2023–24 UAE Pro League explained

Competition:UAE Pro League
Season:2023–24
Dates:18 August 2023 – 7 June 2024
Winners:Al Wasl (8th title)
Relegated:Hatta
Emirates
Continentalcup1:2024–25 AFC Champions League Elite
Continentalcup1 Qualifiers:Al Wasl
Al Ain
Shabab Al Ahli
Continentalcup2:2024–25 AFC Champions League Two
Continentalcup2 Qualifiers:Sharjah
League Topscorer:Omar Khribin
(19 goals)
Biggest Home Win:Shabab Al Ahli 10–0 Hatta
(2 June 2024)
Biggest Away Win:Hatta 0–5 Al Wasl
(27 October 2023)
Highest Scoring:Shabab Al Ahli 10–0 Hatta
(2 June 2024)
Matches:182
Total Goals:624
Longest Wins:Al Wasl (9 games)
Longest Unbeaten:Al Wasl
(21 games)
Longest Winless:Hatta
(19 games)
Longest Losses:Emirates
(11 games)
Prevseason:2022–23
Nextseason:2024–25
Updated:07 June 2024

The 2023–24 UAE Pro League is the 49th edition of the UAE Pro League. Shabab Al Ahli are the defending champions.

Teams

Team changes

Promoted to the Pro League

Hatta secured promotion to the pro league after a decisive 3–2 victory over Al Rams.[1] Hatta are returning after two seasons of absence. Emirates would secure promotion on the second last matchday after winning 4–3 against Al Rams, coincidentally the same club Hatta beat. This will be Emirates 10th season in the Pro League.[2]

Relegated to the First Division

Al Dhafra got relegated after losing to Ajman 2–1. This marks the fourth time Al Dhafra got relegated in the top flight with the last time being in 2010–11 season. Dibba Al Fujairah soon followed after drawing 1–1 to Al Dhafra, ending their short spell in the Pro League a year after Dibba Al Fujairah got promoted as division 1 champions.[3]

Stadium and locations

Note: Table lists clubs in alphabetical order.

TeamHome cityStadiumCapacity
AjmanAjmanAjman Stadium
Al AinAl-AinHazza Bin Zayed Stadium
Al Bataeh Stadium
Al JaziraAbu Dhabi (Al Nahyan)
Al NasrDubai (Al Nasr)Al-Maktoum Stadium
Al WahdaAbu Dhabi (Al Nahyan)
Al WaslDubai (Zabeel)
BaniyasAbu Dhabi (Al Shamkha)
EmiratesRas Al Khaimah
HattaHattaHamdan Bin Rashid Stadium
KalbaKalbaIttihad Kalba Stadium
SBM Al Qassimi Stadium
Shabab Al AhliDubai (Deira)Al-Rashid Stadium
SharjahSharjahSharjah Stadium

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.

TeamHead CoachCaptainKit ManufacturerShirt Sponsor
Ajman Daniel Isăilă Saoud SaeedAdidasAjman Bank
Al Ain Hernán Crespo Bandar Al-AhbabiNikeFirst Abu Dhabi Bank
Al Bataeh Goran Tomić Mohamed AhmedNikeMajid Al Futtaim Group
Al Jazira Grégory Dufrennes Ali KhasifZat OutfitHealthpoint
Al Nasr Alfred Schreuder Ahmed ShambihAdidasEmirates Islamic
Al Wahda Goran Tufegdžić AllanAdidasVolkswagen
Al Wasl Miloš Milojević Ali SalmeenMacronDubai Real Estate Centre
Baniyas Darko Milanič Fawaz AwanaMacron
Emirates Benito CarboneuhlsportRAK Ceramics
Hatta Nenad VanićuhlsportEmaar
Kalba Ghazi FahadAdidasCaltex
Khor Fakkan Nebojša Jovović Masoud SulaimanMacronADNOC
Shabab Al Ahli Marko Nikolić Majed NaserNikeMai Dubai
Sharjah Cosmin Olăroiu Shahin AbdulrahmanAdidas

