Jump to content

Uzbekistan Super League

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Uzbek League)

Uzbekistan Super League
Ўзбекистон Суперлигаси
Organising bodyUzbekistan Professional Football League
Founded1992; 34 years ago (1992)
CountryUzbekistan
ConfederationAFC
Number of clubs16
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toUzbekistan Pro League
Domestic cup(s)Uzbekistan Cup
Uzbekistan Super Cup
League cupUzbekistan League Cup
International cup(s)AFC Champions League Elite
AFC Champions League Two
Current championsNeftchi (6th title)
(2025)
Most championshipsPakhtakor (16 titles)
Broadcaster(s)Sport TV (Uzbekistan)
Futbol TV (Uzbekistan)
Sponsor(s)Artel Electronics
Website
Current: 2026 Uzbekistan Super League

Uzbekistan Super League (Uzbek: Ўзбекистон Суперлигаси), known as Artel Super League due to sponsorship reasons (Uzbek: Artel Superligasi) is the top division of professional football in Uzbekistan. It is operated under the auspices of the Uzbekistan Professional Football League. It was founded in 1992 and currently has 16 teams. The top team qualifies to the group stage of the AFC Champions League.

History

[edit]

The Uzbek League was founded in 1992. In 2018, it was renamed to the Uzbekistan Super League.[1][2]

On 21 November 2017 according to a UzPFL management decision the Uzbek League was officially renamed to Uzbekistan Super League, starting from the 2018 season. The number of teams playing in the top division is 16.[3] Well-known players including Rivaldo, Eren Derdiyok, Zico, and Luiz Felipe Scolari have all played in the league.

The U19 and U21 Championship was established in 2020. Starting in 2021, it will be held between clubs from Uzbekistan Super League and Pro League footballers under 19 and 21 years old.[4]

League system

[edit]

The league is generally played between March and November in the calendar year and has occasionally had the Super Cup as a curtain raiser to the domestic campaign. Teams play each other on a home and away basis. Two or three teams can be relegated depending on the number of sides participating which has in the past been between fourteen and seventeen sides. Occasionally no sides would be promoted from the First League, due to reserve teams winning the championships. Reserve clubs are not allowed to feature in the top flight but can play at any level up to First League. On these occasions, clubs can be relegated without any promoted sides making the next campaign feature less sides than before. League winners enter the next edition of the AFC Champions League along with the winners of the Uzbekistan Cup.[5]

The final match of the U19 and U21 Championship will also be held the day after the first team match in the Super League.

AFC ranking

[edit]

As of June 2025, Uzbekistan Super League is ranked ninth in Asian Football Confederation (AFC) national league table (an analogue of the UEFA coefficient table). A ninth-place ranking for the Uzbekistan Championship gives one participant from the Uzbekistan Super League one guaranteed place in the AFC Champions League Elite group stage and one additional place in the AFC Champions League qualifying play-off round.

For 2025.[6]

Rank Country Points
1 Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia 119.957
2 Japan Japan 107.663
3 South Korea South Korea 90.982
4 Qatar Qatar 74.466
5 Iran Iran 72.018
6 United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates 64.129
7 Thailand Thailand 54.873
8 China China 54.682
9 Uzbekistan Uzbekistan 49.821
10 Australia Australia 40.420
11 Malaysia Malaysia 40.039
12 Iraq Iraq 39.280
13 Jordan Jordan 39.205
14 Vietnam Vietnam 35.038
15 Singapore Singapore 29.405
16 Bahrain Bahrain 27.333
17 Oman Oman 26.069
18 India Indian Super League 24.958
19 Hong Kong Hong Kong Premier League 24.436
20 Turkmenistan Turkmenistan Higher League 24.211

Clubs

[edit]

The most decorated team among Uzbek clubs is Pakhtakor Tashkent. Pakhtakor has currently won the tournament 16 times. The winners of Uzbekistan Super League participate in the Asian Champions League. Specifically, the Uzbekistan champion and the winner of the Uzbekistan Cup directly qualify for Asian Champions League group stage, while the silver and bronze medalists of the Super League advance to the Champions League through qualifying matches. Currently, the best result for Super League teams in the continental Champions League is reaching the semi-finals. In some years, Uzbek clubs have also participated in the AFC Cup, the second most prestigious tournament in Asia. Nasaf, for example, won the 2011 AFC Cup final.

Foreign Players limit in the Super League

[edit]

To participate, a club can register up to five foreign players. One (or all) of these players must be citizens of an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) member country, meaning Uzbekistan has a four-player limit. If a foreign player from an AFC member country is unavailable, the club cannot include more than four foreign players in its roster (players registered with a farm club also count).

