Al-Shatei 1 1958–59 Thaqeef 1 1959–60 Al-Kawakeb 1 1960–61 Al-Tadamon 1 1967–68
Top scorers
Season Nat. Top scorer(s) Club(s) Goals 2025–26 Sylla SowSimy AbhaAl-Orobah 27 2024–25 Alan Cariús Al-Adalah 20 2023–24 Mbaye Diagne Al-Qadsiah 26 2022–23 Ablaye Mbengue Al-Arabi 29 2021–22 Carolus Andria Ohod 25 2020–21 Ibrahim Diomandé Ohod 24 2019–20 Ousmane Barry Al-Bukiryah 27 2018–19 Carolus Andria Al-Adalah 22 2017–18 Mashari Al-Enezi Al-Tai 21 2016–17 Abdulfattah Adam Al-Jeel 20 2015–16 Abdulfattah Adam Al-Jeel 20 2014–15 Mousa Madkhali Al-Wehda 20 2013–14 Hamad Al-Juhaim Al-Tai 20 2012–13 Mousa Madkhali Hetten 22 2011–12 Younes Alaiwi Al-Batin 21 2010–11 Hussain Al-Turki Al-Khaleej 20 2009–10 Hussain Al-Turki Al-Khaleej 16 2008–09 Mohammad Al-SahlawiMohammad Al-helo Al-Enizi Al-QadsiahSdoos 15 2007–08 Khalid Al-Rejaib Hajer 9 2006–07 Al-Hasan Al-Yami Najran 20 2005–06 Mubarak Al-Khalifa Al-Khaleej 18 2004–05 Mohammed Abu Arad Abha 19 2003–04 Mohammed Abu Arad Abha 15 2002–03 Mohammed Abu Arad Abha 16 2001–02 Mohammed Manga Sdoos 12 2000–01 Mohammed Abu Arad Abha 14 1999–00 Mohammed Harshan Najran 11 1998–99 Mubarak Al-Khalifa Al-Rawdah 13 1997–98–––– 1996–97 Mousa Sahab Al-Taawoun – 1995–96 Obeid Al-Dosari Al-Wehda – 1994–95 Yehey Jako Al-Tai 11 1993–94 Khalid Al-Mansour Al-Arabi 15 1992–93 Hamzah Idris Ohod 10 1991–92 Sulaiman Al-HadaithiMohamed Al-KhalifaNasser Al-Qahtani Al-NajmaHajerAl-Rawdah 11 1990–91 Ahmed Al-Zaaq Al-Taawoun 11 1989–90 Khalid Al-MansourHamzah Idris Al-ArabiOhod 11 1988–89 Khalid Al-Mansour Al-Arabi 14 1987–88 Khalid Al-MansourFahd Al-Hamdan Al-ArabiAl-Riyadh 11 1986–87 Khalid Al-Mansour Al-Arabi 16 1985–86 Abdullah Al-Saab Al-Fayha 8 1984–85 Waleed Sharqi Al-Ansar – 1983–84 Mohamed Al-Suwaiyed Damac 11 1982–83 Shaye Al-Nafisah Al-Kawkab 12 1980–81 Abdullah Al-Mansour Al-Taawoun 9 1979–80 Daraan Al-Daraan Al-Jabalain 16 1978–79–––– 1977–78–––– 1976–77––––
Sponsorship Sponsorship Names No sponsorship (1957–2011) Rakaa league (2012–2013) No sponsorship (2014–2020) Yelo league (2021–present)
See also Saudi Arabian Football Federation Football in Saudi Arabia List of football clubs in Saudi Arabia List of football stadiums in Saudi Arabia Saudi Super Cup King's Cup Crown Prince Cup Prince Faisal bin Fahd Cup Saudi Founder's Cup Saudi Women's First Division League Sport in Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia Ministry of Sport
References
External links
Saudi Arabia Football Federation (Arabic)