 | |
| Founded | 1992; 33 years ago (1992) |
|---|---|
| Country | Azerbaijan |
| Confederation | UEFA |
| Number of clubs | 12 |
| Level onpyramid | 1 |
| Relegation to | First League |
| Domestic cup(s) | Azerbaijan Cup |
| International cup(s) | UEFA Champions League UEFA Europa League UEFA Conference League |
| Current champions | Qarabağ (12th title) (2024–25) |
| Most championships | Qarabağ (12 titles) |
| Broadcaster(s) | CBC Sport |
| Website | pfl |
| Current:2025–26 Azerbaijan Premier League | |
TheAzerbaijan Premier League (Azerbaijani:Azərbaycan Premyer Liqası), also known asMisli Premyer Liqası for sponsorship reasons, is a professionalassociation football league inAzerbaijan and the highest level of theAzerbaijani football league system. It is contested by twelve clubs.
Seasons run from August to May, with teams playing 33 matches each (playing each team in the league three times, twice at home and once away). The Premier League champion secures the right to play inUEFA Champions League first qualifying round. The runner up and the 3rd-place winner secure the right to play inUEFA Europa Conference League starting in second qualifying round.
Since 1992, a total of eight clubs have been crowned champions of the Azerbaijani football system. The Azerbaijan Premier League was first organized in 2007 and succeeded the Top Division (Azerbaijani:Yüksək Liqa), which existed from 1992 to 2007. The current champions areQarabağ, who won the title in the2024–25 season for the twelfth time.
The league was dominated by teams likeQarabağ,Neftçi,Kapaz,Turan Tovuz andShamkir. However, financial struggles had bad impact on local clubs and most teams such asKhazri Buzovna,Shamkir,Vilash Masalli andShafa Baku went bust due increasing debts.[1] Also,Qarabağ began to weaken due to financial problems. In 1997, Kapaz were known for their unbeaten run as club's final record for the1997–98 league campaign stood at 22 wins, 4 draws and 0 losses, out of 26 games total, an unbeaten run not matched in any single season by any team in an Azerbaijani league division.[2] In the1999 UEFA Intertoto Cup season,Qarabag became the first Azerbaijani club to advance to the next round of the European Cup.
As league entered a new century, theNeftçi found themselves facing new challengers. They were challenged by emergingKhazar Lankaran,Inter Baku andBaku in both competitions. The country's football received major blow in 2002, whenUEFA imposed a two-year ban in response to a long-standing conflict between theAssociation of Football Federations of Azerbaijan and majority of the country's top flight clubs.[3] The domestic championship was abandoned as a result of the conflict and the top clubs prevented their players from playing for thenational team, with tax officials also probing allegations of fraud at the Azerbaijan federation.[4] Under the management ofAgaselim Mirjavadov, Khazar Lankaran finished asAzerbaijan Cup winners in 2006 and 2007, while becoming league champions in2006–07 despite losing the title to Neftçi in2004–05 during Championship play-off.Qarabağ was the first ever team from Azerbaijan to reachUEFA Europa League play off-round during the seasons2009–10 and2010–11. Few gave chances for qualification to the next round, although theAghdam side caused quite a stir against favoritesRosenborg,Honka,Twente andWisła Kraków.
The 2010s brought a bright start, with Neftçi emerged as a champion after six years of unsuccessful run.[5][6] In the next season, Neftçi repeated its domestic success after sealing their seventh title in club's history.[7][8] In that year, Neftçi Baku became the first Azerbaijani team which advanced to group stage of a Europeancompetition.[9] In2012–13 season, Neftçi managed to win three titles in a row.[10][11] In2013–14 season, Qarabağ managed to win its 2nd title after 21 years,[12] and continue to win domestic title consecutively. In 2014, Qarabağ became the second and most successful Azerbaijani team which advanced to group stage of a Europeancompetition.[13] After consecutive participation in Europa League, in 2017, Qarabağ became the first Azerbaijani team which advanced to group stage of aChampions League.
On 19 June 2020, theAFFA announced that the2019–20 season had officially ended without the resumption of the remaining matches due to the escalating situation of theCOVID-19 pandemic in Azerbaijan. As a result,Qarabağ were crowned champions for the seventh season in a row, whilst also qualifying for the2020–21 UEFA Champions League, withNeftçi,Keşla andSumgayit qualifying for the2020–21 UEFA Europa League.[14]
Azerbaijan Premier League will be expand to 12 teams from 2025–26 season due to three teams directly promotion from First Division in 2024–25.
