The 2018–19 Prince Mohammad bin Salman League was the second season of the Prince Mohammad bin Salman League under its current name, and 42nd season of the Saudi First Division since its establishment in 1976. The season started on 28 August 2018 and concluded on 15 May 2019. Fixtures for the 2018–19 season were announced on 25 July 2018.
The first team to be promoted was Abha, following their 2–2 draw away to Al-Nojoom on 30 April 2019. Despite losing to Al-Qaisumah, Abha were crowned champions on 11 May 2019 following Damac's 1–1 draw with Al-Ain. The second team to be promoted was Damac, in spite of their 1–0 defeat away to Al-Tai, on 5 May 2019. The third and final team to be promoted was Al-Adalah, who were promoted on the final matchday following their 2–0 win at home against Damac on 15 May 2019.
Overview
First Division rebranding On 7 March 2018, the Saudi FF announced that the league would be increased from 16 teams to 20 teams. The competition will be known as the Prince Mohammad bin Salman League for the second season.
Rule changes On 7 March 2018, the SAFF announced that the numbers of foreign players were increased from 3 players to 7 players. They also increased the prize money to SAR 10 million.
Teams A total of 20 teams are contesting the league, including 9 sides from the 2017–18 season, 6 promoted teams from the Second Division, the two playoff losers from the 2017–18 Pro League playoffs, and three winners from the 2017–18 relegation playoffs.
No teams were relegated from the Pro League. Due to an increase in the number of teams, the Saudi FF announced that the relegation was canceled and in its place was a relegation play-off. Both Pro League teams, Al-Raed and Ohod, won the playoffs and secured their top-flight status.
Al-Washm were promoted as the winners of the Second Division and Al-Jabalain were promoted as the runners-up. Al-Jeel defeated Al-Ansar in the third place playoffs. Both teams were promoted after the increase of teams. The 4 teams were joined by the third-placed teams of both groups, Al-Adalah and Al-Ain. Abha defeated Al-Watani in the relegation playoffs and became the only Second Division side to win their relegation playoff match.
Al-Washm and Al-Ain will play in the Prince Mohammad bin Salman League for the first time in their history. Al-Jabalain return to the MS League for the first time since the 2007–08 season. Abha return to the MS League for the first time since the 2014–15 season. Al-Ansar return to the MS League for the first time since the 2013–14 season. Al-Adalah and Al-Jeel return to the MS League after only a season's absence.
On 4 May 2018 Al-Watani became the only club to be relegated to the Second Division following their 1–0 defeat to Abha.
Team changes The following teams have changed division since the 2017–18 season.
To Prince Mohammad bin Salman League Promoted from Second Division Al-Washm Al-Jabalain Al-Jeel Al-Ansar Al-Ain Al-Adalah Abha
From Prince Mohammad bin Salman League Promoted to Pro League Al-Wehda Al-Hazem
Relegated to Second Division Al-Watani
Stadia and locations
Team Location Stadium Capacity Abha Abha Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium Al-Adalah Al-Hasa Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium Al-Ain Al-Atawilah King Saud Sport City Stadium (Al Bahah) Al-Ansar Medina Al-Ansar Club Stadium Al-Jabalain Ha'il Prince Abdul Aziz bin Musa'ed Stadium Al-Jeel Al-Hasa Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium Al-Kawkab Al-Kharj Al-Shoulla Club Stadium Al-Khaleej Saihat Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz Stadium Al-Mujazzal Al-Majma'ah Al-Majma'ah City Stadium Al-Nahda Dammam Prince Fahd bin Salman Stadium Al-Nojoom Al-Hasa Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium Al-Orobah Sakakah Al-Oruba Club Stadium Al-Qaisumah Qaisumah Al-Batin Club Stadium Al-Shoulla Al-Kharj Al-Shoulla Club Stadium Al-Tai Ha'il Prince Abdul Aziz bin Musa'ed Stadium Al-Washm Shaqra Al-Washm Club Stadium Damac Khamis Mushait Damac Club Stadium Hajer Al-Hasa Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium Jeddah Jeddah Reserve Stadium in King Abdullah Sports City Najran Najran Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium 1: Najran will play at Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium due to the ongoing war in Yemen 2: Al-Adalah, Al-Jeel, Al-Nojoom and Hajer also use Al-Fateh Club Stadium (7,000 seats) as a home stadium.
Foreign players The number of foreign players is limited to 7 per team.
