The Bahrain Premier League is one of the leading tournaments in Bahrain, attracting the attention of many football fans nationwide. With the participation of top clubs and talented players, this tournament has been creating exciting and dramatic matches. So what is the Bahrain Premier League? What is the history of the formation and development of the tournament? Let’s with 2019seagames.com learn about this tournament through the article below.
What is the Bahrain Premier League?
The Bahrain Premier League (also known as VIVA Premier League) is the leading professional football tournament in Bahrain. Organized by the Bahrain Football Association (BFA), this tournament was started in 1957 and has now had more than 60 seasons.
With the participation of the top 10 clubs in Bahrain, the Bahrain Premier League football tournament is a place for players to have the opportunity to compete and develop their talent. In addition, the tournament is also a place for clubs to compete with each other and win the most prestigious title in Bahraini football.
History of formation and development process
The Bahrain Premier League started in 1957, when there were only 6 clubs participating. However, the tournament did not take place for a number of years due to political and economic troubles in Bahrain. In 1973, the tournament was continued to be organized and has now become one of the leading football tournaments in the Middle East.
During its development, the Bahrain Premier League football tournament has undergone many changes in its organization and competition format. Since 2002, the tournament has switched to a 2-round round-robin format, increasing the competition and attractiveness of the tournament.
Match schedule
The Bahrain Premier League football tournament usually takes place from September to May of the following year, lasting about 8 months. In the 2022/2023 season, the league will start on September 17, 2022 and end on May 6, 2023.
During the season, clubs will compete against each other in 18 rounds, each round will take place every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. After that, the 8 teams with the best records will continue to compete in the play-off phase to determine the champion and higher ranked teams.
Format for participation in the Bahrain Premier League football tournament
To participate in the Bahrain Premier League football tournament, clubs must meet the requirements of facilities, finance and management. In addition, clubs must also have youth teams and participate in tournaments for youth teams in Bahrain.
Each season, the Bahrain Football Association will conduct tests and evaluate clubs to determine whether they qualify to participate in the Bahrain Premier League. This helps ensure the professionalism and competitiveness of the tournament.
Clubs participating in the Bahrain Premier League football tournament
Currently, there are a total of 10 clubs participating in the Bahrain Premier League football tournament. Below are 3 typical clubs:
Al-Muharraq
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- Al-Muharraq is one of the most successful clubs in Bahrain, with 34 titles in the Bahrain Premier League. This team was founded in 1928 and currently possesses many talented players such as Ahmed Ali, Sayed Dhiya and Hasan Al-Haydos.
Riffa
- Riffa is the club with the best results in recent seasons of the Bahraini Premier League. This team has won 6 championships in the last 10 seasons and is always a formidable opponent of other teams. Famous players who have played at Riffa include Abdulla Yusuf Helal, Mohammed Al-Rumaihi and Sayed Mohamed Adnan.
Al-Hidd
- Al-Hidd is a young and emerging club in the Bahrain Premier League. However, this team has had significant achievements in recent seasons and is considered one of the promising teams in Bahrain football. Famous players who played at Al-Hidd include Sayed Hashim Isa, Sayed Mahmood Jalal and Sayed Redha Isa.
Famous players who played in the Bahrain Premier League football tournament
The Bahrain Premier League has been a place for talented Bahraini players to develop and assert themselves. Many players who have played in this tournament have had great success in their careers, especially in international tournaments.
Abdulla Yusuf Helal
- Abdulla Yusuf Helal is one of the most famous players to ever play in the Bahrain Premier League. He has been with the Riffa club for 15 years and won 6 league championships. In addition, he is also a key player of the Bahrain team and has played for the national team more than 100 times.
Sayed Dhiya
- Sayed Dhiya is one of the promising young players of Bahraini football. He began his career at Al-Muharraq and currently plays for Al-Hidd club. With speed and skillful technique, Sayed Dhiya is considered one of the most promising players in Bahrain football in the future.
Sayed Mohamed Adnan
- Sayed Mohamed Adnan is one of the most famous players to ever play in the Bahraini Premier League. He has been with the Riffa club for 10 years and won 4 league championships. In addition, he is also a key player of the Bahrain team and has played for the national team more than 100 times.
Memorable matches in the history of the Bahrain Premier League football tournament
The Bahraini Premier League has witnessed many dramatic and memorable matches throughout its history. Here are some of the most memorable matches:
Al-Muharraq vs Riffa (season 2016/2017)
- The match between Al-Muharraq and Riffa in the 2016/2017 season is considered one of the most classic matches in the history of the Bahrain Premier League football tournament. After 90 tense minutes, Al-Muharraq won 3-2 and won the tournament.
Al-Hidd vs Riffa (season 2019/2020)
- The match between Al-Hidd and Riffa in the 2019/2020 season is considered one of the most dramatic matches in the history of the Bahrain Premier League football tournament. After 90 tense minutes, the two teams drew 2-2 and it took a penalty shootout to determine the winner. In the end, Al-Hidd won 5-4 and won the tournament.
What does the Bahrain Premier League mean for Bahraini football?
The Bahrain Premier League is not simply a top football tournament in Bahrain, but also an important part of this country’s football scene. Thanks to this tournament, clubs and players in Bahrain have the opportunity to develop and compete with each other, thereby improving the quality of football in the country.
In addition, the Bahrain Premier League is also a playground for young players to assert their talent and pursue a professional football career. This helps create a strong national team that can compete with regional and world opponents.
Conclude
To summarize, the Bahrain Premier League is a leading football tournament in Bahrain, held since 1957 and has become an indispensable part of this country’s football scene. With an impressive history and development process, this tournament has created emotional stories and talented players have asserted themselves here. Hopefully, the Bahrain Premier League will continue to grow and contribute to the future development of Bahraini football.