Super League player records

[edit]

The Uzbekistan Super League has featured numerous renowned domestic and international footballers. Brazilian Rivaldo, for example, played for Bunyodkor from 2008 to 2010. In 2009, Rivaldo became the top scorer in the Uzbekistan Championship with 20 goals. Anvar Berdiev holds the record for most goals in the Super League. A longtime player for Neftchi, he scored 225 goals in the history of the Uzbekistan Championship. Asror Alikulov holds the record for most matches played. This renowned defender played a total of 520 matches.[7][8]

Season Winners

[edit]

At the end of each season, three Super League winners are determined, along with the teams that finish in last place and are relegated to the Uzbekistan Pro League.[9]

Champions and top scorers

[edit]
Key
* League champions also won the Uzbekistan Cup, i.e. they completed the domestic Double.

As Uzbekistan Oliy Liga

Season Champions Runner-up Third place Top scorer
1992 Pakhtakor and Neftchi Sogdiana Uzbekistan Valeriy Kechinov (Pakhtakor, 24 goals)
1993 Neftchi (2) Pakhtakor Navbahor Uzbekistan Rustam Durmonov (Neftchi, 24 goals)
1994 Neftchi (3) * Bukhara Navbahor (2) Uzbekistan Ravshan Bozorov (Neftchi, 26 goals)
1995 Neftchi (4) MHSK Navbahor (3) Uzbekistan Oleg Shatskikh (Navbahor, 23 goals)
1996 Navbahor Neftchi MHSK Uzbekistan Jafar Irismetov (Dustlik, 23 goals)
Uzbekistan Oleg Shatskikh (Navbahor, 23 goals)
1997 MHSK Neftchi (2) Navbahor (4) Uzbekistan Jafar Irismetov (Dustlik, 34 goals)
1998 Pakhtakor (2) Neftchi (3) Navbahor (5) Uzbekistan Mirjalol Kasymov (Pakhtakor, 22 goals)
Uzbekistan Igor Shkvyrin (Pakhtakor, 22 goals)
1999 Dustlik Neftchi (4) Navbahor (6) Uzbekistan Umid Isoqov (Neftchi, 24 goals)
Uzbekistan Bakhtiyor Hamidullaev (Andijon, 24 goals)
2000 Dustlik (2) * Neftchi (5) Nasaf Uzbekistan Jafar Irismetov (Dustlik, 45 goals)
2001 Neftchi (5) Pakhtakor (2) Nasaf (2) Uzbekistan Umid Isoqov (Neftchi, 28 goals)
2002 Pakhtakor (3) * Neftchi (6) Qizilqum Uzbekistan Bakhtiyor Hamidullaev (Andijon, 22 goals)
2003 Pakhtakor (4) * Neftchi (7) Navbahor (7) Uzbekistan Marsel Idiatullin (Qizilqum, 26 goals)
2004 Pakhtakor (5) * Neftchi (8) Navbahor (8) Uzbekistan Shuhrat Mirkholdirshoev (Navbahor, 31 goals)
2005 Pakhtakor (6) * Mashʼal Nasaf (3) Uzbekistan Anvar Soliev (Pakhtakor, 29 goals)
2006 Pakhtakor (7) * Neftchi (9) Nasaf (4) Uzbekistan Pavel Solomin (Traktor, 21 goals)
2007 Pakhtakor (8) * Kuruvchi Mashʼal Uzbekistan Ilhom Moʻminjonov (Kuruvchi, 21 goals)
2008 Bunyodkor * Pakhtakor (3) Neftchi Uzbekistan Server Djeparov (Bunyodkor, 19 goals)
2009 Bunyodkor (2) Pakhtakor (4) Nasaf (5) Brazil Rivaldo (Bunyodkor, 20 goals)
2010 Bunyodkor (3) * Pakhtakor (5) Nasaf (6) Uzbekistan Alisher Kholiqov (Neftchi, 13 goals)
Uzbekistan Nosirbek Otakuziev (AGMK, 13 goals)
2011 Bunyodkor (4) Nasaf Pakhtakor Serbia Miloš Trifunović (Bunyodkor, 17 goals)
2012 Pakhtakor (9) Bunyodkor (2) Lokomotiv Uzbekistan Anvar Berdiev (Neftchi, 19 goals)
2013 Bunyodkor (5) * Lokomotiv Nasaf (7) Ukraine Oleksandr Pyschur (Bunyodkor, 19 goals)
2014 Pakhtakor (10) Lokomotiv (2) Nasaf (8) Turkmenistan Artur Gevorkýan (Nasaf, 18 goals)
2015 Pakhtakor (11) Lokomotiv (3) Nasaf (9) Uzbekistan Igor Sergeev (Pakhtakor, 23 goals)
2016 Lokomotiv * Bunyodkor (3) Nasaf (10) Uzbekistan Temurkhuja Abdukholiqov (Lokomotiv, 22 goals)
2017 Lokomotiv (2) * Nasaf (2) Pakhtakor (2) Uzbekistan Marat Bikmaev (Lokomotiv, 26 goals)

