Soccer is the most lovable sport worldwide. In all countries, they have their soccer league(s), be it developed, developing, or undeveloped.
Well, Europe has the most popular and developed leagues, and quite a few of them are Bundesliga, Premier League, La Liga, Ligue 1, and Eredivisie.
For a couple of years now, Asia has worked on and transformed their leagues into attracting top players such as Karim Benzema, Odion Ighalo, Hakim Ziyech, Koulibaly, and even the Goat, Cristiano Ronaldo.
However, for them to be able to attract such top players means that they have indeed gone into a bigger stage, and if you do not know about the Asian leagues, worry less as I will be sharing the top 10 best soccer leagues in Asia.
So, you only need to sit back and read through today’s article till the end.
READ ALSO: Oldest Football Stadiums In The World (Top 10)
Top 10 Best Soccer Leagues In Asian
1. K-League (South Korea)
The establishment of the South Korean League, K-League is dated back to 1983 when its creation took place. The league as of today is contested by 12 teams.
The K-League operated the closed system soccer with no relegation or promotion when they started but later adopted the promotion and relegation system as more clubs in South Korea became professional and joined them.
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors are the most successful South Korean club, with 9 K-League titles to their name, despite other clubs dominating in country and continental competitions.
According to The International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS), K-League is the best Asian league based on its performances at continental competitions and domestic matches played by the top-five clubs in leagues across the world.
2. J-League 1 (Japan)
J-League 1 in Japan may not have big names and high-profile players but it is the second-best soccer league in the Asian continent.
The Japanese league was founded in 1992 and has put its continent on the map for standing as the second most successful league in Asian club football.
Before 2014, the Japanese League was known as J League Division 1. It is contested by 18 clubs and operates the system of promotion and relegation with the J2 League.
In 1995/96, former Arsenal legendary manager, Arsene Wenger managed Nagoya Grampus Eight, a J-League side.
Kashima Antlers are the most successful Japanese football club, they have won 8 titles and also are the first Asian side to make it to the FIFA Club World Cup final and win the tournament. It was against South American champions, Atlético Nacional.
3. Saudi Professional League (Saudi Arabia)
Having been founded in 1976, The Saudi Professional League has now emerged as an influencer of Asian football.
The league has 16 clubs contesting but it is currently paving the way for an expansion to 18 sides which will start in the 2023/24 season as proposed by the management.
The Saudi Pro League has been considered to be attractive to players due to the high wages to keep domestic players from moving to Europe or other Continents.
Arguably, players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, N’golo Kante, Ruben Neves, and other top-talented stars.
The most successful football club in Saudi Arabia’s Pro League is Al-Hilal, which has won the League 18 times and the AFC Champions League 4 times. Al-Hilal also has the most AFC titles in history.
READ ALSO: What Is Liverpool’s Biggest Win Ever: Top 14 Liverpool’s Biggest Wins
4. Qatar Stars League (Qatar)
Qatar Stars League is one of the oldest leagues in the world, even older than The Saudi Arabia Professional League.
It was founded in 1972 and is contested by 12 professional teams which operate a system of promotion and relegation with the Qatari Second Division (QSD).
QSL of course has developed their fundamentals within a short period more than any other league in the world.
Seydou Keita, Xavi, Vladimir Weiss, Marcel Desailly, Josep Guardiola, Juninho Pernambucano, Raúl González, James Rodríguez, and Wesley Sneijder are the most famous players who have played in Qatar.
Al-Sadd is the most successful football club in Qatar, with 16 titles, and Barcelona legend, Xavi Hernandez has played for them.
In addition, Qatari football teams have won the Asian Continental AFC Champions League twice.
5. Super League (China)
Super League in China was established in the early 2000s (2004) through the rebranding of the former noted top division, Chinese Jia-A League.
The league is contested by 16 teams and frequently faces numerous problems due to match-fixing believed by the fans.
