The Lesotho Premier League also known as
Econet Premier League is the top
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly ...
division in
Lesotho
Lesotho ( ), officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a country landlocked as an enclave in South Africa. It is situated in the Maloti Mountains and contains the highest mountains in Southern Africa. It has an area of over and has a population ...
and was created in 1970. Econet Telecom Lesotho are the current league sponsor, since 2017/2018 season. Vodacom
Lesotho
Lesotho ( ), officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a country landlocked as an enclave in South Africa. It is situated in the Maloti Mountains and contains the highest mountains in Southern Africa. It has an area of over and has a population ...
were the previous league sponsor and were also the sponsor of the now cancelled
Vodacom Soccer Spectacular knockout competition, which was the Lesotho's annual national cup tournament.
Format
The Lesotho Premier League is currently contested by 14 clubs. The league uses a
double round robin
A round-robin tournament (or all-go-away-tournament) is a competition in which each contestant meets every other participant, usually in turn.''Webster's Third New International Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged'' (1971, G. & C. Me ...
format meaning one team plays the other twice. Therefore, a team will play a total of 26 games per season. The team with the most points wins the league title.
The Lesotho Premier League is still played on an amateur status.
Sponsorship
Since 2002, Lesotho's Premier League has been sponsored by
telecommunications
Telecommunication is the transmission of information by various types of technologies over wire, radio, optical, or other electromagnetic systems. It has its origin in the desire of humans for communication over a distance greater than that ...
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, 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. However, in 2017, LeFA ended its sponsorship with
Vodacom Lesotho to pen a new three-year multi-million maloti sponsorship with the previous sponsor
Econet Telecom Lesotho in which the champions will pocket M500 000; a 150% increase from the previous M200 000 received by 2016–2017 champions Bantu.
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:
* 2002–09:
Econet Telecom Lesotho (Buddie Premier League)
* 2009–2017:
Vodacom Lesotho (Vodacom Premier League)
* 2017–2020:
Econet Telecom Lesotho (Econet Premier League)
*2021–present: Vodacom Lesotho (Vodacom Premier League)
Premier League domestic cups
*
Lesotho Independence Cup (Top 4)
*
Lesotho National Insurance Group Cup (Top 8)
*
MGC Soccer Spectacular
2020–22 season
*
Bantu FC
Bantu Football Club is a Lesotho football club based in Mafeteng.
The team currently plays in Lesotho Premier League.
History
Bantu F.C. was formed in 1927 as Flying Sweeps of Mafeteng and later renamed Bantu F.C. The founders were the then dis ...
(
Mafeteng
Mafeteng is a city in Lesotho, and the Camptown (capital city) of the district of Mafeteng. It is located about 76 kilometres south of the country's capital, Maseru and has a population of approximately 61,000. The South African border town to M ...
)
*CCX FC (
Leribe)
*
Kick4Life FC (
Maseru
Maseru is the capital and largest city of Lesotho. It is also the capital of the Maseru District. Located on the Caledon River, Maseru lies directly on the Lesotho–South Africa border. Maseru had a population of 330,760 in the 2016 census. The ...
)
*
Lesotho Correctional Services (
Maseru
Maseru is the capital and largest city of Lesotho. It is also the capital of the Maseru District. Located on the Caledon River, Maseru lies directly on the Lesotho–South Africa border. Maseru had a population of 330,760 in the 2016 census. The ...
)
*
Lesotho Defence Force
The Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) is the military of the Southern African Kingdom of Lesotho, which consists of about 2,000 personnel and is tasked with maintaining internal security, territorial integrity, and defending the constitution of Lesot ...
(
Maseru
Maseru is the capital and largest city of Lesotho. It is also the capital of the Maseru District. Located on the Caledon River, Maseru lies directly on the Lesotho–South Africa border. Maseru had a population of 330,760 in the 2016 census. The ...
)
*
Lesotho Mounted Police Service The Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) is the national police force of the Southern African Kingdom of Lesotho.
History
The police service was established in 1872, with an initial strength of 110 men. It adopted military discipline and, from ...
(
Maseru
Maseru is the capital and largest city of Lesotho. It is also the capital of the Maseru District. Located on the Caledon River, Maseru lies directly on the Lesotho–South Africa border. Maseru had a population of 330,760 in the 2016 census. The ...
)
*Lifofane FC (
Butha-Buthe)
*Lijabatho FC (
Morija)
*
Likhopo FC (
Maseru
Maseru is the capital and largest city of Lesotho. It is also the capital of the Maseru District. Located on the Caledon River, Maseru lies directly on the Lesotho–South Africa border. Maseru had a population of 330,760 in the 2016 census. The ...