Managerial changes

TeamOutgoing managerDate of vacancyManner of departureIncoming managerDate of appointment
Al Wasl Juan Antonio Pizzi[4] 16 May 2023Mutual consent Pre-season Miloš Milojević[5] 2 June 2023
Al Bataeh Saeed Shakhit25 May 2023End of caretaker spell Mirel Rădoi25 May 2023
Al Jazira Marcel Keizer[6] 26 May 2023End of contract Frank de Boer5 June 2023
Al Ain Serhiy Rebrov[7] 27 May 2023 Alfred Schreuder[8] 27 May 2023
Hatta Abdullah Mesfer[9] 1 June 2023Mutual consent Željko Markov[10] 6 June 2023
Shabab Al Ahli Leonardo Jardim[11] End of contract Marko Nikolić2 June 2023
Baniyas Daniel Isăilă Darko Milanič8 June 2023
Al Nasr Goran Tomić[12] 5 June 2023 Goran Tufegdžić[13] 5 June 2023
Ajman Goran TufegdžićSigned by Al Nasr Caio Zanardi6 June 2023
Al Wahda Arno Buitenweg18 June 2023End of caretaker spell Pitso Mosimane[14] 18 June 2023
Hatta Željko Markov4 September 2023Sacked 13th Fabio Viviani[15] 5 September 2023
Emirates Mohammed Al Jalboot5 September 2023Mutual consent 10th Lluís Planagumà[16]
Khor Fakkan Abdulaziz Al Anberi24 September 202310th Gerard Zaragoza29 September 2023
Ajman Caio Zanardi[17] 3 October 2023Sacked 13th Daniel Isăilă3 October 2023
Khor Fakkan Gerard Zaragoza28 October 202312th Nebojša Jovović[18] 29 October 2023
Al Nasr Goran Tufegdžić[19] 6 November 202310th6 November 2023
Al Ain Alfred Schreuder[20] 8 November 2023Mutual consent3rd Hernán Crespo[21] 14 November 2023
Al Wahda Pitso Mosimane[22] 9 November 2023Sacked5th Arno Buitenweg9 November 2023
Al Nasr Fabrizio Cammarata27 November 2023End of caretaker spell9th Alfred Schreuder[23] 27 November 2023
Al Jazira Frank de Boer[24] 13 December 2023Sacked7th Bob de Klerk14 December 2023
Emirates Lluís Planagumà[25] 21 December 202314th21 December 2023
Al Bataeh Mirel Rădoi[26] 25 December 2023Resigned7th Goran Tomić[27] 7 January 2024
Al Wahda Arno Buitenweg3 January 2024End of caretaker spell5th Goran Tufegdžić3 January 2024
Al Jazira Bob de Klerk5 January 20246th Mirel Rădoi[28] 5 January 2024
Emirates Aaref Al Shehhi14th Walter Zenga[29]
Ittihad Kalba Farhad Majidi[30] 2 March 2024Sacked11th Ghazi Fahad2 March 2024
Hatta Fabio Viviani[31] 15 March 202414th Nenad Vanić17 March 2024
Al Jazira Mirel Rădoi8 April 20248th Grégory Dufrennes9 April 2024
Emirates Walter Zenga[32] 24 April 2024Mutual consent 13th Benito Carbone24 April 2024

Foreign players

All teams can register many foreigners as they want but could only include up to five professional players. Players in the age of under-23 do not counted as professionals.