The competition follows the usual doubleround-robin format. During the course of a season, which lasts from August to May, each club plays every other club three times, two times at home and one time away, for a total of 33 games.[15] Teams receive three points for a win, one point for a draw, and no points for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, with the highest-ranked club at the end of the season crowned champion.
Beginning from 2022–23 season Azerbaijan Premier League is planned to be extended to 10 teams.[16]
Below is a complete record of how many teams played in each season throughout the league's history;
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The champions qualify for theUEFA Champions League, the second and third placed teams qualifies for theUEFA Europa Conference League. As of the start of the2020–21 Azerbaijan Premier League season qualification for European competitions is as follows: champions qualify for the first qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League, runners-up and third placed team qualifies for the first qualifying round of the Conference League. A fourth spot is given to the winner of theAzerbaijan Cup, who qualify for the first qualifying round of the Conference League. If the Azerbaijan Cup winner has already qualified for European competition through their league finish, the next highest placed club in the league takes their place.
| Club | Winners | Runners-up | Third place | Winning years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Qarabağ | 12 | 4 | 4 | 1993,2013–14,2014–15,2015–16,2016–17,2017–18,2018–19,2019–20,2021–22,2022–23,2023–24,2024–25 |
| Neftçi | 9 | 5 | 7 | 1992,1995–96,1996–97,2003–04,2004–05,2010–11,2011–12,2012–13,2020–21 |
| Kapaz | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1994–95,1997–98,1998–99 |
| Shamakhi | 2 | 3 | 4 | 2007–08,2009–10 |
| Shamkir | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1999–00,2000–01 |
| Baku | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2005–06,2008–09 |
| Khazar Lankaran | 1 | 3 | – | 2006–07 |
| Turan Tovuz | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1993–94 |
| Zira | – | 3 | 1 | – |
| Gabala | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Khazar Sumgayit | – | 2 | 0 | – |
| Karvan | – | 1 | 1 | – |
| Khazri Buzovna | – | 1 | 1 | – |
| Sabah | – | 1 | 1 | – |
| Shuvalan | – | 1 | – | – |
| Araz-Naxçıvan | – | – | 1 | – |
| Sabail | – | – | 1 | – |
| Simurq | – | – | 1 | – |
| Sumgayit | – | – | 1 | – |
| Viləş Masallı | – | – | 1 | – |
Note: The tallies below include up to the 2025–26 season. Teams denoted in bold are current participants.
Azerbaijan Premier League clubs have almost complete freedom to sign whatever number and category of players they wish. There is no team or individual salary cap, no squad size limit, no age restrictions other than those applied by general employment law, no restrictions on the overall number of foreign players, and few restrictions on individual foreign players – all players with foreign nationality, including those able to claim a passport through a parent or grandparent, are eligible to play, and top players from outside the EU are able to obtain Azerbaijani work permits.
The only restriction on selection is the "Under-21 rule". This rule states that each club must include at least two players under the age of 21 in its matchday squad.[20] Opinions on this rule appear to be divided among APL managers.
Players in the Premier League compete for the Azerbaijan Premier League Golden Boot, awarded to the top scorer at the end of each season.Nazim Aliyev is the league's all-time top scorer with 183 goals, including 39 in the 1992 season.[21] During the 1995–96 season he became the first player to score 100 Premier League goals. Since then, 10 other players have reached the 100-goal mark.[21]
| Player | Period | Club[23] | Goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Nazim Aliyev | 1992–99 | Neftchi Baku | 183 |
| 2 | Mushfig Huseynov | 1992–07 | Qarabağ | 125 |
| 3 | Rovshan Ahmadov | 1992–03 | Kapaz | 116 |
| 4 | Gurban Gurbanov | 1990–06 | Neftçi | 115 |
| 5 | Samir Alakbarov | 1992–01 | Neftçi | 115 |
| 6 | Alay Bahramov | 1992–99 | Viləş Masallı | 108 |
| 7 | Vadim Vasilyev | 1994–07 | Baki Fehlesi | 102 |
| 8 | Khagani Mammadov | 1994–12 | Inter Baku | 102 |
| 9 | Kanan Karimov | 1995–12 | Shamkir | 101 |
| 10 | Nadir Nabiyev | 1995–12 | Turan | 100 |
| Player | Period | Club[25] | Games | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rahid Amirguliyev | 2005–23 | Khazar Lankaran | 451 |
| 2 | Mahmud Gurbanov | 1992–12 | Kapaz | 421 |
| 3 | Rashad Sadiqov | 1998–21 | Neftchi | 392 |
| 4 | Azer Mammadov | 1992–12 | Kapaz | 388 |
| 5 | Asif Mammadov | 2004– | Gabala | 388 |
| 6 | Aslan Kerimov | 1992–11 | Qarabağ | 382 |
| 7 | Rashad Abdullayev | 1994–17 | Khazar Lankaran | 378 |
| 8 | Maksim Medvedev | 2006-24 | Qarabağ | 376 |
| 9 | Elvin Mammadov | 2005–2023 | Baku | 376 |
| 10 | Vurğun Hüseynov | 2005–24 | Sumgayit | 368 |
UEFA Country Ranking for league participation after 2018–19 European football season.
