2021–22 UAE Pro League

UAE Pro League
Season2021–22
Dates19 August 2021 – 26 May 2022
ChampionsAl Ain (14th title)
RelegatedAl Urooba
Emirates
Matches played169
Goals scored516 (3.05 per match)
Top goalscorerKodjo Laba
(26 goals)
Biggest home winAl Nasr 5–0 Al Urooba
(26 August 2021)
Al Ain 5–0 Al Jazira
(11 May 2022)
Biggest away winAl Urooba 0–4 Al Wahda
(19 August 2021)
Emirates 0–4 Al Nasr
(24 September 2021)
Highest scoringShabab Al Ahli 4–3 Sharjah
(10 September 2021)
Longest winning runAl Ain
(4 games)
Longest unbeaten runAl Ain
(12 games)
Longest winless runEmirates
(11 games)
Longest losing runEmirates
(9 games)
All statistics correct as of 26 May 2022.

The 2021–22 UAE Pro League was the 47th edition of the UAE Pro League.[1] Al Jazira are the defending champions after clinching their third title in the final day of last season. Al Ain would win its fourteenth title after beating the defending champions Al Jazira 5–0 the eleventh of May.

Teams

Team changes

Both Al Urooba and Emirates secured promotion on the same day after beating Al Dhaid 3–0 and Masafi 6–0 on the second last matchday.[2] Emirates is returning after getting relegated two seasons ago in 2018–19 season meanwhile Al Urooba is getting promoted back to the top tier after almost three decades of absence, only previously being in the competition in 1992–93 season.

Relegated to the First Division

On 7 May, despite winning 4–0 against Kalba, Hatta was confirmed relegated back to the First Division after only spending two seasons on the top flight.[3] On 11 May, Fujairah got relegated after a 2–1 defeat to Ajman, both clubs were battling relegation and needed a victory.

Stadia and locations

class=notpageimage|
Locations of teams in the 2021–22 UAE Pro League
Note: Table lists clubs in alphabetical order.
Team Home city Stadium Capacity
Ajman Ajman Ajman Stadium 5,537
Al Ain Al-Ain Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium 25,965
Al Dhafra Madinat Zayed Al Dhafra Stadium 5,020
Al Jazira Abu Dhabi (Al Nahyan) Mohammad Bin Zayed Stadium 42,056
Al Nasr Dubai (Al Nasr) Al-Maktoum Stadium 15,058
Al Urooba Qidfa / Mirbah (Fujairah) Fujairah Club Stadium[4] 10,645
Al Wahda Abu Dhabi (Al Nahyan) Al Nahyan Stadium 12,201
Al Wasl Dubai (Zabeel) Zabeel Stadium 8,439
Baniyas Abu Dhabi (Al Shamkha) Baniyas Stadium 10,000
Emirates Ras Al Khaimah Emirates Club Stadium 5,200
Kalba Kalba Ittihad Kalba Stadium 8,500
Khor Fakkan Khor Fakkan SBM Al Qassimi Stadium 7,500
Shabab Al Ahli Dubai (Deira) Al-Rashid Stadium 12,052
Sharjah Sharjah Sharjah Stadium 20,000