As Uzbekistan Super League

Season Champions Runner-up Third place Top scorer
2018 Lokomotiv (3) Pakhtakor (6) Navbahor (9) Brazil Tiago Bezerra (Pakhtakor, 17 goals)
2019 Pakhtakor (12) * Lokomotiv (4) Bunyodkor Serbia Dragan Ćeran (Pakhtakor, 23 goals)
2020 Pakhtakor (13) * Nasaf (3) AGMK Serbia Dragan Ćeran (Pakhtakor, 21 goals)
2021 Pakhtakor (14) Sogdiana AGMK (2) Serbia Dragan Ćeran (Pakhtakor, 16 goals)
2022 Pakhtakor (15) Navbahor Nasaf (11) Serbia Dragan Ćeran (Pakhtakor, 20 goals)
2023 Pakhtakor (16) Nasaf (4) Navbahor (10) Serbia Dragan Ćeran (Pakhtakor, 13 goals)
2024 Nasaf AGMK Navbahor (11)
2025 Neftchi (6) Pakhtakor Nasaf Uzbekistan Igor Sergeev (Pakhtakor, 20 goals)

Performance by club

[edit]
ClubWinnersRunners-upThird PlaceWinning seasons
Pakhtakor16721992*, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
Neftchi6911992*, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2001, 2025
Bunyodkor5312008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013
Lokomotiv3412016, 2017, 2018
Dustlik2--1999, 2000
Nasaf14122024
Navbahor11111996
MHSK1111997
AGMK-12
Mashʼal-11
Sogdiana-11
Bukhara-1-
Qizilqum--1

* Both teams were awarded with the title.
Defunct teams marked in Italics.

All-time table

[edit]

All-time table of league, as of end of the 2024 season[10]

Pos Team Seasons Points Played Won Drawn Lost G.F. G.A. 1 2 3 Best
1Pakhtakor332058968651159158212882016621
2Neftchi30167289050416022616679425911
3Navbahor3315069684502093091556111411111
4Nasaf281494816443175198139884714111
5Bukhara291121864325146393112813140102
6Sogdiana291047856293168395108113410112
7Bunyodkor1810045082991111008704355311
8Andijon28945818256177385106613290005
9Metallurg2793078225317135892511690005
10Dinamo2589575825313636991211190004
11Qizilqum2589072225216130985110220013
12Lokomotiv178774862541151698366333411
13Mash'al197445382141022236737250112
14AGMK176694781891021836786500122
15Kokand 191217634516180942526708720005
16Traktor16621490178872256848140004
17Surkhon18572530158982636059450006
18Dustlik11559346169521256695322001
19Shurtan12381340109541773935660004
20MHSK736221610644664203351111
21Khorazm823024862441422815180007
22Zarafshon Navoiy62171966037992363550009
23Yangiyer7205216563712326638500010
24Orol515516444239717132900011
25Kosonsoy51451564025911713050008
26Guliston5119154341710314234000014
27Atlaschi41181243416741492800007
28Chirchiq410312226257113024000014
29Tupalang-Sariosiyo396862812461031460009
30Kimyogar-Chirchiq39610425215811319300014
31Olympik3917821282979980006
32Akademiya Toshkent159341611772450005
33Semurg Angren257721512459920000012
34Turon2335261531328800013
35Sementchi131308715396400015
36Chilonzor130348620517000016
37Shakhrikhon128327718256700015
38Obod124306618255100014
39Vobkent115303621237000016
40Uz-Dong-Ju.113302721176500016
Competing in Super League
Competing in Pro League (2nd tier)
Competing in First League (3rd tier)
Club disappeared

Soviet Top League participation

[edit]
Pos Team Seasons Points Played Won Drawn Lost G.F. G.A. 1 2 3 Best
15Pakhtakor226297222122112998051035---6

Players records

[edit]

List of winners and top scorers by season

[edit]

In the first season, Valeriy Kechinov became the top scorer with 24 goals. In the 2000 season, Jafar Irismetov became the top scorer for the "Dustlik" team, scoring 45 goals, a result that is still considered a record for a single season.[13]

