Top-tier professional association football league in Brunei Darussalam
Football league
The Brunei Super League (abbr : BSL ; Malay : Liga Super Brunei – LSB ) is a professional league for men's association football in the sultanate of Brunei Darussalam . It is at the top tier of the Bruneian football league system, and it is managed by the Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (FABD). The football clubs participating in this top tier league need to pass a set of requirements and verification process, particularly related to professionalism and infrastructure feasibility.[clarification needed ]
The BSL championship winner will receive B$ 15,000 as prize money , in addition to a qualifying berth for the AFC Cup as Brunei's representative, provided that the winning club conforms to Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Club Licence criteria. The BSL runners-up will receive B$10,000.[citation needed ]
History
There has been a football competition in Brunei Darussalam since 1985 , which was organised by the then Brunei Football Association (BAFA). In 2002 , BAFA introduced a league competition known then as the Proton B-League .[ 2]
In 2008 , the Brunei government de-registered BAFA from its Register of Societies for failing to provide reports of its annual general meeting and other required documentation.[ 3] [ 4] Subsequently, a new football federation , the Football Federation of Brunei Darussalam (FFBD) was established.[ 5] This irked FIFA , international football's governing body, and prompted FIFA to suspend Brunei's membership in September 2009 due to government interference.[ 6] Subsequently, in May 2011 , FIFA reinstated Brunei, recognising another football association , the National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (NFABD) as its representative for Brunei Darussalam.[ 7] This resulted in the abandonment of the 2011 Brunei Premier League (BPL) which was organised by the FFBD.[ 8]
The NFABD reorganised the Brunei football league system , establishing a 'super league' as the competition's top tier (akin to the British Premier League , but mirroring the current league naming system of the Malaysia Super League ), becoming the Brunei Super League (BSL; Liga Super Brunei , LSB). This was established after playing a preliminary competition, which decided the teams that was to form the new league. This became the 2011–12 Brunei National Football League , where thirty-two teams in four groups qualify for ten club places in the Brunei Super League.[ 9]
The founding team club members of the Brunei Super League were: Indera , Jerudong , Kilanas , LLRC , Majra United , MS ABDB , MS PDB , Najip , QAF , and Wijaya .[ 10]
In the 2020 season , the league was expanded to sixteen club teams in accordance to FIFA , Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) aspirations.[ 11]
Players aged 35 years and over must produce a medical fitness certification to be registered for the league.[ 12] Each match-day squad must contain a minimum of four under-21 players, with at least two u-21 players in the starting eleven.[ 12]
At the end of each BSL season, the team champion is crowned. Any tiebreakers in the standings are subordinately classified in descending order: accrued points, goal difference , goals scored, head-to-head record between tied teams, goal difference between tied teams, goals scored between tied teams, and drawing of lots.[citation needed ]
Teams
The 2024–25 Brunei Super League season will have 14 teams, mostly from the previous season with three clubs exiting and one re-entering.[ 13]
Championship
Records
Abdul Azizi Ali Rahman (in home colours of the DPMM ) being the top scorer of two BSL seasons, in addition to the all-time BSL goalscoring record holder with 62 goals.
Adi Said (in away colours of the Kasuka ) as the most recent BSL best player for the 2023 season.
Top scorers
Best player award
All-time goalscoring record
As of 30 January 2025
Players in bold are still playing in the Brunei Super League. Players in italics are no longer active.
Brunei Super League overall player ranking by goals scored
rank
player
period(s)
club(s)
goals
1
Abdul Azizi Ali Rahman
2012–2018, 2025–
MS ABDB , DPMM II
63
2
Leon Sullivan Taylor
2020–
Kasuka , Indera
62
3
Asri Aspar
2012–
Indera , Kasuka
60
4
Hamizan Aziz Sulaiman
2012–
Indera
59
5
Razimie Ramlli
2015–2019, 2021, 2024–
MS ABDB , DPMM
53
6
Adi Said
2020–
Kota Ranger , Kasuka
50
7
Abu Bakar Mahari
2012–2014, 2016–2019, 2023
Jerudong , QAF , Kota Ranger
41
8
Anaqi Sufi Omar Baki
2012–2019
Wijaya
40
9
Abdul Azim Abdul Rasid
2015–
Wijaya , MS PPDB
39
10
Hardi Bujang
2012–2021
QAF , Jerudong , Indera , Kota Ranger
35
References
^ Schöggl, Hans (9 January 2005). "Brunei 2002" . RSSSF.org . Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation . Archived from the original on 5 September 2022. Retrieved 19 November 2023 .
