The 2022–23 First Division League (known as the Yelo League for sponsorship reasons) was the second season of the Saudi First Division League after its rebrand, and the 46th season of the Saudi First Division since its establishment in 1976. The season started on 22 August 2022 and concluded on 29 May 2023.
On 5 May, Al-Ahli became the first team to be promoted following Al-Faisaly's 2–2 draw with Najran. They were crowned champions following a 1–0 win against Al-Qadsiah on 23 May. The second club to be promoted was Al-Okhdood who were promoted after Al-Faisaly's 2–2 draw with Jeddah on 15 May. The third club to be promoted was Al-Riyadh who were promoted following a 1–0 home win against Al-Orobah. The fourth and final club to be promoted was Al-Hazem who were promoted following a 3–2 win against Al-Sahel.
On 1 May, Al-Shoulla became the first team to be relegated following Jeddah's 1–0 win against Al-Orobah. On 23 May, Al-Sahel became the second team to be relegated despite a 3–2 win against Al-Okhdood. Najran became the third and final club to be relegated after a 4–1 defeat to derby rivals Al-Okhdood on the final matchday.
Overview Changes On 9 October 2020, the Saudi FF announced that the number of teams in the league would be decreased to 18 starting from the 2022–23 season. Due to this decision, 5 teams were relegated last season instead of the usual 4 teams. In addition, only 3 teams were promoted from the Second Division instead of 4 teams.
On 14 April 2022, the Saudi FF announced that the number of teams in the Pro League would be increased from 16 to 18 teams. To prepare for this change, only 2 teams would be relegated to the First Division League and 4 teams would be promoted to the Pro League.
Team changes The following teams have changed division since the 2022–23 season.
To the First Division League Promoted from Second Division Al-Arabi Al-Qaisumah Al-Riyadh
Relegated from Pro League Al-Hazem Al-Ahli Al-Faisaly
From the First Division League Promoted to Pro League Al-Khaleej Al-Adalah Al-Wehda
Relegated to Second Division Al-Jeel Al-Diriyah Al-Nahda Al-Kawkab Bisha
Teams A total of 18 teams are contesting the league, including 12 sides from the 2021–22 season, the three promoted teams from the Second Division and the three relegated sides from the Pro League.
The first club to be relegated to the First Division League was Al-Hazem following a 5–2 defeat away to Al-Ettifaq on 21 May. Al-Hazem were relegated after just one year in the top flight. This was their second relegation in three years. Both Al-Ahli and Al-Faisaly were relegated following on the final day of the season. Al-Ahli were relegated following a 0–0 away draw with Al-Shabab. Al-Ahli were relegated for the first time in their history while Al-Faisaly were relegated after 12 consecutive seasons in the top flight.
The first club to be promoted was Al-Arabi who were promoted following a 1–0 home win against Al-Rawdhah on 30 March 2022. On 31 March 2022, Al-Qaisumah became the second side to be promoted following a 2–1 win over Al-Nairyah. The third and final club to be promoted was Al-Riyadh, who were promoted following a 3–2 aggregate win over Al-Taraji in the promotion play-offs.
Al-Arabi were crowned champions after defeating Al-Qaisumah 1–0 to win their second title and first since 1986.
Al-Arabi returned to the First Division League after an absence of 27 years. They returned to the league for the first time since the 1994–95 season and would play in their 9th overall season. Al-Qaisumah returned after an absence of three seasons and would play in their 4th overall season in the First Division League. Al-Riyadh returned after an absence of six seasons and would play in their 18th overall season in the First Division League.
