Hong Kong Football League
| Founded | 1908 |
|---|---|
| Country | Hong Kong |
| Confederation | AFC |
| Number of teams | 15 |
| Level on pyramid | 2 (2014– ) 1 (1908–2014) |
| Promotion to | Hong Kong Premier League |
| Relegation to | Hong Kong Second Division |
| Domestic cup(s) | Hong Kong FA Cup |
| Current champions |
Sun Hei (4th title) (2016-17) |
| Most championships | South China (41 titles) |
| Website | http://www.hkfa.com/ |
 2016–17 Hong Kong First Division League
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The Hong Kong First Division League (Chinese: ) is the second-highest division in the Hong Kong football league system. Established in 1908, it is the oldest in Asia. The league was formerly the highest division in Hong Kong until the formation of the Hong Kong Premier League in 2014.
Since 1908, a total of 29 clubs have been crowned champions of the Hong Kong football system. South China are the most successful club, having won 41 times since their first participation in 1941.
Each team plays the other teams in the division twice, one home and one away game. The ticket profits go to the home team. If there are two matches in the same stadium on the day, the profits are shared between the two home teams.
The top two teams in the league are offered promotion to the Premier League while the bottom two are relegated to the Hong Kong Second Division.
There were two teams, The Army and The Police, that are not required to be relegated. The league explained that soldiers in The Army team were frequently redeployed to another country and hence it was very difficult to establish teamwork. The Police team were not required to be relegated as they supply the venue Police Sports and Recreation Club for the league.
Another relegation exception was made to South China Athletic Association during the 2006/07 season. The Hong Kong Football Association approved a request from South China to remain in the first division on 14 June 2006. The reason for exception was not disclosed. The public believed that this application was allowed probably because South China has a long history in the First Division League and it would otherwise be humiliating for the club to be relegated to the Second Division. Another reason is that other football clubs rely on the large fan base of South China to generate revenues. Relegation would have resulted in a lose-lose situation for all sides.
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