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Hong Kong Premier League

Founded	2014; 10 years ago (2014)
Country	Hong Kong
Confederation	AFC
Number of clubs	9
Level on pyramid	1
Relegation to	Hong Kong First Division
Domestic cup(s)	Hong Kong FA Cup Hong Kong Senior Challenge Shield Hong Kong Sapling Cup Hong Kong Premier League Committee Cup
International cup(s)	AFC Champions League Two
Current champions	Lee Man (1st title) (2023–24)
Most championships	Kitchee (6 titles)
TV partners	on.cc RTHK
Website	hkfa.com
Current: 2024–25 Hong Kong Premier League

The Hong Kong Premier League (Chinese: 香港超級聯賽) is a Hong Kong professional football league organised by the Football Association of Hong Kong, China. It is currently sponsored by BOC Life and officially known as BOC Life Hong Kong Premier League (Chinese: 中銀人壽香港超級聯賽). The inaugural season began in September 2014. It is the top-division football league in Hong Kong.

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. 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. 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. 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 licence requirements and were promoted, making a total of 9 teams for the first season.

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.

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.

In the 2016–17 season, Kitchee reclaimed the title on the final day of the season in a showdown with rivals Eastern, a game which they won 4–1. Eastern later won the End-of-Season playoffs and will therefore also compete along with Kitchee in the 2018 AFC Champions League. HKFC finished bottom of the table, and were thus automatically relegated to the First Division.

Kitchee successfully defended their title in the 2017–18 season, becoming the first club to repeat as champions the following year.

In the 2018–19 season, Tai Po won the league, becoming the first district team to win a top flight title since Yuen Long in 1962–63.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021–22 season was curtailed and ultimately cancelled, with the championship withheld: this was the first time a top flight league season had been cancelled since the Second World War.

Since 2022–23 season, the Premier League Committee was established. The committee focuses on promoting the Hong Kong Premier League in the market and seeking commercial sponsorships, and achieving box office revenue sharing.

In the 2023–24 season, the video assistant referee (VAR) review system was introduced. Lee Man won the league with a game to spare, winning their first ever top flight championship.

Format

The first season kicked off 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. 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.

By 2016–17, the league had expanded to 11 teams. The HKFA promoted Tai Po and HKFC who had finished at the top of the 2015–16 Hong Kong First Division into the league while adding expansion teams Hong Kong Sapling and R&F. Wong Tai Sin were relegated from the previous season and Metro Gallery chose to self relegate due to financial difficulties.

For the 2017–18 season, the league moved down to ten teams after Hong Kong's most successful and longest running top flight club South China chose to relegate themselves to the First Division in a shock move after the departure of their chairman, and them failing to find suitable financial means to keep the club in the Premier League. HKFC were also relegated after finishing bottom of the table.

The current champions of the league and the champions of the Hong Kong FA Cup qualify for the group stage of the AFC Champions League Two. Previously the FA Cup winners and the teams finishing in 2nd, 3rd and 4th competed in an end of season playoff for the final spot in the AFC Champions League, but this format was abolished after the 2016–17 season.

Reserve League

Each Hong Kong Premier League team form their own reserve team which competes in the Hong Kong Reserve Division League (Chinese: 香港預備組聯賽).

Prize money

The structure of the prize money is as below.

Clubs

As of the 2024–25 season, a total of 9 teams currently participate in the Hong Kong Premier League.

• Yellow denotes a newly promoted club entering the league this year.

Timeline

Current members Former members

Stadia and locations

Primary venues used in the Hong Kong Premier League:

Eastern Kitchee	HKFC	Kowloon City	Lee Man
Mong Kok Stadium	HKFC Stadium	Sham Shui Po Sports Ground	Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground
Capacity: 6,664	Capacity: 2,750	Capacity: 2,194	Capacity: 3,500
North District	Rangers	Southern	Tai Po
North District Sports Ground	Tsing Yi Sports Ground	Aberdeen Sports Ground	Tai Po Sports Ground
Capacity: 2,500	Capacity: 1,500	Capacity: 9,000	Capacity: 3,200

List of seasons

Wins by club

Players record

Most appearances

As of the end of the 2023–24 season

Rank	Player	Apps
1	Yapp Hung Fai	153
2	Fernando	136
	Lo Kwan Yee
4	Leung Chun Pong	134
5	Leung Kwun Chung	131
6	Lee Ka Yiu	130
7	Cheng Siu Kwan	127
	Roberto Júnior
	Wong Chun Ho
10	Wong Wai	123
	Everton Camargo

Bolded players still playing in Hong Kong Premier League.

