Lesotho Premier League

Lesotho Premier League
Country Lesotho
Confederation CAF
Founded 1970
Number of teams 12
Level on pyramid 1
Domestic cup(s) Lesotho Independence Cup (Top 4)
Vodacom Soccer Spectacular
MGC Supa 8
International cup(s) Champions League
Confederation Cup
Current champions Lioli FC
(2014/15)
Most championships Matlama FC (10)
2015–16 Lesotho Premier League

The Lesotho Premier League also known as Vodacom Premier League is the top football division in Lesotho and was created in 1970. Vodacom Lesotho are the current league sponsor and will back the Premier League for three seasons (2009–10, 2010–11 and 2011–12). Vodacom Lesotho are also the sponsor of the annual Vodacom Soccer Spectacular knockout competition, Lesotho's national cup tournament.

Format

Until the end of the 2009–10 season there were are sixteen clubs in the Premier League. However this has changed for the 2010–11 season after four teams were relegated at the end of the 2009–10 season following the instruction of the Mohale Declaration, a roadmap introduced by FIFA in 2008 which intends to create a professional league in Lesotho with 12 teams by 2014. The 2010–11 Premier League is currently being contested by 14 clubs. During the course of the 2010–11 season (which lasts from August to May) each club plays the other twice, once at home and once away for a total of 26 games for each club. Four teams will be relegated at the end of the season. Next season the Lesotho Premier League will be contested by 12 teams.

Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a defeat.

The champion of the Premier League qualifies to represent Lesotho in the ORANGE CAF Champions League. In the past the second placed team in the Premier League used to advance to the CAF Confederation Cup, which is the African equivalent of the UEFA Europa League however this was stopped at the turn of the century because of a lack of funds.

The Lesotho Premier League is still played on an amateur status.

Sponsorship

Since 2002, Lesotho's Premier League has been sponsored by Telecommunications companies. Econet Telecom Lesotho through its Prepaid product Buddie, sponsored the Premier League and Lesotho's lower leagues (the A-Division, B-Division and C-Division) from 2002 until 2009. In 2009 Lesotho's football governing the Lesotho Football Association (LEFA) ended its seven-year association with Econet Telecom Lesotho and signed a three-year partnership with Vodacom Lesotho. As part of the deal Vodacom Lesotho agreed to sponsor the Premier League and all lower leagues for a combined M1 million per season for three years.

The sponsor has been able to determine the league's sponsorship name. The list below details who the sponsors have been and what they have called the Lesotho Premier League:

Premier League domestic cups

2015–16 season

Previous Winners, Runners-up and Relegations

Season Winner Runner-up Relegated
2004–05 Likhopo FC Lesotho Correctional Services Bantu United (Mafeteng), Qalo FC (Butha-Buthe)
2005–06 Likhopo FC Lesotho Defence Force Lifefo (Maseru), School Boys (Maseru)
2006–07 Lesotho Correctional Services Matlama FC Mafeteng LMPS (Mafeteng), Butha-Buthe Warriors (Butha-Buthe)
2007–08 Lesotho Correctional Services Lesotho Defence Force Arsenal (Maseru), Qalo FC (Butha-Buthe)
2008–09 Lioli Lesotho Defence Force Maseru Naughty Boys FC, Sekamaneng Young Stars FC (Berea)
2009–10 Matlama FC Lioli Majantja (Mohale's Hoek), Nyenye Rovers (Leribe),
Rovers (Maseru), Botha Bothe Roses (Butha-Buthe)
2010–11 Lesotho Correctional Services Lesotho Defence Force Mphatlalatsane FC (Leribe), Lerotholi Polytechnic (Maseru),
Swallows FC (Mazenod, Maseru), Mabeoana FC (Matsieng)
2011–12 Lesotho Correctional Services Lesotho Defence Force Maduma FC (Butha-Buthe), Majantja (Quthing)
2012–13 Lioli Bantu FC
2013–14 Bantu FC Lioli Melele FC (Qacha's Nek), Joy FC (Leribe)
2014–15 Lioli Bantu FC Nyenye Rovers (Leribe), Qoaling Highlanders (Maseru)

Previous winners

Performance By Club

Club City Titles Last Title
Matlama FC Maseru 10 2010
Lesotho Defence Force (includes Royal Lesotho Defence Force) Maseru 8 2004
Lesotho Correctional Services (includes Lesotho Prisons Service) Maseru 6 2012
Lioli Teyateyaneng 4 2015
Arsenal Maseru 3 1993
Linare FC Leribe 3 1980
Maseru Brothers (includes Maseru United) Maseru 3 1981
Lesotho Paramilitary Forces Maseru 2 1984
Likhopo FC Maseru 2 2006
Majantja FC Mohale's Hoek 2 1995
Bantu FC Mafeteng 1 2014
Maseru FC Maseru 1 1975
Police Maseru 1 1972
Roma Rovers FC Roma 1 1996

Topscorers

Year Best scorers Team Goals
2000–01 Lesotho Lire Phiri Lesotho Defence Force 30
2005–06 Lesotho Masupha Majara Lesotho Defence Force 9
2014–15 Lesotho Litsepe Marabe Bantu FC 22

External links

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