Football in Bahrain

The sport of football in the country of Bahrain is run by the Bahrain Football Association, and is by far, the most popular sport in the country.[1][2]

Bahrain has its own top-tier domestic professional football league, the Bahraini Premier League. It features 10 football clubs that play a two round robin set, with each team playing a total of 18 fixtures.[3] The winners of the domestic championship qualify for the AFC Cup.

The league uses a promotion and relegation system with the Bahraini Classification League, Bahrain's second tier football league. The season usually starts in September and concludes in May, as in other football leagues. The first season was held in 1952. Although games are played on a home and away basis, almost all games are played at the Bahrain National Stadium.

The bottom placed club is relegated with the team finishing second bottom entering a relegation/promotion playoff match. The most successful club in the league's history is Al-Muharraq SC. The current reigning champion of the 2011-2012 football season is Riffa club.[4]

The Bahrain national football team playing Australia on June 10, 2009 in a World Cup qualifier
Club
 Number of Championships
Muharraq Club32
Bahrain Riffa Club (includes West Riffa)10
Bahrain Club5
Al-Ahli (Manama)5
Arabi Club1
Al Hala1
Al-Nasr1
East Riffa Club1

League system

Level League(s)/Division(s)
1 Premier League
10 clubs
2 Second Division
9 clubs

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Team sports in Bahrain". TimeOut Bahrain. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  2. ↑ "Football in Bahrain: A house divided". The Economist. 2011-08-13. Retrieved 2014-03-02.
  3. ↑ Bahraini Premier League, Goalzz.com, retrieved on 15 June 2012.
  4. ↑ Riffa regains Bahrain Premier League crown, Gulf Daily News, retrieved on 15 June 2012.


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