The 2020–21 Dhivehi Premier League is the sixth season of the Premier League, the top Maldivian professional league for association football clubs since its establishment in 2015. Maziya are the defending champions, having won their third league title the previous season, their second in the Premier League era, having last won in 2016. The season was initially scheduled to start in June, but this was delayed until December as a consequence of the delay of the 2020 AFC Cup and 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers due to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in Asia and in the Maldives.
Teams
Initially, ten teams were set to compete in the league – the top eight teams from the previous season and the two teams promoted from the Second Division. The promoted teams are Club Valencia and Super United Sports.Valencia makes a comeback to First Division Reejje.mv Published: Jan 15, 2020 On 22 July 2020, Football Association of Maldives announced that this season will be held with eight teams. This is due to temporarily holding off the Premier League slots for the teams promoting from the Jazeera Championship as the 2020 edition was called off due to COVID-19 pandemic in the Maldives, meaning Foakaidhoo FC and Nilandhoo Sports Club are forced to play in the 2021 Jazeera Championship even though they survived relegation.
Valencia is returning after a season's absence in the first division (three seasons in Premier League). This is the first season in the Premier League for Super United Sports. They replaced Victory Sports Club and New Radiant (both teams relegated after suspension due to financial reasons).
Teams and their divisions Note: Table lists clubs in alphabetical order. Team Division Stadium Capacity Eagles Maafannu National Football Stadium (Maldives) 11,850 Green Streets Machchangolhi National Football Stadium (Maldives) 11,850 Valencia Machchangolhi National Football Stadium (Maldives) 11,850 Da Grande Maafannu National Football Stadium (Maldives) 11,850 Maziya West Maafannu National Football Stadium (Maldives) 11,850 Super United Machchangolhi National Football Stadium (Maldives) 11,850 TC Sports Club Henveiru National Football Stadium (Maldives) 11,850 United Victory Galolhu National Football Stadium (Maldives) 11,850
Personnel Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Team Head coach Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor (chest) Shirt sponsor (back) Shirt sponsor (sleeve) ShortClub Eagles Mohamed Shiyaz Hussain Sifaau JerziaGreen Streets Ali Nisthar Mohamed Rilwan Waheed Captain MaldivesValencia Mohamed Athif Ali Ashfaq JerziaDa Grande Ismail Mahfooz Yasfaadh Habeeb Malhi MVMaziya Risto Vidaković Asadhulla Abdulla SE - Sports Emporium Ooredoo MaldivesTC Sports Mohamed Shazly Mohamed AzzamSuper United Ahmed Nashid Ahmed Farhan SE - Sports Emporium Fathaha Mall (main)Heena Mobiles SJ Group (top)Maldives Wave (bottom) Albion Store LITUSUnited Victory Ihsan Abdul Ghanee (interim) Mohamed Arif Jerzia
Coaching changes Team Outgoing Head Coach Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming Head Coach Date of appointment Maziya Marjan Sekulovski End of contract 2 July 2020 Pre-season Mohamed Nizam 21 July 2020 Super United Ibrahim Shafiu 20 February 2020 Ahmed Nashid 13 September 2020 Valencia Ilmau Hussain Ibrahim 20 February 2020 Mohamed Athif 16 October 2020 Maziya Mohamed Nizam Resigned 27 December 2020 1st Ahmed Suzayr (interim) 27 December 2020 Maziya Ahmed Suzayr (interim) Arrival of new coach 3 January 2021 2nd Risto Vidaković 3 January 2021 Club Eagles Mohamed Shiyaz Mutual consent 16 January 2021 7th Vaccent TBA United Victory Mohamed Adam Resigned 16 January 2021 8th Ihsan Abdul Ghanee (interim) 16 January 2021
Foreign players
Club Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 Asian Player Former Players Club Eagles Osama Elshihy Elsayed Mahmoud Mohammad Taha Ismaël Yanogo Milan Jelovac Osama Anbar Green Streets Khalil Elbezawy Angel Carrasco Muñoz Mahmoud Sayed Saqib Hanif Elsayed Mahmoud Valencia Jose Dominguez Toni Soler Vladislav Nuriev Da Grande Otabek Khaydarov Abdurasal Komilov Akhror Umarjonov Maziya Cornelius Stewart Petar Planić Nikola Vujanac Takashi Odawara TC Sports Malcolm Stewart Elmaddin Mammadov Duckson Puslas Super United Víctor Rodríguez Muñoz Mirzokhid Mamatkhonov Atsushi Yonezawa Eisuke Mohri United Victory Kyrylo Silich Anatoliy Vlasichev Marat Ajiniyazov Ruslan Amirov
Players name in bold indicates the player is registered during the mid-season transfer window. Foreign players who left their clubs or were de-registered from playing squad due to medical issues or other matters.
League table
References