^ Sadikin, Syazwan (23 December 2008). "BAFA's fate up to Home Ministry" . BruDirect.com . Bandar Seri Begawan , Brunei Darussalam: BruDirect.com. Archived from the original on 7 February 2009. Retrieved 14 February 2017 .
^ Kon, James (25 December 2008). "Appeal fails, BAFA sinks" . BruDirect.com . Bandar Seri Begawan , Brunei Darussalam: BruDirect.com. Borneo Bulletin . Archived from the original on 30 January 2009. Retrieved 14 February 2017 .
^ Kon, James (31 December 2008). "Fans take over Brunei soccer" . BruDirect.com . Bandar Seri Begawan , Brunei Darussalam: BruDirect.com. Borneo Bulletin . Archived from the original on 21 February 2009. Retrieved 14 February 2017 .
^ "FIFA ban Brunei" . ESPNFC.com . ESPN FC . 30 September 2009. Archived from the original on 14 February 2017. Retrieved 14 January 2017 .
^ "FIFA lift ban on Brunei; extend deadline for Indonesia" . AseanFootball.org . Dili , Timor Leste: ASEAN Football Federation . 31 May 2011. Archived from the original on 14 February 2017. Retrieved 19 November 2023 .
^ "FFBD-organised competitions to be discontinued" . BruneiOlympic.org . Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council . The Brunei Times . 10 June 2011. Archived from the original on 14 February 2017. Retrieved 19 November 2023 .
^ "NFABD kick off new Brunei league" . AseanFootball.org . Bandar Seri Begawan , Brunei Darussalam: ASEAN Football Federation . 5 December 2011. Archived from the original on 14 February 2017. Retrieved 19 November 2023 .
^ "Ten teams to battle for Brunei Super League in December" . AseanFootball.org . Bandar Seri Begawan , Brunei Darussalam: ASEAN Football Federation . 5 June 2012. Archived from the original on 14 February 2017. Retrieved 19 November 2023 .
^ Kon, James (16 December 2019). "Three major football leagues next year" . BorneoBulletin.com.bn . Borneo Bulletin Online . Archived from the original on 6 December 2021. Retrieved 3 March 2020 .
^ a b Yunus, Fadhil (17 January 2023). "Fight for final spots in Brunei Super League begins on January 20" . BorneoBulletin.com.bn . Borneo Bulletin . Archived from the original on 17 January 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2023 .
^ @ligabrunei (22 August 2024). "Introducing the 14 football clubs set to compete in the Brunei Super League 2024" . Retrieved 22 August 2024 – via Instagram .
^ Stokkermans, Karel (23 June 2021). "Brunei 2020" . RSSSF.org . Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation . Retrieved 19 November 2023 .
^ Stokkermans, Karel (2 October 2022). "Brunei 2021" . RSSSF.org . Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation . Retrieved 19 November 2023 .
^ Stokkermans, Karel (12 March 2023). "Brunei 2022" . RSSSF.org . Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation . Retrieved 19 November 2023 .
^ "Indera SC take home the hardware" . MSABDBFT.blogspot.com . The Brunei Times . 15 March 2013. Archived from the original on 11 February 2017. Retrieved 9 February 2017 .
^ "Indera FC juara Liga Super DST 2014" . bhess-info.com . Pelita Brunei. 15 September 2014. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 February 2017 .
^ "Kasuka FC's forward Mohd Hanif Aiman scoops Super League top scorer award" . BorneoBulletin.com.bn . Borneo Bulletin . 10 May 2019. Archived from the original on 15 June 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2019 .
^ "Indera lose battle but win war" . NFABD.org . The Brunei Times . 14 September 2014. Archived from the original on 11 February 2017. Retrieved 9 February 2017 .
^ "MS ABDB crowned DST Super League champs" . BorneoBulletin.com.bn . Borneo Bulletin . 1 October 2016. Archived from the original on 11 February 2017. Retrieved 9 February 2017 .
^ "MS ABDB pertahankan kejuaraan Liga Super DST" . PelitaBrunei.gov.bn . Pelita Brunei . 10 February 2018. Archived from the original on 13 February 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2018 .
External links
National teams League competitions Cup competitions International competitions other
International competitions Club competitions Youth competitions Member associations