Stadia and locations
Note: Table lists in alphabetical order. Team Location Stadium CapacityAl-AhliJeddahPrince Abdullah Al-Faisal StadiumAl-AinAl Bahah King Saud Sport City StadiumAl-ArabiUnaizahDepartment of Education StadiumAl-FaisalyHarmahAl Majma'ah Sports City (Al Majma'ah)Al-HazemAr RassAl-Hazem Club StadiumAl-JabalainHa'ilPrince Abdul Aziz bin Musa'ed StadiumAl-KholoodAr RassAl-Hazem Club StadiumAl-OkhdoodNajranPrince Hathloul bin Abdul Aziz Sport City StadiumNajran University StadiumAl-OrobahSakakahAl-Orobah Club StadiumAl-QadsiahKhobarPrince Saud bin Jalawi StadiumAl-QaisumahHafar al-Batin Al-Batin Club Stadium Al-RiyadhRiyadhPrince Turki bin Abdul Aziz StadiumAl-SahelAnakPrince Saud bin Jalawi Stadium (Khobar)Al-ShoullaAl-KharjAl-Shoulla Club StadiumHajerAl-Hasa Hajer Club StadiumJeddahJeddahReserve Stadium in King Abdullah Sports CityNajranNajranPrince Hathloul bin Abdul Aziz Sport City StadiumNajran University StadiumOhodMedinaPrince Mohammed bin Abdul Aziz Stadium
Foreign players On 15 April 2022, the Saudi FF announced that the number of foreign players was increased from 5 players to 6 players.
Players name in bold indicates the player is registered during the mid-season transfer window.
Club Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 Player 4 Player 5 Player 6 Former Players Al-Ahli Ryad Boudebouz Bastos Marcão Modou Barrow Hicham Faik Nicolás Milesi Franck Kom Lewis Grabban Youssef Abdelli Al-Ain Hicham Belkaroui Ibrahim Chenihi Lahouari Touil Abdallah Al-Fakhouri Majdi Attar Mohannad Khairullah Okiemute Odah Thaer Krouma Alaeddine Marzouki Al-Arabi Sandro Manoel Wellington Cheick Comara Mohammed El Fakih Ablaye Mbengue Birama Ndoye Soufyan Ahannach Al-Faisaly Mariano Vázquez Willy Semedo Josip Vuković Masoud Juma Omar Arjoune Marin Jurina Cassiano Ismael Rossi Reda Hajhouj Al-Hazem Paulo Ricardo Joel Tagueu Youssef Obama Francis Cann Ben Traoré Ola John Uilliam Abdelilah Hafidi Nawfel Zerhouni Yousef Omar Luka Stojanović Al-Jabalain Rédha Bensayah Isael Lázaro Nailson Anderson Plata Yazid Abu Layla Malik Raiah Carlão Jô Al-Kholood Roberto Dias Jobson Uilliam Jiloan Hamad Ahmed Yasin Khemais Maaouani Malik Asselah Jhonnattann Alain Akono Muhadjiri Hakizimana Al-Okhdood Kaká Mendes Maicon Douglas Reinaldo Dutra Ousmane Barry Vladimir Stojković Borhen Hkimi Al-Orobah Tiago Bezerra Rayllan Bruno Philipe Maia Diego Silva Mostafa Matar Milan Vušurović Al-Qadsiah Karim Aribi Raïs M'Bolhi Cédric Amissi Walter Bwalya Soualio Ouattara Saimon Msuva Bruno Bispo Ibrahim Amada Amadou Moutari Al-Qaisumah Achraf Boudrama Hamid Djaouchi Khaled Nèche Souleymane Sakandé Odeni George Ward Al Salama Al-Riyadh Marcinho Diego Miranda Muralha Emanuel Novo Miodrag Gemović Nikola Stojiljković Jens Cools Al-Sahel Rafael Martins Medwin Biteghé Ibrahim Diomandé Zakaria Lahlali Ricardo Machado Mourad Hedhli Lawson Bekui Al-Shoulla Sofiane Khedairia Carlos Henrique David Molinga Piqueti Sylla Daouda Taoufik Ijrouten Zoubir Motrani Mirzad Mehanović Hajer Fabrício Adriano Pardal Tiago Real Clarence Bitang Jean-Marc Mundele Reda Hajhouj William Henrique Modibo Maïga Souleymane Cissé Jeddah Bruno Grassi Othman Maloum Mohammad Fouad Gozie Ugwu Lamin Samateh Johnatan Opoku Najran Jhonnattann Alain Akono Mikael Dyrestam Carolus Andria Alassane Diarra Cristian Martínez Coutinho Vitor Donald Molls Kwame Opoku Soualio Ouattara Ohod Emilio Zelaya Reagy Ofosu Badr Boulahroud Youssef El Jebli Alexandru Răuță Gerald Takwara Adil Djabout Jamal Arago Houssam Amaanan Babacar Guèye
League table
Positions by round The table lists the positions of teams after each week of matches. In order to preserve chronological evolvements, any postponed matches are not included in the round at which they were originally scheduled but added to the full round they were played immediately afterward.
