Football in Bahrain
The sport of football in the country of Bahrain is run by the Bahrain Football Association, and significantly the most popular sport in the nation.
| Football in Bahrain | |
|---|---|
The Bahrain national team playing Australia on June 10, 2009, in a World Cup qualifier | |
| Country | Bahrain |
| Governing body | Bahrain Football Association |
| National team(s) | men's national team |
National competitions | |
International competitions | |
Bahrain has its own top-tier domestic professional football league, the Bahraini Premier League. It features 10 football clubs that play a two-round robin set, with each team playing a total of 18 fixtures. The winners of the domestic championship qualify for the AFC Cup.
The league uses a promotion and relegation system in association with the Bahraini Classification League, Bahrain's second-tier football league. The season usually starts in September and concludes in May, as in other football leagues. The first season was held in 1952. Although games are played on a home and away basis, most games are played at the Bahrain National Stadium.
The relegation of the lowest season finishing team is decided by a relegation/promotion playoff match against the second lowest finishing team. The most successful club in the league's history is Al-Muharraq SC.