  • 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.
ClubPlayer 1Player 2Player 3Player 4Player 5Former players
Ajman Ali Madan Dodô Walid Azaro Miloš Kosanović Haykeul Chikhaoui Prestige Mboungou
Nader Ghandri
Al Ain Omer Atzili Soufiane Rahimi Kaku Park Yong-woo Kodjo Fo-Doh Laba
Al Bataeh Paulinho Anatole Abang Petrus Boumal Diney Ulrich Meleke
Al Jazira Fernando Neeskens Kebano Aboubakar Kamara Karim Rekik Alejandro Pozuelo
Al Nasr Samir Memišević Kevin Agudelo Manolo Gabbiadini Adel Taarabt Iuri Medeiros
Al Wahda Allan Ahmad Nourollahi Zelimkhan Bakayev Omar Khribin Khojimat Erkinov Cristian Guanca
João Pedro
Al Wasl Gerónimo Poblete Alexis Pérez Soufiane Bouftini Jung Seung-hyun Haris Seferovic Nicolás Giménez
Baniyas Taulant Seferi Gastón Álvarez Suárez Prestige Mboungou Youssoufou Niakaté Saša Ivković Francisco Geraldes
Emirates Dia Saba Nizar Al-Rashdan Uroš Vitas Paco Alcácer Andrés Iniesta Diogo Acosta
Franck Kom
Leo Osaki
Al Sanousi Al Hadi
Hatta Gabrielzinho Lobi Manzoki Aaron Tshibola Chisom Egbuchulam Vernon De Marco Alexander Merkel
Shabaib Al-Khaldi
Moustafa Zeidan
Ittihad Kalba Daniel Bessa Mehdi Ghayedi Nigel Robertha Filip Kiss Andrés Vombergar Wallace
Ivanildo Fernandes
Khor Fakkan Lourency Raniel Thulani Serero Abdulla Abdullaev Azizbek Amanov Pedro Castro
Tiago Leonço
Saîf-Eddine Khaoui
Shabab Al Ahli Saeid Ezatolahi Mu'nas Dabbur Luka Milivojević Bogdan Planić Azizjon Ganiev Federico Cartabia
Sharjah Miralem Pjanić Caio Moussa Marega Cho Yu-min Firas Ben Larbi Kostas Manolas
Paco Alcácer

League table

Number of teams by Emirates

EmirateNumber of teamsTeams
1 Abu Dhabi4Al Ain, Al Jazira, Al Wahda and Baniyas
Sharjah, Kalba, Khor Fakkan and Al Bataeh
DubaiShabab Al Ahli, Al Nasr, Al Wasl and Hatta
4 Ajman1Ajman
Ras Al KhaimahEmirates

Season statistics

Top scorers

[33]

RankPlayerClubGoals
1 Omar KhribinAl Wahda
2 Fábio LimaAl Wasl17
3 Igor JesusShabab Al Ahli 14
Mu'nas DabburShabab Al Ahli
5 Kodjo LabaAl Ain12
Mehdi GhayediIttihad Kalba
Walid AzaroAjman
8 Taulant SeferiBaniyas11
Manolo GabbiadiniAl Nasr
Haris SeferovicAl Wasl
CaioSharjah
12 LourencyKhor Fakkan10
Ali MabkhoutAl Jazira

Clean sheets

RankPlayerClubClean sheets
1 Khaled Al-SenaniAl Wasl10
2 Ahmed ShambihAl Nasr6
3 Khalid EisaAl Ain5
4 Rashed AliAl Wahda4
Ali Al-HosaniAjman
5 Suhail AbdullaEmirates3
Fahad Al-DhanhaniBaniyas
Adel Al-HosaniSharjah
Ibrahim EssaAl Bataeh
Hassan HamzaShabab Al Ahli
Salem KhairiHatta
Ali KhasifAl Jazira

Hat tricks

PlayerForAgainstResultDateRound
Walid AzaroAjman Ittihad Kalba3–5 (H)29 September 2023 4
LourencyKhor FakkanAl Wahda3–2 (H)29 December 2023 12
Soufiane RahimiAl AinAjman4–0 (A)15 March 202416
Walid Azaro4 Ajman Ittihad Kalba4–2 (A)29 March 202417
Shabab Al AhliHatta10–0 (H)2 June 202426
Notes4 Player scored 4 goals
(H) – Home team
(A) – Away team

