Afghan Premier League
Introduction The '''Afghan Premier League''', also known as '''Rahmani Foundation Afghan Premier League''' for sponsorship reasons, was a professional men's football league run by the Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF). It was the country's primary competition for the sport. The competition commenced in September 2012.The league was contested by eight teams. Seasons usually ran from September to October followed by a finals series involving the top two highest-placed teams in each of the two tables of four teams. National champion gained qualification into the continental competition. Most games were played at the Afghanistan Football Federation Stadium in Kabul.Since the league's inaugural season, a total of three clubs were crowned Afghan Premier League champions. Shaheen Asmayee, won a record 5 premier league titles.
History The Afghan Premier League was established in 2012 replacing the Kabul Premier League, with the first season running through September and October of that year. 8 teams were concurrently established in 2012 to become the inaugural competitors. Before 2012, the league in Afghanistan was broken down into 7 groups that covered the country.Players for the league were selected with the help of a reality television talent show called ''Maidan e sabz'' ("The Green Pitch"), helmed by Mokhtar Lashkari, star of Tolo TV, Afghanistan's equivalent of ''The Oprah Winfrey Show''. The concept came from the Afghanistan Football Federation and the Afghanistan-based MOBY Group, which owns a number of TV channels and radio stations and is the largest media group in the country. MOBY Group channels will broadcast matches. Players were voted onto teams by a jury and by the television audience. The 34 provinces were grouped into eight larger zones. Eight teams of 18 players, one from every region, were formed.The Afghan High Peace Council praised the creation and development of the League as an, "opportunity to bring peace and stability" to Afghanistan. The process has given opportunities to minorities such as the Hazara who were treated as a underclass. Many players and supporters had undergone considerable trauma for which the League serves as a form of therapy. Along with the Shpageeza Cricket League which started in 2013, Afghan Premier League football was one of the few big sporting competitions in Afghanistan, offering precious relief from the violence of every day life.Shaheen Asmayee FC won a record 5 Afghan Premier League titles (2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2020). They were the only team to have reached the Afghan Premier League final in eight consecutive seasons (2013–2020). The league was discontinued after 2020 and replaced with the Afghanistan Champions League.
Champions YearWinnerFinals resultRunners-upTop Scorers (golden boot)Goals2012  Toofan Harirod  2–1  Simorgh Alborz  Hamidullah Karimi (Toofan Harirod)  92013  Shaheen Asmayee  3–1 a.e.t. Simorgh Alborz  Hamidullah Karimi (Toofan Harirod), Hashmatullah Barakzai (Shaheen Asmayee)  72014  Shaheen Asmayee  3–2  Oqaban Hindukush  Mohammad Riza Rizayee (Oqaban Hindukush)  6  2015  De Spin Ghar Bazan  3–3 Penalties  Shaheen Asmayee  Mustafa Afshar (De Maiwand Atalan)   52016  Shaheen Asmayee  2–1 a.e.t  De Maiwand Atalan  Amredin Sharifi (Shaheen Asmayee)  6  2017  Shaheen Asmayee  4–3 a.e.t. De Maiwand Atalan  Amredin Sharifi (De Maiwand Atalan)  5 2018  Toofan Harirod  1–0 a.e.t. Shaheen Asmayee  Yar Mohammad Zakarkhel (Toofaan Harirod)  2019  Toofan Harirod  1–0 a.e.t. Shaheen Asmayee   Raoof Qaderi (Shaheen Asmayee)2020  Shaheen Asmayee  1–0  Simorgh Alborz  Javid Mirzad (Oqaban Hindukush), Mostafa Rezaei (Simorgh Alborz)  3==== League wins by club ====ClubWinsWinning yearsShaheen Asmayee52013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2020Toofan Harirod32012, 2018, 2019De Spin Ghar Bazan12015
Media coverage Private media group Moby Group had the official rights to cover all matches of the ACL. The matches were aired live on the company's two television channels in Afghanistan, namely TOLO and Lemar, and also offered live commentary on their radio stations, Arman FM and Arakozia FM. Matches are also available live on the league's official YouTube page.
Sponsorship Roshan Telecom was the title sponsor of Afghan Premier League after which it was named as Roshan Afghan Premier League. Official Partners of Afghan Premier League were Afghanistan International Bank and Hummel International which provided kit for the teams.
See also *Football in Afghanistan
References
External links * RSSSF.com – Afghanistan – List of Champions