Football in São Tomé and Príncipe

The sport of football in the country of São Tomé and Príncipe is run by the Federação Santomense de Futebol. The association administers the national football team, as well as the São Tomé and Príncipe Championship.[1]

National team

The São Tomé and Príncipe national team has been one of the weakest in Africa and, having been inactive between 2003 and 2011, was at one point no longer included in the FIFA World Rankings.[2] In 2011 the national team made a comeback, even beating Lesotho in a two-leg play-off in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualification before being eliminated by Sierra Leone.

Club football

The São Tomé and Príncipe Championship is the country's top competition, with Sporting Praia Cruz and Vitória FC (Riboque) its most successful clubs. It is not however a league in the conventional sense but rather is decided by a play-off between the winners of the São Tomé Island League and the Príncipe Island League. A national cup, the Taça Nacional de São Tomé e Príncipe, is also contested irregularly.

League system

Level

League(s)/Division(s)

1

São Tomé Primeira Divisão
10 clubs

Príncipe Island League
6 clubs

2

São Tomé Segunda Divisão
10 clubs


3

São Tomé Terceira Divisão
10 clubs divided in 2 series of 5


References

  1. ↑ "BBC Sport - Sao Tome e Principe rocket up Fifa rankings". Bbc.co.uk. 2012-03-07. Retrieved 2013-12-03.
  2. ↑ "São Tomé e Príncipe spring an unlikely surprise « World Soccer World Soccer". Worldsoccer.com. 2012-02-12. Retrieved 2013-12-03.


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