Season Champions Runners-up Third places
1992 1 Pakhtakor Neftchi Fergana Sogdiana
1993 Neftchi Fergana Pakhtakor Navbahor Namangan
1994 Neftchi Fergana Nurafshon Bukhara Navbahor Namangan
1995 Neftchi Fergana MHSK Navbahor Namangan
1996 Navbahor Namangan Neftchi Fergana MHSK
1997 MHSK Neftchi Fergana Navbahor Namangan
1998 Pakhtakor Neftchi Fergana Navbahor Namangan
1999 Dustlik Neftchi Fergana Navbahor Namangan
2000 Dustlik Neftchi Fergana Nasaf Qarshi
2001 Neftchi Fergana Pakhtakor Nasaf Qarshi
2002 Pakhtakor Neftchi Fergana Qizilqum Zarafshon
2003 Pakhtakor Neftchi Fergana Navbahor Namangan
2004 Pakhtakor Neftchi Fergana Navbahor Namangan
2005 Pakhtakor Mash'al Mubarek Nasaf Qarshi
2006 Pakhtakor Neftchi Fergana Nasaf Qarshi
2007 Pakhtakor Kuruvchi Mash'al Mubarek
2008 2 Bunyodkor Pakhtakor Neftchi Fergana
2009 FC Bunyodkor Pakhtakor Nasaf Qarshi
2010 FC Bunyodkor Pakhtakor Nasaf Qarshi
2011 FC Bunyodkor Nasaf Qarshi Pakhtakor
2012 Pakhtakor FC Bunyodkor Lokomotiv Tashkent
2013 FC Bunyodkor Lokomotiv Tashkent Nasaf Qarshi
2014 Pakhtakor Lokomotiv Tashkent Nasaf Qarshi
2015 Pakhtakor Lokomotiv Tashkent Nasaf Qarshi
2016 Lokomotiv Tashkent Nasaf Qarshi FC Bunyodkor
2017 Lokomotiv Tashkent Nasaf Qarshi Pakhtakor
2018 Lokomotiv Tashkent Pakhtakor Navbahor Namangan
2019 Pakhtakor Lokomotiv Tashkent FC Bunyodkor
2020 Pakhtakor Nasaf Qarshi AGMK
2021 Pakhtakor Sogdiana AGMK
2022 Pakhtakor Navbahor Namangan Nasaf Qarshi
2023 Pakhtakor Nasaf Qarshi Navbahor Namangan
2024 Nasaf Qarshi AGMK Navbahor Namangan
2025 Neftchi Fergana Pakhtakor Nasaf Qarshi
1Oliy League tournament

2Uzbekistan Professional Football League tournament

3Super League tournament

Sponsorship

[edit]

From 1992 to 2017, the Uzbekistan Super League had no title sponsorship rights with any companies. Only starting from 2018 Uzbekistan Super League have got title League sponsor. On 4 April 2018 Uzbekistan Football Association vice-president Umid Akhmadjonov and IBT, the official PepsiCo bottler, reached an agreement that PepsiCo would become the official League sponsor for the 2018 season.[14]

Period Sponsor Name
1992–2017No sponsorOliy Liga
2018PepsiPepsi Uzbekistan Super League
2019–2023Coca-ColaCoca-Cola Uzbekistan Super League
2024–presentArtelArtel Uzbekistan Super League

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ kunu.uz. "O'zbekistonda Superliga tashkil etiladi". Kun.uz (in Uzbek). Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  2. ↑ "Oliy liga endi "O'zbekiston Superligasi" deb ataladi, format ham o'zgaradi". CHAMPIONAT.asia (in Uzbek). Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  3. ↑ "Высшая и Первая лиги Узбекистана сменят названия" (in Russian). Gazeta.uz. 21 November 2017. Archived from the original on 12 November 2018. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  4. ↑ "O`zbekiston Chempionati U21".
  5. ↑ "PFL.UZ". pfl.uz. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  6. ↑ "AFC Ranking". the-AFC. Archived from the original on 7 January 2022. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
  7. ↑ ПФЛ / Лига хақида, archived from the original on 13 June 2011, retrieved 1 June 2011
  8. ↑ "Олий лига РЕТРО: Чемпион бўла олмаган юлдузларнинг рамзий терма жамоаси". Archived from the original on 6 May 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  9. ↑ "Uzbekistan Super League all time topscoreres (as of 10 December 2018)". Championat.asia. 10 December 2018.
  10. ↑ 25 та Ўзбекистон чемпионатининг умумий жадвали Archived 26 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine, 30 November 2016 (in Uzbek)
  11. ↑ "Uzbekistan Super League all time topscoreres (as of 10 December 2018)". Championat.asia. 10 December 2018.
  12. ↑ "Uzbekistan Super League most appearances (9 December 2018)" (in Uzbek). Championat.asia.
  13. ↑ "Суперлига по футболу представила своего первого титульного спонсора". Nuz.uz. 5 April 2018. Archived from the original on 28 April 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  14. ↑ "Суперлига по футболу представила своего первого титульного спонсора". Nuz.uz. 5 April 2018. Archived from the original on 28 April 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Uzbekistan_Super_League&oldid=1362199843"