Personnel and kits

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Team Head Coach Captain Kit Manufacturer Shirt Sponsor
Ajman Serbia Goran Tufegdžić United Arab Emirates Ali Al-Hosani Adidas Ajman Bank
Al Ain Ukraine Serhiy Rebrov United Arab Emirates Ismail Ahmed Nike First Abu Dhabi Bank
Al Dhafra Morocco Badr Al Idrisi United Arab Emirates Ahmed Ali Adidas Ruwais
Al Jazira Netherlands Marcel Keizer United Arab Emirates Ali Khasif Puma Healthpoint
Al Nasr United Arab Emirates Salem Rabie United Arab Emirates Tareq Ahmed N45 Emirates Islamic
Al Urooba Tunisia Fathi Al-Obeidi United Arab Emirates Ahmed Khamis uhlsport No sponsor
Al Wahda France Grégory Dufrennes United Arab Emirates Mohammed Barqesh Umbro No sponsor
Al Wasl Brazil Odair Hellmann United Arab Emirates Ali Salmeen Yellow Emaar
Baniyas Romania Daniel Isăilă United Arab Emirates Fawaz Awana Macron No sponsor
Emirates Egypt Ayman El Ramady United Arab Emirates Abdullah Mohammed uhlsport No sponsor
Kalba Uruguay Jorge Da Silva United Arab Emirates Mansor Abbas Adidas Caltex
Khor Fakkan Argentina Gabriel Calderón United Arab Emirates Saif Mohammed Macron No sponsor
Shabab Al Ahli United Arab Emirates Mahdi Ali United Arab Emirates Majed Naser Nike Nissan and Omniyat
Sharjah Romania Cosmin Olăroiu United Arab Emirates Shahin Abdulrahman Adidas Saif Zone

Foreign players

All teams could register as many foreign players as they want, but could only register four professional players in the roster.

  • Players name in bold indicates the player is registered during the mid-season transfer window.
  • Players in italics were out of the squad or left the club within the season, after the pre-season transfer window, or in the mid-season transfer window, and at least had one appearance.
Club Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 Player 4 Former Players
Ajman Tunisia Firas Ben Larbi The Gambia Bubacarr Trawally Slovenia Miral Samardžić Morocco Walid Azaro Colombia Yorleys Mena
Lebanon Rabih Ataya
Al Ain Argentina Cristian Guanca Morocco Soufiane Rahimi Togo Kodjo Fo-Doh Laba Colombia Danilo Arboleda Tunisia Yassine Meriah
Al Dhafra Morocco Issam El Adoua Brazil Lucas Cândido Senegal Makhete Diop Brazil Guilherme Augusto Nigeria Imoh Ezekiel
Brazil Leonardo
Al Jazira Brazil João Victor Mali Abdoulay Diaby Serbia Miloš Kosanović South Africa Thulani Serero
Al Nasr Algeria Mehdi Abeid Cape Verde Ryan Mendes Israel Dia Saba Portugal Tozé
Al Urooba Bahrain Ali Madan Cameroon Appolinaire Kack Morocco Rédah Atassi Brazil Kayke Nigeria Kingsley Eduwo
Al Wahda Brazil João Pedro Portugal Adrien Silva Portugal Fábio Martins Syria Omar Kharbin Spain José Ángel Jurado
Al Wasl Brazil Adryelson Brazil Ramiro Brazil Gilberto Uruguay Michel Araújo Brazil William Pottker
Baniyas Argentina Gastón Álvarez Suárez Argentina Nicolás Giménez Serbia Saša Ivković Sweden Isaac Kiese Thelin
Emirates Algeria Zakaria Boulahia Ivory Coast Joseph Guédé Gnadou Dominican Republic Edarlyn Reyes Morocco Walid Sabbar Morocco Adam Ennafati
Kalba Austria Robert Žulj Colombia Bayron Garcés Peru Wilder Cartagena Togo Peniel Mlapa Hungary Roland Varga
Khor Fakkan Brazil Dodô Brazil Souza Brazil Douglas Tanque Portugal Aylton Boa Morte Spain Borja Valle
Spain Luis Fernández
Iraq Osama Rashid
Brazil Paulinho
Shabab Al Ahli Argentina Federico Cartabia Iran Ahmad Nourollahi Iran Mehdi Ghayedi Norway Thomas Lehne Olsen Brazil Carlos Eduardo
Uzbekistan Azizjon Ganiev
Sharjah Brazil Bernard Brazil Caio Democratic Republic of the Congo Ben Malango Uzbekistan Otabek Shukurov

