The 2023–24 First Division League (known as the Yelo League for sponsorship reasons) was the third season of the Saudi First Division League after its rebrand, and the 47th season of the Saudi First Division since its establishment in 1976. The season started on 14 August 2023 and concluded on 28 May 2024.
On 6 May, Al-Qadsiah became the first team to be promoted following a 2–2 draw with Ohod. They were crowned champions following a 4–2 win against Al-Najma on 13 May. On 21 May, Al-Kholood and Al-Orobah became the final two clubs to be promoted following wins over Al-Safa and Al-Jabalain respectively.
On 30 April, Al-Taraji became the first team to be relegated after a 4–1 defeat away to Al-Kholood. On 13 May, Hajer became the second team to be relegated following a 2–1 defeat to Al-Faisaly. On 15 May, Al-Qaisumah became the third and the final club to be relegated following a 0–0 draw with Ohod.
Team changes The following teams have changed division since the 2022–23 season.
To the First Division League Promoted from Second Division Al-Najma Al-Taraji Al-Bukiryah Al-Safa Al-Jandal
Relegated from Pro League Al-Adalah Al-Batin
From the First Division League Promoted to Pro League Al-Ahli Al-Hazem Al-Okhdood Al-Riyadh
Relegated to Second Division Najran Al-Sahel Al-Shoulla
Teams A total of 18 teams are contesting the league, including 11 sides from the 2022–23 season, the five promoted teams from the Second Division and the two relegated sides from the Pro League.
Al-Batin were the first club to be relegated following a 1–0 defeat away to Al-Ittihad on 23 May 2023. Al-Batin were relegated after three years in the top flight. Al-Adalah were the second and final club to be relegated following a 2–0 home defeat to Al-Ettifaq on the final matchday. Al-Adalah were relegated after just one year in the top flight. Both Al-Adalah and Al-Batin will play in their 7th season in the FD League.
The first club to be promoted was Al-Najma who did so after a 1–1 draw against Al-Kawkab on 17 March 2023. On 24 March 2023, Al-Taraji became the second club to be promoted despite a 1–0 defeat to Al-Bukiryah. On 31 March 2023, Al-Bukiryah became the third club to be promoted following a 1–0 home win against Al-Diriyah. On 8 April 2023, Al-Safa became the fourth club to be promoted following a 2–1 home win against Wej. The fifth and final club to be promoted was Al-Jandal, who did so following a 4–2 aggregate win over Bisha in the promotion play-offs.
Al-Najma were crowned champions after defeating Al-Taraji 2–1 to win their third title and first since 2010.
Al-Najma return to the First Division League after an absence of 10 years. They return to the league for the first time since the 2012–13 season and will play in their 11th overall season. Al-Bukiryah return after an absence of two seasons and will play in their 3rd overall season in the First Division League. Al-Safa return after an absence of eight years and will play in their 2nd overall season in the First Division League. Both Al-Taraji and Al-Jandal were promoted to the First Division League for the first time in history.
Stadium and locations
Note: Table lists in alphabetical order. Team Location Stadium CapacityAl-AdalahAl-Hasa Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi StadiumHajer Club StadiumAl-AinAl Bahah King Saud Sport City StadiumAl-ArabiUnaizahDepartment of Education StadiumAl-BatinHafar al-Batin Al-Batin Club Stadium Al-BukiryahAl BukayriyahAl-Bukiryah Club StadiumAl-FaisalyHarmahAl Majma'ah Sports City (Al Majma'ah)Al-JabalainHa'ilPrince Abdul Aziz bin Musa'ed StadiumAl-JandalDumat al-JandalAl-Orobah Club Stadium (Sakakah)Al-KholoodAr RassAl-Hazem Club StadiumAl-NajmaUnaizahDepartment of Education StadiumAl-Najma Club StadiumAl-OrobahSakakahAl-Orobah Club StadiumAl-QadsiahKhobarPrince Saud bin Jalawi StadiumAl-QaisumahQaisumah Al-Batin Club Stadium Al-SafaSafwa Al-Safa Club StadiumPrince Saud bin Jalawi Stadium Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium Al-TarajiQatif Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz StadiumPrince Saud bin Jalawi Stadium HajerAl-Hasa Hajer Club StadiumJeddahJeddahPrince Abdullah Al-Faisal StadiumSports Hall at King Abdullah Sports CityOhodMedinaOhod Club Stadium
Personnel and kits Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor 1 On the back of the strip. 2 On the right sleeve of the strip. 3 On the shorts.
