UAE First Division League is the second tier of football league competition in the United Arab Emirates. As of 2020–21, the league features 15 sides who play each other in a home and away round-robin format, with a total of 28 games for each team. The top two sides gain promotion to the UAE Pro-League. On 29 May 2019, UAEFA announced that a UAE Second Division League to be established with smaller clubs, privately owned clubs, football academies with semi-professional teams compete for promotion to UAE Division one. On 6 July 2022, UAEFA announced that the number of participants will increase to 17 teams for the 2022–23 season. An increase of 2 teams, promoted from the UAE Second Division, and no relegation for UAE First Division clubs from the 2021–22 season, in an expansion season. Current teams ''Note: Table lists clubs in alphabetical order. List of champions Source: 1974–75: Al-Shabab 1975–76: Al Rams 1976–77: Al-Wahda 1977–78: Oman Club 1978–79: Khor Fakkan Club 1979–80: Ittihad Kalba 1980–81: Al Rams 1981–82: Al Khaleej 1982–83: Al-Jazira 1983–84: Al Qadsia Club 1984–85: Al-Wahda 1985–86: Fujairah 1986–87: Ras Al Khaima 1987–88: Al-Jazira 1988–89: Ittihad Kalba 1989–90: Fujairah 1990–91: Not completed due to Gulf War 1991–92: Al Urooba 1992–93: Al-Shaab 1993–94: Al Khaleej 1994–95: Baniyas 1995–96: Ittihad Kalba 1996–97: Emirates 1997–98: Al-Shaab 1998–99: Ittihad Kalba 1999–00: Sharjah 2000–01: Al Khaleej 2001–02: Al-Dhafra 2002–03: Emirates 2003–04: Dubai 2004–05: Baniyas 2005–06: Fujairah 2006–07: Al-Dhafra 2007–08: Al Khaleej 2008–09: Baniyas 2009–10: Ittihad Kalba 2010–11: Ajman 2011–12: Ittihad Kalba 2012–13: Emirates 2013–14: Ittihad Kalba 2014–15: Dibba Al-Fujairah 2015–16: Hatta 2016–17: Ajman 2017–18: Baniyas 2018–19: Khor Fakkan 2019–20: Not completed due to COVID-19 pandemic 2020–21: Al Urooba 2021–22: Dibba Al Fujairah Al Khaleej was renamed in June 2017 to the match the name of the city Khorfakkan* Champions Performance by club 1 Club no longer exists. Performance by city Performance by emirates Top scorers 1999–2000: Razzaq Farhan (42 goals) 2007–08: Modibo Kane Diarra (44 goals) (Record) 2008–09: Nabil Daoudi (36 goals) 2009–10: Michaël N'dri (10 goals) 2010–11: Patrick Fabiano (19 goals) 2011–12: Makhete Diop (29 goals) 2012–13: Modibo Kane Diarra (24 goals) 2013–14: Modibo Kane Diarra (27 goals) 2014–15: Michaël N'dri (24 goals) 2015–16: Tássio Maia dos Santos (17 goals) 2016–17: Adeílson Pereira de Mello (23 goals) 2017–18: Marcus Vinícius Araujo Silva (21 goals) 2018–19: Vinícius Lopes (16 goals) 2019–20: Alexssander azeredo Vinícius Lopes (11 goals) 2020–21: Diogo Acosta (20 goals)