Hong Kong Premier League

Hong Kong Premier League
Country  Hong Kong
Confederation AFC
Founded 2014 (2014)
Number of teams 11
Level on pyramid 1
Relegation to Hong Kong First Division League
Domestic cup(s) Hong Kong Senior Shield
Hong Kong FA Cup
Hong Kong League Cup
Hong Kong Sapling Cup
International cup(s) AFC Champions League
AFC Cup
Current champions Eastern
(2015–16)
Most championships South China AA
(41 titles)
TV partners ontv
Website http://www.hkfa.com/
2016–17 Hong Kong Premier League

Hong Kong Premier League (Chinese: 香港超級聯賽) is a Hong Kong professional league for men's association football clubs organised by the Hong Kong Football Association. It is currently sponsored by BOCG Life and officially known as BOCG Life Hong Kong Premier League (Chinese: 中銀集團人壽香港超級聯賽). The inaugural season began in September 2014, and was won by Kitchee. Eastern are this year's defending champions.

History

On 7 February 2013, the Hong Kong Football Association stated that the new Premier League would get under way in Autumn 2014, where it was suggested that the 2013–14 season would be a transition year.[1] As a result, the 2013–14 Hong Kong First Division League was the last season of the First Division to be the top tier of football in the Hong Kong league system.

The clubs already in the top division initially reacted negatively to the perceived increased running costs of competing in a professional league, particularly one where some felt that there was little difference to the old First Division.[2] Five clubs - Citizen, Southern, Sun Hei, Happy Valley and Tuen Mun all eventually decided against joining the new league, which led to fears that the HKFA's plan to start the league with a minimum of 8 teams would not be possible.[3] In the end, however, through public funding and government support, two teams from the Hong Kong Second Division were able to meet the new league license requirements and were promoted, making a total of 9 teams for the first season.[4]

With the recent completion of 'Project Phoenix' which started in 2011, the league has seen some improvements with further amendments planned for the future. This includes a new five-year funding agreement, a new licensing scheme for league member clubs, prize money for all participating teams and new measures put in place against corruption and match-fixing.[5]

Kitchee were crowned as champions of the inaugural season, after amassing a total of 36 points in the league with only 2 losses. Tai Po finished bottom of the league with only 7 points.

The following season, Eastern won the league with a game to spare, winning their first top flight championship in 20 years. They also created history, as they were the first team in the world to win a top flight men's title whilst being managed by a female coach. Wong Tai Sin were relegated after finishing last in the league.

Format

The first season kicked of in September 2014, with 9 teams competing for the championship. It was initially suggested that a relegation system would not apply for the first few seasons, and that teams would continue to be promoted to the top tier league until there were 12 member clubs.[6] In the end, however, the HKFA decided that one club would be relegated and one club would be promoted from the 2014-15 Hong Kong First Division League.[7]

The winners of the league are entered into the second qualifying round of the AFC Champions League, while the Hong Kong FA Cup winners and teams finishing in 2nd, 3rd and 4th compete in a playoff for a place in the AFC Cup. If the FA Cup winners finish in the top four, then the extra playoff spot goes to the 5th place team.

Prize money

The structure of the prize money for the inaugural season is as below.[7]

Final placing Prize money (HK$)
Champion 480,000
Second 216,000
Third 144,000
Fourth 108,000
Fifth 84,000
Sixth 60,000
Seventh 48,000
Eighth 36,000
Ninth 24,000

Current Season

A total of 11 teams will contest the 2016–17 season, including seven of the sides from the 2015–16 Hong Kong Premier League as well as Tai Po and Hong Kong Football Club who were promoted from the 2015–16 Hong Kong First Division League, and two new teams - Hong Kong Sapling, who are to be reformed and renamed as Biu Chun Glory Sky after dissolving in 2012, and R&F, a satellite club for China Super League club Guangzhou R&F. Wong Tai Sin finished bottom of the table and are relegated to the Hong Kong First Division. Dreams Metro Gallery FC also departed from the league due to financial problems.

After Eastern withdrew from the competition due to loss of backing from their primary sponsors, Kitchee will participate in the group stages of the AFC Champions League in 2017. As playoff runners-up, Southern will also join the competition in the preliminary rounds.

Mong Kok
Locations of the Hong Kong Premier League 2016-17 teams
Club Year Founded Home Stadium Shirt Sponsor Position
Last Season
Eastern 1932 Mong Kok Stadium N/A 1st
Kitchee 1931 Mong Kok Stadium Kitchee Jockey Centre 2nd
South China 1909 Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground Panasonic 3rd
Southern 2002 Aberdeen Sports Ground ISUZU 4th
Pegasus 2008 Hong Kong Stadium ZTE 5th
Yuen Long 1958 Yuen Long Stadium KMB 7th
Rangers 1960 Tsing Yi Sports Ground Kunne 8th
Tai Po 2002 Tai Po Sports Ground N/A 1st (Promoted)
Hong Kong FC 1886 Hong Kong Football Club Stadium The Executive Centre 2nd (Promoted)
Hong Kong Sapling 2011 Hammer Hill Sports Ground Glory Sky N/A
China R&F 2016 Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground R&F Properties N/A

Stadiums

Primary venues used in the Hong Kong Premier League:

Eastern & Kitchee South China Southern Pegasus
Mong Kok Stadium Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground Aberdeen Sports Ground Hong Kong Stadium
Capacity: 6,664 Capacity: 3,500 Capacity: 4,000 Capacity: 40,000
Yuen Long Hong Kong Rangers Tai Po Hong Kong FC
Yuen Long Stadium Tsing Yi Sports Ground Tai Po Sports Ground HKFC Stadium
Capacity: 5,000 Capacity: 1,500 Capacity: 3,200 Capacity: 2,750
Sapling R&F
Hammer Hill Sports Ground Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground
Capacity: 2,200 Capacity: 11,981

Media coverage

Live matches and highlights shows are provided free of charge through online website on.cc in Cantonese.

With regards to English coverage, the official Hong Kong Football Association website, and to a lesser extent the South China Morning Post, provide match reports, player interviews, club information and league data.

Offside.hk[8] is also an excellent source of information on football in Hong Kong for English speakers. The Hong Kong Football Podcast[9] gives detailed and in-depth match reviews and previews on a weekly basis.

Other tournaments

Domestic Tournaments
International Tournaments

References

  1. ↑ "Hong Kong soccer body seeks HK$20m in sponsorship for new Premier League". South China Morning Post. 7 February 2013.
  2. ↑ Chan, Kin-Wa. "New Hong Kong Premier League no different to First Division: Peter Leung". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  3. ↑ Chan, Kin-Wa. "Premier League's viability in doubt as HKFA deadline looms". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  4. ↑ "Cash-Strapped District Clubs Thrown 'Lifeline' To Take Part In Hong Kong Premier League". Sports Business Daily. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  5. ↑ "Project Phoenix comes to an end". marksutcliffe.blogspot.com. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  6. ↑ 改革港足長遠擬增博彩 鳳凰計劃拍板 in Chinese, from Apple Daily
  7. 1 2 (traditional Chinese (HK))"港超聯搵埋贊助玩大佢". Oriental Daily. 22 August 2014.
  8. ↑ "Offside.hk".
  9. ↑ "Hong Kong Hong Kong Football Podcast".
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 12/2/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.