Hong Kong Premier League

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 licence 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.

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.^[6]

In the 2023–24 season, the video assistant referee (VAR) review system was introduced.^[7] Lee Man won the league with a game to spare, winning their first ever top flight championship.

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.^[8] 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.^[9]

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.

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).

 

The structure of the prize money is as below.^[10]

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

 

 

Eastern
Kitchee

 

HKFC

 

Kowloon City

 

Lee Man

 

North District

 

Rangers

 

Southern

 

Tai Po

class=notpageimage|

Locations of the 2024–25 Hong Kong Premier League clubs

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

Current members Former members

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

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.

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.

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.^[11]

• 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)

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

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