Notes and References

  1. Web site: حتا.. «الصعود 4» بسرعة «الإعصار». Al Ittihad. ar. 8 May 2023.
  2. Web site: حتا بطل الهواة والصقور يحلق للأضواء وهيسبانا يهبط للثانية. 14 May 2023 . Al Bayan. ar. 14 May 2023.
  3. Web site: دبا الفجيرة يودع «الأضواء» بدموع الندم والحسرة. 13 May 2023 . Al Bayan. ar. 13 May 2023.
  4. Web site: الشعفار: بيتزي لن يستمر مع الوصل. 16 May 2023 . Al Bayan. ar. 16 May 2023.
  5. Web site: صحيفة صربية: مدرب 40 سنة يقود الوصل الموسم المقبل. June 2023 . Emaratalyoum. ar. 2 June 2023.
  6. Web site: كايزر يودع الجزيرة بعد 4 مواسم و94 مباراة. 25 May 2023 . Al Bayan. ar. 26 May 2023.
  7. Web site: ريبيروف يعلن رحيله رسمياً عن العين. 27 May 2023 . Al Bayan. ar. 27 May 2023.
  8. Web site: العين يعلن تعاقده مع شرودر. 27 May 2023 . Al Bayan. ar. 27 May 2023.
  9. Web site: عبد الله مسفر يرحل عن حتا. 31 May 2023 . Al Bayan. ar. 1 June 2023.
  10. Web site: الصربي زيلكو مدربا لنادي حتا. Koora. ar. 5 June 2023.
  11. Web site: Leonardo Jardim to leave Shabab Al Ahli after leading club to Adnoc Pro League title. John McAuley. 22 May 2023 . The National. 22 May 2023.
  12. Web site: النصر يودّع توميتش ويقترب من غوران. 24 May 2023 . Al Bayan. ar. 25 May 2023.
  13. Web site: النصر يدخل مرحلة الصــربي غوران رسمياً. 3 June 2023 . Al Bayan. ar. 4 June 2023.
  14. Web site: الوحدة يعلن رسمياً تعاقده مع المدرب بيتسو موسيماني. 17 June 2023 . Al Bayan. ar. 18 June 2023.
  15. Web site: فيفياني يقود حتا في «المحطة الثالثة». 4 September 2023 . Al Bayan. ar. 5 September 2023.
  16. Web site: الإسباني راموس مدرباً لـ«الصقور». 4 September 2023 . Al Bayan. ar. 5 September 2023.
  17. Web site: عجمان.. أول تغيير مبكر للمدرب بعد 8 سنوات. 2 October 2023 . Al Bayan. ar. 3 October 2023.
  18. Web site: Khorfakkan Club signs Jovović to lead the first football team. 29 October 2023. Sharjah24.
  19. Web site: النصر يقيل مدربه غوران بسبب سوء النتائج. 6 November 2023 . Al Bayan. ar. 6 November 2023.
  20. Web site: العين الإماراتي يفك ارتباطه بالهولندي ألفريد شرودر. Al Arab. ar. 8 November 2023.
  21. Web site: الأرجنتيني كرسبو يصل الإمارات لاستكمال إجراءات تعاقده مع نادي العين. 14 November 2023 . Al Bayan. ar. 14 November 2023.
  22. Web site: الوحدة يقيل موسيماني والهولندي آرنو بويتنويغ مدرب الرديف بديلاً. 9 November 2023 . Al Bayan. ar. 9 November 2023.
  23. Web site: رسمياً.. الهولندي شرودر مدرباً للنصر. 27 November 2023 . Al Bayan. ar. 27 November 2023.
  24. Web site: 5 هزائم وراء إقالة فرانك دي بور من تدريب الجزيرة. 13 December 2023. Al Bayan. ar. 13 December 2023.
  25. Web site: 7 هزائم متتالية تُقصي «بلاناغوما» من تدريب «الصقور». 20 December 2023 . Al Bayan. ar. 21 December 2023.
  26. Web site: بعد المباراة الأخيرة التي خسرها أمام ضيفه العين..رادوي يودع لاعبي البطائح. 25 December 2023 . Al Bayan. ar. 25 December 2023.
  27. Web site: غوران مدرباً للبطائح. 6 January 2024 . Al Bayan. ar. 7 January 2024.
  28. Web site: الروماني ميريل رادوي يقود الجزيرة. 4 January 2024 . Al Bayan. ar. 5 January 2024.
  29. Web site: زينغا: «الصقور» يستحق مركزاً أفضل في «المحترفين». 5 January 2024 . Al Bayan. ar. 6 January 2024.
  30. Web site: اتحاد كلباء يقيل مجيدي.. ويتعاقد مع الشمري. 2 March 2024 . Emarat Alyoum. ar. 2 March 2024.
  31. Web site: حتا يقيل الإيطالي فيفياني بعد سلسلة من النتائج السلبية. 15 March 2024. Al Bayan. 15 March 2024.
  32. Web site: نادي الإمارات يودع زينغا وكاربوني مدرباً بديلاً. 28 April 2024 . Al Bayan. ar. 24 April 2024.
  33. Web site: UAE Pro League 2023/24 – Top Scorers & Top Assists. Soccerway.