UAE Third Division League
| Organising body | UAE Football Association |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2021 |
| Country | United Arab Emirates |
| Confederation | AFC |
| Number of clubs | 18 |
| Level on pyramid | 4 |
| Promotion to | UAE Second Division League[1] |
| Current champions | United FC II (2024-25) |
| Most championships | Gulf United, Royal, Arabian Falcons FC, United FC II (1 title each) |
| Website | uaefa.ae |
| Current: 2024–25 season | |
UAE Third Division League is the fourth tier of football league competition in the United Arab Emirates, the league is organised by UAE Football Association for private funded clubs. The league was established for the 2021–22 season. 12 teams participated in the first edition, divided in two groups of six. On 6 July 2022, UAEFA announced that the number of participants will increase from 12 to 16 teams for the 2022–23 season, an increase of 4 teams from the 2021–22 season.The current champions as of the 2023-24 season are the Arabian Falcons FC .
Current teams
As of 2024–25 UAE Third Division League
- Note: Table lists clubs in alphabetical order
| Club | City | Stadium |
|---|---|---|
| Al Ethihad | Abu Dhabi | Zayed Sports city |
| Gulf United B | Dubai(Al Jaddaf) | Dubai British School |
| United Sport | Al Ain | As-hab Al-Himam Stadium |
| Al Qabila | Dubai | Al Qabila Academy Stadium |
| Emerald | Unknown | Unknown |
| Falcon[2][3] | Abu Dhabi | Abu Dhabi University |
| Dubai Irish | Dubai | Dubai Irish Sports Ground- Dubai Sports City |
| Madenat | Sharjah | Various grounds |
| Al Hilal | Al Lisaili | Al Hamriya Sports Club Stadium |
| Sport Support | Abu Dhabi | Armed Forces Officers Club |
| Sporting Dubai | Dubai | Armed Forces Officers Club |
| TFA Dubai | Al Lisaili | The Sevens Stadium |
| Sporty Abu Dhabi | Abu Dhabi | Armed Forces Officers Club |
| AFC Athletic Football Club | Dubai | Brighton Collage Dubai |
| Dubai City B | Dubai (Al Barsha) | King School Al Barsha |
| United FC II | Dubai | ISD Dubai Sports City |
| Liver Sport | Al Ain | Al Ain Amblers Rugby Club |
| Dibba Club B | Dibba Al Fujairah | Dibba New Stadium |
Competition format
The 2021–22 edition featured 12 teams in two groups that competed in a round robin league format of home and away game. The top two teams from each group would then qualify into a semi-final, in which the winner of group Group A would face the runner-up of group B, and vice versa. The semi-finals would take place over two legs (home and away). The winners of the semi-finals would secure promotion to the UAE Second Division and a place in the UAE Third Division final. As of the 2023-24 season, the competition is organised in a standard round-robin format, with each team competing against each other twice.
List of champions
- 2021–22: Gulf United
- 2022–23: Royal
- 2023–24: Arabian Falcons FC
- 2024-25: United FC II
References
- ^ "Ravel Morrison: Ex-Man Utd and Derby midfielder moves to UAE". BBC Sport. 2024-09-30. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
- ^ Release, Press. "Nando's sponsors Arabian Falcons FC". www.zawya.com. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
- ^ Jacques, John (2024-03-04). "3 Former CPL Players Who Just Landed Elsewhere". Northern Tribune. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
External links
- UAE FA Official website (in English and Arabic)