Managerial changes

Team Outgoing manager Date of vacancy Manner of departure Pos. Incoming manager Date of appointment
Ajman Egypt Ayman El Ramady 15 May 2021 End of contract Pre-season Serbia Goran Tufegdžić[5] 28 May 2021
Al Ain Portugal Pedro Emanuel[6] 5 June 2021 Ukraine Serhiy Rebrov[7][8] 6 June 2021
Emirates North Macedonia Gjoko Hadžievski 30 June 2021 Morocco Tarik Sektioui[9] 18 August 2021
Al Dhafra Syria Mohammad Kwid 1 October 2021 Sacked 11th Brazil Rogério Micale[10] 2 October 2021
Sharjah United Arab Emirates Abdulaziz Al Anberi[11] 23 October 2021 Mutual consent 5th Romania Cosmin Olăroiu[12] 10 November 2021
Al Wahda Netherlands Henk ten Cate[13] 25 October 2021 Sacked 4th France Grégory Dufrennes 26 October 2021
Emirates Morocco Tarik Sektioui 26 December 2021 Resigned 14th Egypt Ayman El Ramady[14] 27 December 2021
Khor Fakkan Brazil Caio Zanardi[15] 28 December 2021 Sacked 9th United Arab Emirates Abdulmajeed Al-Nimra 28 December 2021
United Arab Emirates Abdulmajeed Al-Nimr 2 February 2022 End of caretaker spell 10th Argentina Gabriel Calderón[16] 2 February 2022
Al Nasr Argentina Ramón Díaz[17] 7 February 2022 Sacked 9th United Arab Emirates Salem Rabiea 8 February 2022
Al Dhafra Brazil Rogério Micale[18] 2 March 2022 12th Morocco Badr Al Idrisia 2 March 2022

Notes
1.^ Caretaker

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Al Ain (C) 26 20 5 1 57 17 +40 65 Qualification for AFC Champions League group stage
2 Sharjah 26 17 4 5 46 25 +21 55
3 Al Wahda 26 15 8 3 51 25 +26 53
4 Al Jazira 26 14 3 9 42 34 +8 45
5 Shabab Al Ahli 26 12 6 8 33 30 +3 42
6 Al Wasl 26 9 9 8 36 30 +6 36
7 Ajman 26 10 5 11 35 40 −5 35
8 Al Nasr 26 9 6 11 42 38 +4 33
9 Baniyas 26 8 7 11 33 39 −6 31
10 Khor Fakkan 26 8 4 14 38 49 −11 28
11 Kalba 26 6 10 10 32 38 −6 28
12 Al Dhafra 26 6 6 14 28 36 −8 24
13 Al Urooba (R) 26 3 9 14 25 57 −32 18 Relegation to UAE Division 1
14 Emirates (R) 26 2 4 20 21 61 −40 10
Source: UPLeague
Rules for classification: [19] 1) points; 2) head-to-head goal difference; 3) head-to-head goals scored; 4) head-to-head away goals scored; 5) goal difference; 6) number of goals scored; 7) number of away goals scored; 8) head-to-head points; 9) fair play ranking 10) draw
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated


Results

Home \ Away AJM AIN DHA JAZ NAS URO WAH WAS YAS EMI KAL KHF SAD SHR
Ajman 0–4 1–3 2–1 3–0 1–1 2–2 0–0 0–2 0–1 4–3 4–2 1–1 1–0
Al Ain 2–1 1–0 5–0 3–1 1–1 1–1 3–2 2–0 2–0 4–1 4–1 1–0 1–1
Al Dhafra 3–0 0–1 0–3 1–1 2–1 1–3 2–2 1–2 0–0 1–1 4–1 0–1 0–1
Al Jazira 3–0 1–5 2–0 2–1 1–0 1–2 3–2 2–0 3–2 3–2 4–0 2–1 1–0
Al Nasr 0–1 0–1 1–2 2–0 5–0 1–2 3–2 2–2 4–0 0–3 3–0 1–1 0–2
Al Urooba 0–3 3–3 1–1 0–1 1–1 0–4 1–1 2–1 4–2 0–1 1–4 1–1 2–2
Al Wahda 3–0 0–1 3–2 1–1 2–2 4–2 2–1 1–1 4–1 2–0 1–0 0–0 1–2
Al Wasl 2–4 0–2 1–0 2–1 1–2 5–0 1–1 0–0 3–0 1–1 1–1 1–0 0–0
Baniyas 0–2 0–1 2–0 1–1 2–1 2–0 0–1 0–1 3–1 1–1 2–2 4–1 0–4
Emirates 1–3 0–3 0–3[a] 0–3 0–4 0–1 2–4 0–1 2–2 1–1 2–1 0–1 2–2
Kalba 1–1 0–2 2–2 0–0 2–2 2–1 2–1 1–1 1–3 3–1 2–3 0–0 0–1
Khor Fakkan 2–0 1–3 3–0 2–1 4–0 1–1 0–0 0–1 4–2 2–1 0–1 1–2 1–3
Shabab Al Ahli 1–0 1–1 1–0 2–1 1–2 3–1 1–3 0–2 3–1 2–1 2–1 3–1 4–3
Sharjah 2–1 2–0 1–0 2–1 0–3 5–0 0–3 3–2 3–0 2–1 1–0 3–1 1–0
Source: UPLeague
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.
  1. ^ The Emirates FA announced that Al Dhafra has won the match 3–0 against the Emirates due to an administrative error from Emirates Club. The match originally finished as a 1–1 draw.[20]

Seasonal statistics

Positions by round

Leader and qualification to AFC Champions League group stage
qualification to AFC Champions League Play off round
Relegation to UAE First Division League
Team ╲ Round1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526
Al Ain31111111111111111111111111
Sharjah53242356864444343344442222
Al Wahda14567864222222222222223333
Al Jazira45324232455555555433334444
Shabab Al Ahli72433523543333434555555555
Al Wasl6678879899108910688977677666
Ajman2767647978810117766888899877
Al Nasr138855645336789877699986998
Baniyas89129101012121111111166999766768789
Khor Fakkan11111012998767991011111111111111111111111110
Kalba101011111212111010107678101010101010101010101011
Al Dhafra121391011111011121212121212121212121212121212121212
Al Urooba1414131313131313131313131313131313131313131413131313
Emirates912141414141414141414141414141414141414141314141414
Updated to match(es) played on 26 May 2022. Source: UPLeague

Top scorers

As of 25 May 2022[21]
Rank Player Club Goals
1 Togo Kodjo Laba Al Ain 26
2 Syria Omar Kharbin Al Wahda 15
3 Brazil João Pedro 14
Brazil Caio Lucas Sharjah
5 Tunisia Firas Ben Larbi Ajman 12
Portugal Tozé Al Nasr
7 Israel Dia Saba 11
8 United Arab Emirates Sebastián Tagliabúe 10
United Arab Emirates Ali Mabkhout Al Jazira
Mali Abdoulay Diaby

Clean sheets

As of 25 May 2022
Rank Player Club Clean sheets
1 United Arab Emirates Khalid Eisa Al Ain 12
2 United Arab Emirates Adel Al-Hosani Sharjah 9
3 United Arab Emirates Mohammed Al-Shamsi Al Wahda 7
United Arab Emirates Ali Khasif Al Jazira
5 United Arab Emirates Ali Al-Hosani Ajman 6
6 United Arab Emirates Ibrahim Essa Al Wasl 5
United Arab Emirates Mohamed Qayoudhi
United Arab Emirates Abdullah Al-Tamimi Al Nasr

Hat-tricks

Player For Against Result Date Round
Togo Kodjo Laba Al Ain Al Urooba 3–3 (A) 24 September 2021 5
Al Jazira 5–1 (A) 20 November 2021 10
5–0 (H) 4 11 May 2022 23
Austria Robert Žulj Kalba Emirates 3–1 (H)
Notes