In the last couple of years, The CSL has spent millions to make players play for them, and quite a few numbers of players who have played for them are Carlos Tevez, Didier Drogba, Oscar, Paulinho, Yannick Carrasco, Jackson Martinez, Hulk, Graziano Pelle, Ramires, Ezequiel Lavezzi, Renato Augusto, Cedric Bakambu, and Odion Ighalo.
The most successful football club in The Chinese Super League is Guangzhou FC, with 8 CSL titles.
The Chinese football clubs have won a total of 3 AFC Champions League titles.
READ ALSO: Top 10 Youngest Captains In Soccer History
6. UAE Pro League (United Arab Emirates)
Another top league in the Asian continent is UAE Pro League, United Arab Emirates league. It was founded in 1973 and has been able to raise 14 clubs which are currently contesting for its title.
The league has a First Division League which operates a system of promotion and relegation with them.
Moreover, the main sponsor of the league is Etisalat and the management is UAE Football Association (UAEFA).
Al Ain is the most successful club in the league with the most domestic titles, 14.
They are also the only side from the league to have won the AFC Champions League.
Moreover, other successful teams include Al Wahda FC, 7 times league winner, and Al Jazira Club, 3 times league winner.
7. A-League (Australia)
Just like The Chinese Super League, The Australian League, A-League was also founded in the early 2000s (2004).
The league is currently contested by 12 teams, 11 from Australia and 1 from New Zealand.
The A-League season starts from October to May with a 26-round regular season match followed by a series of finals which involves the 6 top teams.
Moreover, the winner of the regular season tournament is regarded as the “Premier” while the winner of the grand final is recognized as the season’s “Champion.”
The A-League does not support the promotion and relegation system as they do not practice, unlike the J-League.
Sydney FC is the most successful football club in Australia with five A-league. An Australian side has won the AFC Champions League once to put the league on the list of Asian leagues to have done so.
8. Persian Gulf Pro League (Iran)
The best league in Iran, The Persian Gulf Pro League is also one of the best soccer leagues in the Asian continent.
The league was founded in 2001 and currently occupies only 16 teams with the dream of expanding it.
The league is organized and managed by the Iran Football League Organization, which is related and united with the Iranian Football Federation.
The League follows a system whereby each team plays against all other teams twice, home and away, summing up a total of 30 matches played by a team in a season (a double round-robin format).
Moreover, at the end of the season, the team with the most points in the league is crowned the Champion and the two bottom teams are relegated to Azadegan Leaguwhowhich is the second tier of Iranian football.
Persepolis is the most successful club in the Persian Gulf Pro League, with 14 titles.
Iranian sides have won a combined 3 AFC Champions League.
READ ALSO: Best Players In Saudi Arabia Pro League (2023)
9. Uzbekistan Super League (Uzbekistan)
Uzbekistan Super League is quite older than some of the Asian leagues. It was founded in 1992 and currently has 14 teams, competing to be crowned the champion.
In the Uzbekistan Super League, the top team automatically qualifies for the group stage of the AFC Champions League at the end of the season.
Until 2017, Uzbekistan Super League was known as The Uzbek League, and from the start of the 2018 season, the league changed its name from Uzbek League to Uzbekistan Super League.
Moreover, the number of teams playing in the top division of the Uzbekistan Super League reduces from 16 to 12.
Pakhtakor is the most successful team in the league, with 15 titles.
10. Thai League 1 (Thailand)
The Thailand League, Thai League 1 is contested by 16 clubs and was established in 1996. Since its creation, the federation has operated a system of promotion and relegation with the Thai League 2.
Buriram United is the most successful club in the Thai League 1, with 8 titles.
Sooner clubs in Thailand’s most adored league have won a combined of the AFC Champions League twice.
READ ALSO: Football Predictions
Conclusion
The Asian Leagues might be adorable with a lot of beautiful concepts, players, wealth, lovely stadiums, and others but it will require enough time for them to achieve what European leagues have.
So, now that you know about the top 10 best leagues in Asia, what do you have to say? Anyways, I will be waiting for you in the comment section.