| Current Ranking | Movement | Last Season Ranking | League | Coefficient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 |  | (28) |  Kazakhstan Premier League | 19.250 |
| 25 |  | (21) |  Ekstraklasa | 50.000 |
| 26 | | (23) | Azerbaijan Premier League | 19.000 |
| 27 | | (18) |  Israeli Premier League | 18.625 |
| 28 |  | (24) |  Bulgarian First League | 17.500 |
| Season | Total attendance | Number of matches | Average attendance per match | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001–02 | 187,929 | 171 | 1,099 | [30] |
| 2002–03 | League was cancelled * | |||
| 2003–04 | 195,840 | 144 | 1,360 | [31] |
| 2004–05 | 470,670 | 290 | 1,623 | [31] |
| 2005–06 | 183,365 | 169 | 1,085 | [31] |
| 2006–07 | 225,216 | 144 | 1,564 | [31] |
| 2007–08 | 277,667 | 169 | 1,643 | [31] |
| 2008–09 | 309,582 | 182 | 1,701 | [31] |
| 2009–10 | 340,522 | 172 | 1,979 | [32] |
| 2010–11 | 418,418 | 192 | 2,179 | [32] |
| 2011–12 | 433,342 | 192 | 2,256 | [33] |
| 2012–13 | 364,910 | 192 | 1,900 | [34] |
| 2013–14 | 281,400 | 175 | 1,608 | [35] |
*UEFA has suspended the league after longstanding conflict between theAssociation of Football Federations of Azerbaijan and the majority of the country's top-flight clubs.[36]
TheUniBank, who had sponsored the league since 2009, did not renew their sponsorship at the end of the 2011–12 season.[37][38] Talks began withTopaz betting operator, and a deal was confirmed shortly afterwards.[39]
In August 2019, cooperation was suspended and PFL announced a new tender for sponsorship.[42][43]
As well as sponsorship for the league itself, the Premier League has a number of official partners and suppliers. The technical for the league isNike who is providing their match ball for the season.[44]
Since the APL began, five of its member clubs have enteredadministration, while nearly twenty clubs liquidated.[45][46] A reduction in revenue from ticket sales for APL games and club merchandise impacted negatively on club expenditure. Players were asked to consider wage cuts and team squads were reduced.
A major criticism of the Premier League in the mid-2000s was the emergence of gulf between the Premier League and theFirst Division. Criticism of the gap between clubs has continued, nevertheless, due to some clubs' increasing ability to spend more than the other Premier League clubs. For some clubs, includingShamkir,Karvan,Absheron,MKT-Araz who have failed to win immediate promotion back to the top flight, financial problems, including in some cases administration or even liquidation have followed.
| Country | Broadcaster |
|---|---|
| Azerbaijan | CBC Sport |
 Austria | Laola1 |
 Georgia | |
 Germany | |
 Russia | |
 Switzerland | |
| International | Bet365 LTV Channel |
The current Azerbaijan Premier League trophy was developed by the Professional Football League of Azerbaijan and the trophy has been awarded to the champion of Azerbaijan since the end of the2009–10 season, replacing the previous Premier League trophy that had existed for only few years.
In addition to the winner's Trophy and the individual winner's medal players receive, Azerbaijan Premier League also awards the monthly Player of the Month award. Following the season, the awards such as the Player of the Year, Manager of the Year, and Young Player of the Year from Azerbaijan Premier League are handed out.
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