The Saudi First Division League (FDL), also known as the Yelo League for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Saudi Arabia and serves as the second tier of the Saudi football league system. It ranks directly below the Saudi Pro League and above the Saudi Second Division League.
History
The First Division League, originally thought to have been established in 1976, was officially recognized in 2025 as having been founded in 1957, following the findings of the 2023–2025 Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) historical documentation project. This revision aligns the league's origins with those of the Saudi Pro League, whose early development occurred in the same era.
Prior to 1976, records of Saudi football competitions were sporadic and poorly archived. In response, a national effort was undertaken to verify and document early league structures. The SAFF project uncovered evidence of organized second-tier competitions dating back to the late 1950s, which were eventually unified and formally structured into what became the First Division.
From the 2017–18 season to the 2020–21 season, the league was named in honor of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Throughout its history, the league has served as a vital platform for club development and promotion to the top flight. Among its most successful participants, Hajer, Al-Wehda, Al-Qadsiah, and Al-Jabalain each hold four titles—the most in the league’s recorded history.
Competition format
There are 18 clubs in the First Division League. During the course of a season (usually from August to May) each club plays every other club twice (a double round-robin system), once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents, for 34 games. Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss.
The top two teams are promoted to the Saudi Pro League directly, a play-off system to determine the third team to be promoted alongside the two. Teams placed between third and sixth position take part in the promotion play-offs. The fifth-placed would face the fourth, while the sixth-placed team would face the third. The final would be single-legged, hosted by the higher-placed team, while the bottom three teams are relegated to the Saudi Second Division League.
Each club can have a maximum of 25 players and a minimum of 16. The list can include up to 4 foreign players and 1 player born in Saudi Arabia, with the remaining players being all Saudi. Foreign goalkeepers were first allowed during the 2017–18 season. However, since the 2025–26 season, the goalkeeper position has been restricted exclusively to Saudi players.
Current clubs
For details on the FD League 2025–26 season, see here.
Stadiums and locations
- Note: Table lists in alphabetical order.
Champions
List of champions
Performance by club
| Club | Titles | Winning years |
|---|---|---|
| Hajer | 4 | 1966–67, 1979–80, 1987–88, 2013–14 |
| Al-Jabalain | 4 | 1968–69, 1970–71, 1972–73, 1979–80 |
| Al-Wehda | 4 | 1982–83, 1995–96, 2002–03, 2017–18 |
| Al-Qadsiah | 4 | 2001–02, 2008–09, 2014–15, 2023–24 |
| Al-Nahda | 3 | 1976–77, 1990–91, 1992–93 |
| Al-Tai | 3 | 1984–85, 1994–95, 2000–01 |
| Abha | 3 | 1971–72, 2018–19, 2025–26 |
| Ohod | 3 | 1980–81, 1983–84, 2003–04 |
| Al-Riyadh | 2 | 1977–78, 1988–89 |
| Al-Najma | 2 | 1989–90, 1993–94 |
| Al-Ansar | 2 | 1985–86, 1999–2000 |
| Al-Raed | 2 | 1991–92, 2007–08 |
| Al-Hazem | 2 | 2004–05, 2020–21 |
| Al-Khaleej | 2 | 2005–06, 2021–22 |
| Al-Sharq Al-Watani | 2 | 1964–65, 1965–66 |
| Nusoor Al-Hejaz | 2 | 1961–62, 1962–63 |
| Al-Nassr | 1 | 1963–64 |
| Al-Shabab | 1 | 1978–79 |
| Al-Kawkab | 1 | 1986–87 |
| Al-Taawoun | 1 | 1996–97 |
| Sdoos | 1 | 1998–99 |
| Al-Watani | 1 | 2006–07 |
| Al-Faisaly | 1 | 2009–10 |
| Al-Shoulla | 1 | 2011–12 |
| Al-Orobah | 1 | 2012–13 |
| Al-Ettifaq | 1 | 2015–16 |
| Al-Fayha | 1 | 2016–17 |
| Al-Ahli | 1 | 2022–23 |
| Al-Batin | 1 | 2019–20 |
| Neom | 1 | 2024–25 |
| Al-Alamein | 1 | 1957–58 |
| Al-Shatei | 1 | 1958–59 |
| Thaqeef | 1 | 1959–60 |
| Al-Kawakeb | 1 | 1960–61 |
| Al-Tadamon | 1 | 1967–68 |
Top scorers
- Record