Results
Statistics
Scoring Top scorers Rank Player Club Goals1 Ablaye MbengueAl-Arabi292 Ousmane BarryAl-Okhdood223 Tiago BezerraAl-Orobah214 Ola JohnAl-Hazem18 Nikola StojiljkovićAl-Riyadh6 Lahouari TouilAl-Ain137 Adriano PardalHajer128 Ibrahim DiomandéAl-Sahel11 Alain AkonoAl-Kholood/Najran10 MuralhaAl-Riyadh10 Haitham AsiriAl-Ahli Borhen HkimiAl-Okhdood
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Ousmane Barry Al-Okhdood Al-Qadsiah 3–1 (A) Ablaye Mbengue Al-Arabi Al-Orobah 3–1 (A) Muralha Al-Riyadh Al-Jabalain 4–1 (A) Nikola Stojiljković Al-Riyadh Al-Sahel 3–1 (A) Rédha Bensayah Al-Jabalain Al-Shoulla 5–0 (A) Tiago Bezerra Al-Orobah Al-Qaisumah 4–1 (A)
Note (H) – Home; (A) – Away
Clean sheets RankPlayerClubCleansheets1 Mohammed Al-RubaieAl-Ahli142 Ahmed Al-KassarAl-Faisaly13 Ibrahim ZaidAl-Hazem4 Emanuel NovoAl-Riyadh10 Raïs M'BolhiAl-Qadsiah Salem QabbosOhod7 Jassem Al-AshbanAl-Kholood9 Bruno GrassiJeddah9 Vladimir StojkovićAl-Okhdood8 Abdulraouf Al-DaqeelHajer
Awards Monthly awards
MonthManager of the MonthReferenceManagerClubAugust & September Jorge MendonçaAl-OkhdoodOctober Ante MišeAl-FaisalyNovember Habib Ben RomdhaneAl-QadsiahDecember Damir BurićAl-RiyadhJanuary Damir BurićAl-RiyadhFebruary Pitso MosimaneAl-AhliApril Gjoko HadžievskiNajranMay Pitso MosimaneAl-Ahli
Round awards
RoundPlayer of the RoundReferencePlayerClubRound 1 Ousmane BarryAl-OkhdoodRound 2 Abdullah Al-DawsariAl-SahelRound 3 Tiago BezerraAl-OrobahRound 4 NailsonAl-JabalainRound 5 CarlãoAl-JabalainRound 6 Adriano PardalHajerRound 7 Tiago BezerraAl-OrobahRound 8 Ablaye MbengueAl-ArabiRound 9 Adriano PardalHajerRound 10 Ousmane BarryAl-OkhdoodRound 11 MuralhaAl-RiyadhRound 12 Salem QabbosOhodRound 13 Nikola StojiljkovićAl-RiyadhRound 14 Rédha BensayahAl-JabalainRound 15 Ola JohnAl-HazemRound 16 Diego MirandaAl-RiyadhRound 17 Saleh Al-HarthiAl-OkhdoodRound 18 Youssef ObamaAl-HazemRound 19 Ousmane BarryAl-OkhdoodRound 20 Joel TagueuAl-HazemRound 21 Lahouari TouilAl-AinRound 22 Tiago BezerraAl-OrobahRound 23 Walter BwalyaAl-QadsiahRound 24 UilliamAl-KholoodRound 25 Mohammed Al-HarthiAl-QaisumahRound 26 Lahouari TouilAl-AinRound 27 Tiago BezerraAl-OrobahRound 28 Masoud Juma Al-FaisalyRound 29 Reinaldo Dutra Al-OkhdoodRound 30 Karim Aribi Al-QadsiahRound 31 Miodrag Gemović Al-RiyadhRound 32 Ola JohnAl-HazemRound 33 Alain AkonoNajranRound 34 Tiago BezerraAl-Orobah
Annual awards Award Winner Club Manager of the Season Filipe Gouveia Al-Hazem Player of the Season Ousmane BarryAl-Okhdood Young Player of the Season Eid Al-Muwallad Top Scorer Ablaye Mbengue Al-Arabi Best Goalkeeper Salem Qabbos Ohod
See also 2022–23 Saudi Professional League 2022–23 Saudi Second Division 2022–23 Saudi Third Division
References