Afghan Premier League

Afghan Premier League (APL)
Founded 2012; 5 years ago
First season 2012
Country  Afghanistan
Confederation AFC
Number of teams 8
International cup(s) AFC Cup
Sheikh Kamal International Club Cup
Current champions Shaheen Asmayee (4th title)
(2017)
Most championships Shaheen Asmayee (4 titles)
TV partners TOLO and Lemar
Website Official Website
2018

The Afghan Premier League (APL), also known as Rahmani Foundation Afghan Premier League for sponsorship reasons,[1] is a professional men's soccer league run by the Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF). It is the country's primary competition for the sport. The competition commenced in September 2012. The league is currently contested by eight teams. Seasons run 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. Successful Afghan Premier League clubs gain qualification into the continental competition, the AFC Cup and the Sheikh Kamal International Club Cup.

Since the league's inaugural season, a total of three clubs have been crowned Afghan Premier League champions. Shaheen Asmayee F.C. have the record of 4 premier league titles, the most a team has won. They are also the current champions winning 2–1 in the 2016 Afghan Premier League Final against De Maiwand Atalan F.C..

History

The League was established in 2012 with the first season running through September and October of that year. 8 teams were concurrently established in 2012 to become the inaugural competitors.[2]

Players for the league were found through a reality television show called Maidan e sabz ("Green Field").[3] 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. Eight teams of 18 players, one from every region, were formed.[4]

The Afghan High Peace Council has praised the creation and development of the League as an, "opportunity to bring peace and stability" to Afghanistan.[5]

Shaheen Asmayee F.C. won a record 3 Afghan Premier League titles (2013, 2014, 2016). They are also the only team to have won 2 consecutive titles (2013-2014) and the only team to have reached the Afghan Premier League final in four consecutive seasons (2013-2016)

Teams

Team City Region First season APL titles
De Abasin Sape F.C. Khost Southeast 2012 0
De Maiwand Atalan F.C. Kandahar South 2012 0
De Spin Ghar Bazan F.C. Jalalabad East 2012 1
Mawjhai Amu F.C. Kunduz Northeast 2012 0
Oqaban Hindukush F.C. Ghazni Central 2012 0
Shaheen Asmayee F.C. Kabul Greater Kabul 2012 4
Simorgh Alborz F.C. Mazar-i-Sharif Northwest 2012 0
Toofan Harirod F.C. Herat West 2012 1

Media coverage

Private media group Moby Group has the official rights to cover all matches of the APL. The matches are aired live on the company's two television channels in Afghanistan, namely TOLO and Lemar,[6] and also offer live commentary on their radio stations, Arman FM and Arakozia FM. Matches are also available live on the world's largest video sharing website YouTube on the league's official YouTube page.[7]

Sponsors

Roshan Telecom is the title sponsor of Afghan Premier League after which it is named as Roshan Afghan Premier League. Official Partners of Afghan Premier League are Afghanistan International Bank and Hummel International which provided kit for the teams.[8]

Champions

Year Winner Finals result Runners-up Top Scorers Goals
2012Toofan Harirod F.C.2–1Simorgh Alborz F.C.Hamidullah Karimi (Toofan Harirod F.C.)9
2013Shaheen Asmayee F.C.3–1 a.e.t.Simorgh Alborz F.C.Hamidullah Karimi (Toofan Harirod F.C.), Hashmatullah Barakzai (Shaheen Asmayee F.C.)7
2014Shaheen Asmayee F.C.3–2Oqaban Hindukush F.C.Mohammad Riza Rizayee (Oqaban Hindukush F.C.)6
2015De Spin Ghar Bazan F.C.3–3 PenaltiesShaheen Asmayee F.C.Mustafa Afshar (De Maiwand Atalan F.C.)5
2016Shaheen Asmayee F.C.2–1 a.e.tDe Maiwand Atalan F.C.Amrruddin Sharifi (Shaheen Asmayee F.C.)6
2017Shaheen Asmayee F.C.4–3 a.e.t.De Maiwand Atalan F.C.Amrruddin Sharifi (De Maiwand Atalan F.C.)5
2018

Performances by Team

Team Champions Runners-up
Shaheen Asmayee F.C. 4 (2013, 2014, 2016, 2017) 1 (2015)
Toofan Harirod F.C. 1 (2012) 0
De Spin Ghar Bazan F.C. 1 (2015) 0
Simorgh Alborz F.C. 0 2 (2012, 2013)
De Maiwand Atalan F.C. 0 2 (2016, 2017)
Oqaban Hindukush F.C. 0 1 (2014)
De Abasin Sape F.C. 0 0
Mawjhai Amu F.C. 0 0

See also

References

  1. ↑ Afghan Premier League on Latestinfos.com
  2. ↑ Afghan Football League Heads to First Semi-Final Archived 2012-10-15 at the Wayback Machine. by Rezwan Natiq and Mir Sayed (Tolo News, 10 October 2012)
  3. ↑ Roshan Afghan Premier League a hit with fans by Tahir Qadiry (BBC News, 22 September 2012)
  4. ↑ "Talent search at Hindukush" (in German). fussball.de. 28 August 2012. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
  5. ↑ Afghan Football League Heads to First Semi-Final Archived 2012-10-15 at the Wayback Machine. by Rezwan Natiq and Mir Sayed (Tolo News, 10 October 2012)
  6. ↑ "Afghans Launch First Professional Football League". nz.sports.yahoo.com. 11 July 2012. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
  7. ↑ YouTube – Afghan Premier League
  8. ↑ Afghan Premier League – Sponsors
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