The Kuwaiti Premier League (), known as Zain Premier League due to sponsorship reasons, is the top division of the Kuwait football pyramid system. Formed in 1961, Kuwait SC holds the best record in the competition, having won 20 times.
The Kuwaiti Premier League officially began in the 1961âÂÂ62 season, after playing unofficially for eight years (played with group of clubs: "Ahli - Al Jazeera - Arabism - Gulf - Solidarity - Al-Qubali, Al-Nahda, Al-Sharqai, Al-Merqab, Al-Mawalim and Al-Taawon). National companies and ministries were club's first sponsors.
In the 1961âÂÂ1962 season, several new clubs joined (Al-Arabi, Qadsia, Kuwait SC, Kifan High School, Shuwaikh Secondary School, Industrial College and Police Team). Al-Arabi won the league title without losing, and winning 7 points ahead of Qadsia, scoring 42 goals and conceding 10.
In the following season, the number of teams was reduced to 7. Al-Arabi managed to win the second title in a row after winning 18 points ahead of Qadsia, scoring 45 goals and conceding 6.
The third season of the league almost witnessed the end of Arabi monopoly, after fierce competition from Qadsia and other teams. Arabi and Qadsia were equal on points before the decisive match. Al-Arabi managed to maintain the title after defeating Qadsia 2-0, scoring overall 42 goals and conceding nine.
In the fourth season, school teams were removed from participating and league saw participation of 3 new clubs (Salmiya, Fahaheel and Al-Shabab). Kuwait SC managed to end the Arabi monopoly to achieve its first title, after winning the competition without any defeat.
The 1960s witnessed a sweep of Al-Arabi when it won six titles against two titles for Kuwait SC and a title for Qadsia.
The 1970 era began with Qadsia winning the 1971âÂÂ1970 season for the second time in its history. Al-Arabi lost its championship in a strange way during ten years. They did not win any title during this period until the end of the 1979âÂÂ1980 season.
The eighties witnessed three new league champions, namely Salmiya who won its first title in the 1980âÂÂ81 season, and Kazma club which won the titles of 1985âÂÂ86 and 1986âÂÂ87, as well as Al-Jahra SC, which ended the 1980s by winning the title in the 1989âÂÂ90 season.
The league championship was not held in the 1990âÂÂ91 season because of Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Competition began again in the 1991âÂÂ92 season, which was held as group system with qualification. Old format returned with participation of 14 teams in the 1994âÂÂ95 season. Era of the nineties witnessed a parity between clubs, with both Al-Arabi and Al-Salmiya winning 3 titles, and Qadsia and Kazma winning two.
At the beginning of a new millennium, Kuwait SC achieved the league championship after a long absence of 22 years. The most dominant team in this decade were Qadsia winning 5, followed be Kuwait SC winning 4, and Al Arabi winning in the 2001âÂÂ02 season
This decades titles were split between Kuwait SC and Qadsia. with Kuwait SC winning 6 and Qadsia winning 4. Qadsia were able to become the 2nd ever team to win 4 titles in a row by winning the 2011âÂÂ12 season. Kuwait SC were also able to win 4 titles in a row between 2016âÂÂ17 and 2019âÂÂ20.
This decade started with Al-Arabi winning the 2020âÂÂ21 season, followed by Kuwait SC winning another 4 titles in a row between 2021âÂÂ22 and 2024âÂÂ25 making Kuwait SC the only Kuwaiti Club to win 4 titles in a row twice.
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