Foreign players On 1 June 2023, the Saudi FF announced that the number of foreign players was increased from 6 players to 7 players.
Players name in bold indicates the player is registered during the mid-season transfer window. Players in italics were out of the squad or left the club within the season, after the pre-season transfer window, or in the mid-season transfer window, and at least had one appearance.
Club Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 Player 4 Player 5 Player 6 Player 7 Former Players Al-Adalah Philipe Maia Donovan Ewolo Karim Yoda Theofanis Mavrommatis Moussa Doumbia David Tijanić Samsondin Ouro Christofer Gonzáles Alexandru Tudorie Al-Ain Bruno Grassi Dodô Othman Maloum Mohamed Ouattara Daouda Sylla Erhun Obanor Anthony Okpotu Al-Arabi Jobson Diego Miranda Muralha Romell Quioto Cheick Comara Ola John Ablaye Mbengue Khemais Maaouani Al-Batin Okacha Hamzaoui Thibault Peyre Isaac Sackey Mamadou Soro Amine Atouchi Zakaria Lahlali Abdelali Mhamdi Brahian Alemán Al-Bukiryah Fernando Piñero Salifu Mudasiru Henrique Luvannor Zakaria Fati Ayoub Lakhdar Hicham Faik Nikola Petrić Serge Tabekou Reda Kharchouch Nebojša Bastajić Al-Faisaly Morato Lucas Souza Paul Garita Joy-Lance Mickels Mohamed Cheikhi Vladimir Stojković Larry Azouni Al-Jabalain Nailson Yazid Abu Layla Iliass Bel Hassani Mohamed Rayhi Mamadou Thiam Miodrag Gemović Israel Puerto Masoud Juma Al-Jandal Tony Batista Leandrinho Camacho Senin Sebai Cristian Martínez Agi Dambelley Sabri Zaidi Róbson Sofian El Moudane Austin Amutu Al-Kholood Mariano Vázquez Roberto Dias Rafael Martins Arthur Rezende Ahmed Yasin Afonso Taira Nikola Stojiljković Samuel Armenteros Al-Najma Farid Chaâl Alan Cariús Wellington Silva Léo Tilica Hernâni Fortes Simon Msuva Luis Mago Ayoub Azzi Idriz Batha Ousmane Barry Ença Fati Al-Orobah Rubin Hebaj Connor Pain Matheus Duarte Vurnon Anita Béni Nkololo Džiugas Bartkus Mounir El Allouchi Tiago Bezerra Al-Qadsiah Luciano Vietto Alexander Hack André Carrillo Kévin Rodrigues Mbaye Diagne Álvaro González Joel Robles Max Power Al-Qaisumah Elliot Simões Lucas Dias Souleymane Sakandé Sadat Karim Sandro Sakho Slaviša Bogdanović Jefferson Jeison Chalá Al-Safa Fabinho Maicon Kaká Mendes Reinaldo Hamidou Traoré Daouda Toure Borhane Hakimi Victor Arboleda Denny Antwi Usman Sale Malek Miladi Al-Taraji Rodrigue Kossi Leroy-Jacques Mickels Samuel Sarfo Mohamed Aidara Roger Alain Akono Emanuel Novo Hajer Clarence Bitang Nikola Jambor Reda Hajhouj Youssef El Jebli Reda Kharchouch Konstantin Cheshmedjiev Bakary Coulibaly Abderrahmane Bourdim Srđan Spiridonović Adriano Pardal Ronald Ngah Miloš Krunić Jeddah Rédha Bensayah Khaled Nèche Ngweni Ndassi Medwin Biteghé Faisal Abu Bakr Aziz Chtioui Hamid Djaouchi Ohod Karim Aribi Haris Belkebla Ryad Boudebouz Mohamed Kamal Konrad Michalak Nicolás Milesi Gerald Takwara Jonás Ramalho Hussein Jabbar César Meza Colli David Meza
League table
Positions by round The table lists the positions of teams after each week of matches. In order to preserve chronological evolution, any postponed matches are not included in the round at which they were originally scheduled but added to the full round they were played immediately afterward.