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 Player 7 Former Players Abha Gilles Ngomo Ibrahima Camara Ousmane Pato Souleymane Demba Marouane Fakhr Mohamed Houssem Slimène Houssem Tabboubi Cédric Tchoumbé Daouda Camarra Al-Adalah Selemani Ndikumana Carolus Andria Martial Yao Moctar Fall Bilel Souissi Yassine Boufalgha Youssef Fouzai Leo Alves Al-Ain Bruno Silva Diego Assis Soualio Ouattara Moctar Cissé Moses Ogbu Faiz Al-Rushaidi Rennan Oliveira Masahudu Alhassan Azeez Shobola Sy Ass Mandaw Hichem Essifi Al-Ansar Ley Matampi Dieudonné Nkoume Mohamed Awal Abdallah Deeb David Ifeanyi Abdelrazaq Al-Hussain — — Al-Jabalain Sedjro Counou Yuri Messias Senosi Al Hadi Peter Nworah Hugo López José Galán Mahmoud Al-Youssef Harmony Ikande Isah Eliakwu Alfred Sankoh Al-Jeel Gugu Vieira José Anderson Kadu Fernandes Valdinei Jean Zirignon Leandro Tanaka Al-Kawkab Mohamed Koffi Torric Jebrin Jose Fajardo Emmanuel Gomis Mignane Diouf Ali Ayari Chaker Rguiî Rafael Donato Chiheb Jebali Al-Khaleej Bernardo Souza Alsény Bangoura Daouda Bangoura Lassina Diaby Abdullah Al-Zubi Alioune Ndiaye — Al-Mujazzal Ailton Machado Allan Machado João Paulo Shassiri Nahimana Dmitri Stajila Miloš Krstić Nicholas Dillon David Batista Carlos Ross Draško Đorđević Lester Peltier Al-Nahda Fodé Camara Yamodou Touré Hortalin Zadi Idrissa Coulibaly Cheibane Traoré Alaeddine Abbès Zied Ziadi Michaïlou Dramé Jean Zirignon Abdou Traoré Al-Nojoom Gabriel Macedo Aboubacar Sawadogo Hermann Kouao Paul Onobi — — — Mohammad Al-Dmeiri Saith Sakala Al-Orobah Eydison Felipe Félix Jefinho Elhadji Ndoye Mohamed Daf Daneil Cyrus Lester Peltier Dija Baiano Pedro Rosa Maxime Feudjou Ousmane Barry Al-Qaisumah Ali Lakroum Mohamed Hammouche Youcef Chibane Arthur Silva Mamut Saine Gbolahan Salami Montassar Khemir Diego Barboza Ante Hrakac Kofi Boakye Souleymane Demba Nikola Ašćerić Al-Shoulla Tarabai Cheick Moukoro Sylla Daouda Emmanuel Banahene Piqueti Wilson Akakpo Ziyo Tembo Anye Fru Julien Ebah Béranger Itoua Mahmoud Shika Al-Tai Dudu Pitty Christopher Mendouga Aboubacar Sylla Mamadou Barry Moussa Sarr Saith Sakala Said Al-Ruzaiqi Bouba Sall Malick Sambou Kemo Soumare Al-Washm Hamza Aït Ouamar Constantin Bakaki Ahmed Khaled Kafoumba Touré Ugonna Uzochukwu Vasco Coelho Nidhal Saïed Rodolfo Mol Razak Nuhu Mohamed Diabagate Damac Hacène Ogbi Abdel Fadel Suanon Aubin Kouakou Gbagbo Junior Magbi Ahmed Al Ahmed Khaled Haj Othman Mahmoud Ben Salah Harouna Samake Alegbe Victor Christian Pyagbara Hajer Diego Barboza Rayllan Bruno Noor Sabri Alassane Diop Gege Soriola Łukasz Gikiewicz Mohamed N'Doye Robert Ghansah Ahmed Hosni Jeddah Felipe Nunes Thiago Furtuoso Oumarou Kaina Alain Zoe Patrick Gbala Ousmane Diabaté Okiemute Odah Abami Giovani Reda El-Weshi Gilles N'Guessan Najran Guy Toindouba Mohammad Zureiqat Marco Tagbajumi Reuben Gabriel Mehdi Ressaissi Omar Zekri Wassim Naouara Esquerdinha Felipe Almeida Mosquito Moïse Zongo Mohamed Doumouya
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
Season progress
Statistics
Scoring Top scorers
RankPlayerClubGoals1 Carolus Andria Al-Adalah222 José Fajardo Al-Kawkab183 Saleh Al Abbas Najran174 Hermann Kouao Al-Nojoom155 Saith Sakala Al-Tai14 Lester Peltier Al-Orobah Cheibane Traoré Al-Nahda Ousmane Pato Abha9 Emmanuel Banahene Al-Shoulla1310 Yousef Omar Al-Jeel12 Faisel Al-Jamaan Hajer
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Lester Peltier Al-Mujazzal Al-Ain 4–0 (H) José Fajardo Al-Kawkab Al-Shoulla 3–2 (H) Saith Sakala Al-Nojoom Al-Qaisumah 5–1 (A) Carolus Andria Al-Adalah Al-Kawkab 4–2 (H) Carolus Andria Al-Adalah Najran 3–1 (A) Sultan Al-Shammeri Al-Tai Al-Kawkab 3–2 (H)
Clean sheets
RankPlayerClubClean sheets1 Khaled Haj Othman Damac14 Hortalin Zadi Al-Nahda Bilel Souissi Al-Adalah4 Mahmoud Al-Youssef Al-Jabalain135 Okemute Odah Jeddah12 Dmitri Stajila Al-Mujazzal Francisco Pereira Al-Jeel8 Noor Sabri Hajer11 Abdullah Al-Zubi Al-Khaleej10 Ley Matampi Al-Ansar10
See also 2018–19 Saudi Professional League 2018–19 Second Division 2019 King Cup 2018 Super Cup
References