Top scorers

As of the end of the 2023–24 season

Rank	Player	Goals	Apps	Ratio
1	Sandro	62	96	0.66
	Giovane	62	103	0.6
	Everton Camargo	62	122	0.51
4	Stefan Pereira	58	110	0.53
5	Lucas Silva	56	82	0.68
6	Manolo Bleda	48	74	0.65
7	Wellingsson	38	111	0.34
8	Dejan Damjanović	36	31	1.16
	Travis Major	36	57	0.63
	Fernando	36	136	0.26

Bold denotes players still playing in the Hong Kong Premier League.

Media coverage

Live matches and highlights shows are provided through ontv and RTHK TV in Cantonese.

With regards to English coverage, the official HKFA website, and to a lesser extent the South China Morning Post, provide match reports, player interviews, club information and league data. The Hong Kong Football Podcast also covers the HKPL on a fortnightly basis.

Other tournaments

Domestic tournaments

• Senior Shield (1896–present)
• FA Cup (1975–present)
• Sapling Cup (2015–present)
• Reserve Division League / U22 League (1956–present)
• HKPLC Cup (2023–present)
• League Cup (2000–2009, 2010–2012, 2014–2016)
• Community Cup (2014–2018)

Continental tournaments

• AFC Champions League Two (2004–2016, 2019–2022, 2024–present)
• AFC Champions League Elite (2002–2003, 2014–2024)

References

1. "Hong Kong soccer body seeks HK$20m in sponsorship for new Premier League". South China Morning Post. 7 February 2013. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 2 April 2013.
2. Chan, Kin-Wa (9 July 2014). "New Hong Kong Premier League no different to First Division: Peter Leung". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 12 April 2016. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
3. Chan, Kin-Wa (26 May 2014). "Premier League's viability in doubt as HKFA deadline looms". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
4. "Cash-Strapped District Clubs Thrown 'Lifeline' To Take Part In Hong Kong Premier League". Sports Business Daily. Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
5. "Project Phoenix comes to an end". marksutcliffe.blogspot.com. 8 November 2014. Archived from the original on 25 March 2016. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
6. 高詩琦 (20 August 2022). "港超聯賽會試辦三年推票房共享 伍健：傑志球迷可為東方南區打氣". 香港01 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved 1 September 2024.
7. "Hong Kong Football Association to invest HK$10 million in VAR system". South China Morning Post. 22 June 2022. Archived from the original on 30 June 2023. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
8. 改革港足長遠擬增博彩 鳳凰計劃拍板 Archived 2 January 2017 at the Wayback Machine in Chinese, from Apple Daily
9. (in Chinese)"港超聯搵埋贊助玩大佢". Oriental Daily. 22 August 2014. Archived from the original on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
10. "【港超聯】球會建議成立新港超賽會：開源節流望長遠自負盈虧". Yahoo Sports (in Chinese). 29 June 2022. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
11. "The Hong Kong Football Podcast". Soundcloud. Archived from the original on 12 August 2020. Retrieved 24 June 2019.

External links

• Hong Kong
• Association football

• Hong Kong Premier League on Facebook
• Hong Kong Premier League on Instagram
• Hong Kong Premier League at Soccerway

v t e Football in Hong Kong
The Hong Kong Football Association
National teams	Men's (Records, Results) Women's U-23 U-20 U-17 Futsal
League system	Men Premier League (U22 League) First Division Second Division Third Division Women Women League
Domestic cups	Senior Shield FA Cup (Junior Division) Sapling Cup HKPLC Cup
Interport competitions	Guangdong–Hong Kong Cup (Women's)
Others	Lunar New Year Cup
Defunct competitions	Community Cup League Cup Viceroy Cup Season play-offs Junior Shield Third A Division Third District Division Fourth Division Elite Youth League HKFA Chairman's Cup Hong Kong–Macau Interport Hong Kong–Shanghai Inter Club Championship The Cross Straits, Hong Kong & Macau Football Competition for the Youth
Rivalries	China–Hong Kong (May 19 Incident) Pegasus–South China
Awards	Hong Kong Top Footballer Awards List of Hong Kong Top Footballers
Lists	List of men's clubs List of women's clubs List of champions List of seasons List of transfers List of venues
Hong Kong League XI Players Foreign players (First Division) Expatriate players Naturalised players Managers Referees

• Hong Kong Premier League
• Football leagues in Hong Kong
• Top level football leagues in Asia
• Sports leagues established in 2014
• 2014 establishments in Hong Kong