Results
Statistics
Scoring Top scorers Rank Player Club Goals1 Mbaye DiagneAl-Qadsiah262 Luciano ViettoAl-Qadsiah17 Anthony OkpotuAl-Ain4 Rédha BensayahJeddah165 Ablaye MbengueAl-Arabi14 Lucas SouzaAl-Faisaly Sadat KarimAl-Qaisumah8 Ousmane BarryAl-Najma13 Hisham Al DubaisAl-Jabalain10 Agi DambelleyAl-Jandal12 Paul GaritaAl-Faisaly
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Muralha Al-Arabi Al-Qaisumah 4–2 (H) Lucas Souza Al-Faisaly Al-Ain 4–3 (A) Mbaye Diagne Al-Qadsiah Al-Qaisumah 3–1 (H) Mbaye Diagne Al-Qadsiah Al-Najma 4–2 (H) Romell Quioto Al-Arabi Al-Taraji 6–0 (H) Hussain Al-Moeini Jeddah Al-Jandal 4–1 (A)
Note (H) – Home; (A) – Away
Clean sheets RankPlayerClubCleansheets1 Džiugas BartkusAl-Orobah15 Joel RoblesAl-Qadsiah3 Rafael MartinsAl-Kholood11 Nikola PetrićAl-Bukiryah5 Vladimir StojkovićAl-Faisaly10 Tony BatistaAl-Jandal7 Abdelali MhamdiAl-Batin9 Bruno GrassiAl-Ain9 Farid ChaâlAl-Najma810 Abdulrahman Al-ShammariAl-Arabi7
Awards Monthly awards
MonthManager of the MonthReferenceManagerClubAugust & September Robbie FowlerAl-QadsiahOctober Rusmir CvikoAl-OrobahNovember Fabiano FloraAl-KholoodDecember MíchelAl-Qadsiah
Round awards
RoundPlayer of the RoundReferencePlayerClubRound 1 Connor PainAl-OrobahRound 2 Ola JohnAl-ArabiRound 3 Ablaye MbengueAl-ArabiRound 4 MuralhaAl-ArabiRound 5 MoratoAl-FaisalyRound 6 Sattam Al-TambaktiAl-AinRound 7 FabinhoAl-SafaRound 8 Rédha BensayahJeddahRound 9 Mohamed RayhiAl-JabalainRound 10 Luciano ViettoAl-QadsiahRound 11 Faisal Al-MutairiAl-NajmaRound 12 Ablaye MbengueAl-ArabiRound 13 Lucas SouzaAl-FaisalyRound 14 Rédha BensayahJeddahRound 15 Ahmed YasinAl-KholoodRound 16 Lucas DiasAl-QaisumahRound 17 Abdelali MhamdiAl-BatinRound 18 Vladimir StojkovićAl-FaisalyRound 19 Hisham Al DubaisAl-JabalainRound 20 Alan CariúsAl-NajmaRound 21 Ayoub LakhdarAl-BukiryahRound 22 Luciano ViettoAl-QadsiahRound 23 Rédha BensayahJeddahRound 24 Joy-Lance MickelsAl-FaisalyRound 25 Okacha HamzaouiAl-BatinRound 26 Sultan Al-ShehriAl-KholoodRound 27 ReinaldoAl-SafaRound 28 Mohammad Al-SahlawiAl-SafaRound 29 Okacha HamzaouiAl-BatinRound 30 Mbaye DiagneAl-QadsiahRound 31 Zeyad Al-HunaytiAl-OrobahRound 32 Borhane HakimiAl-SafaRound 33 Džiugas BartkusAl-OrobahRound 34 Hussain Al-MoeiniJeddah
Number of teams by province RankProvinceNumber Teams1Eastern Province7Al-Adalah, Al-Batin, Al-Qadsiah, Al-Qaisumah, Al-Safa, Al-Taraji and Hajer2Al-Qassim4Al-Arabi, Al-Bukiryah, Al-Kholood and Al-Najma3Al-Jawf2Al-Jandal and Al-Orobah4Al-Bahah1Al-AinHa'ilAl-JabalainMeccaJeddahMedinaOhodRiyadhAl-Faisaly
See also 2023–24 Saudi Professional League 2023–24 Saudi Second Division 2023–24 Saudi Third Division
References