4
(H) – Home team
(A) – Away team

Awards

Month Manager of the Month Player of the Month Goalkeeper of the Month References
Manager Club Player Club Player Club
August Ukraine Serhiy Rebrov Al Ain Togo Kodjo Laba Al Ain United Arab Emirates Ali Khasif Al Jazira [22]
September Morocco Soufiane Rahimi [23]
October Ivory Coast Kouame Autonne United Arab Emirates Khalid Eisa Al Ain [24]
November Morocco Soufiane Rahimi [25]

Number of teams by Emirates

Emirate Number of teams Teams
1 Emirate of Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi 5 Al Ain, Al Jazira, Al Wahda, Baniyas and Al Dhafra
2 Emirate of Dubai Dubai 3 Shabab Al Ahli, Al Nasr and Al Wasl
Emirate of Sharjah Sharjah Sharjah, Kalba and Khor Fakkan
4 Emirate of Ajman Ajman 1 Ajman
Emirate of Fujairah Fujairah Al Urooba
Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah Ras Al Khaimah Emirates

References

  1. ^ «دوري أدنوك للمحترفين» ينتهي 6 مايو
  2. ^ "العروبة بطلاً لدوري الهواة والإمارات يحسم بطاقة الصعود الثانية" (in Arabic). albayan. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  3. ^ "حتا.. القطار فات والصحوة متأخرة" (in Arabic). albayan. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  4. ^ Al Urooba has to play their home games in Fujairah Stadium instead of their own ground Al Sharqi Stadium due not filling Pro League requirements
  5. ^ "غوران مدرباً لعجمان خلفاً للرمادي" (in Arabic). Albayan. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  6. ^ "بيدرو إيمانويل يودع العيناوية" (in Arabic). Albayan. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  7. ^ "العين يبدأ مرحلة جديدة مع ريبروف" (in Arabic). Al Khaleej. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  8. ^ "Al Ain appoint former Tottenham Hotspur striker Sergei Rebrov as manager". theNationalNews.com. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  9. ^ "السكتيوي: "الصقور" يملك الثقة" (in Arabic). Al Ittihad. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  10. ^ "البرازيلي ميكالي مدرباً للظفرة خلفاً لقويض" (in Arabic). Albayan. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
  11. ^ "الشارقة ينهي مشوار العنبري بعد 4 سنوات" (in Arabic). Albayan. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  12. ^ "كوزمين في الإمارات للمرة الثالثة عبر الشارقة" (in Arabic). Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  13. ^ "Al Wahda sack Henk Ten Cate following disappointing results". Kingfut. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  14. ^ "أيمن الرمادي يقود الصقور خلفا للسكتيوي" (in Arabic). Albayan. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  15. ^ "إقالة زاناردي والنمر مدرباً لخورفكان" (in Arabic). Albayan. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  16. ^ "Gabriel Calderón volvió a Oriente Medio" (in Spanish). Diariojornada. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  17. ^ "النصر يقيل دياز ..والإعلان قريباً" (in Arabic). Albayan. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  18. ^ "الظفرة يقيل ميكالي ويعين المغربي بدر الدين الإدريسي" (in Arabic). Albayan. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  19. ^ "Article (15) P.50 of Arabian Gulf League Regulations" (PDF) (in Arabic). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 August 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  20. ^ "الانضباط تقرر خسارة الإمارات لمباراته أمام الظفرة" (in Arabic). albayan. Retrieved 13 September 2021.
  21. ^ "UAE Pro League 2021/22 – Top Scorers & Top Assists". Soccerway.
  22. ^ "UAE Pro League announces winners of "The Best" awards for August". Pro-League. 15 September 2021. Archived from the original on 15 November 2021.
  23. ^ "UAE Pro League announces the winners of 'The Best' monthly awards for September". Pro-League. 10 October 2021. Archived from the original on 15 November 2021.
  24. ^ "Al Ain make a clean sweep of October's "The Best" awards". Pro-League. 15 November 2021. Archived from the original on 15 November 2021.
  25. ^ "UAE Pro league announces winners of "The Best" awards for November". Pro-League. 24 December 2021. Archived from the original on 24 December 2021.