)
*
Linare FC
Linare FC is a Lesotho football club based in Leribe in the Leribe District
Leribè is a district of Lesotho. It has an area of 2,828 km2 and a population in 2016 of approximately 337,500. Hlotse is the capital or camptown of the district ...
(
Leribe)
*
Lioli (
Teyateyaneng)
*
Liphakoe FC (
Quthing
Moyeni is the capital city or camptown of Quthing District in Lesotho. Quthing was established in 1877, abandoned in the Gun War of 1880, and then rebuilt at its present site – the southernmost town in Lesotho.Maseru
Maseru is the capital and largest city of Lesotho. It is also the capital of the Maseru District. Located on the Caledon River, Maseru lies directly on the Lesotho–South Africa border. Maseru had a population of 330,760 in the 2016 census. The ...
)
*
Matlama FC
Matlama Football Club is the champion of Lesotho and the most successful club in the country. It is based in the city of Maseru, capital of the Lesotho.Matlama Football Club formed in 1932, is the most decorated team in Lesotho, having won the rec ...
(
Maseru
Maseru is the capital and largest city of Lesotho. It is also the capital of the Maseru District. Located on the Caledon River, Maseru lies directly on the Lesotho–South Africa border. Maseru had a population of 330,760 in the 2016 census. The ...
)
*
Mazenod Swallows FC (
Mazenod)
*Sefothafotha FC (
Mabote
Mabote is a constituency and community council in the Maseru Municipality located in the Berea District : ''For the city mentioned in the Bible, see Berea (Bible).''
Berea is a district of Lesotho. In the west, Berea borders on the Free State Pr ...
)
Champions
*1969 :
Matlama FC
Matlama Football Club is the champion of Lesotho and the most successful club in the country. It is based in the city of Maseru, capital of the Lesotho.Matlama Football Club formed in 1932, is the most decorated team in Lesotho, having won the rec ...
(Maseru)
*1970 :
Maseru United
Maseru United is a Lesotho football club based in Maseru. It is based in the city of Maseru in the Maseru District.
The team currently plays in Lesotho Second Division.
In 1970 the team won the Lesotho Premier League.
Stadium
Currently the tea ...
*1971 :
Majantja FC (Mohale's Hoek)
*1972 :
Police
The police are a Law enforcement organization, constituted body of Law enforcement officer, persons empowered by a State (polity), state, with the aim to law enforcement, enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citize ...
(Maseru)
*1973 :
Linare FC
Linare FC is a Lesotho football club based in Leribe in the Leribe District
Leribè is a district of Lesotho. It has an area of 2,828 km2 and a population in 2016 of approximately 337,500. Hlotse is the capital or camptown of the district ...
(Leribe)
*1974 :
Matlama FC
Matlama Football Club is the champion of Lesotho and the most successful club in the country. It is based in the city of Maseru, capital of the Lesotho.Matlama Football Club formed in 1932, is the most decorated team in Lesotho, having won the rec ...
(Maseru)
*1975 :
Maseru FC
*1976 :
Maseru United
Maseru United is a Lesotho football club based in Maseru. It is based in the city of Maseru in the Maseru District.
The team currently plays in Lesotho Second Division.
In 1970 the team won the Lesotho Premier League.
Stadium
Currently the tea ...
*1977 :
Matlama FC
Matlama Football Club is the champion of Lesotho and the most successful club in the country. It is based in the city of Maseru, capital of the Lesotho.Matlama Football Club formed in 1932, is the most decorated team in Lesotho, having won the rec ...
(Maseru)
*1978 :
Matlama FC
Matlama Football Club is the champion of Lesotho and the most successful club in the country. It is based in the city of Maseru, capital of the Lesotho.Matlama Football Club formed in 1932, is the most decorated team in Lesotho, having won the rec ...
(Maseru)
*1979 :
Linare FC
Linare FC is a Lesotho football club based in Leribe in the Leribe District
Leribè is a district of Lesotho. It has an area of 2,828 km2 and a population in 2016 of approximately 337,500. Hlotse is the capital or camptown of the district ...
(Leribe)
*1980 :
Linare FC
Linare FC is a Lesotho football club based in Leribe in the Leribe District
Leribè is a district of Lesotho. It has an area of 2,828 km2 and a population in 2016 of approximately 337,500. Hlotse is the capital or camptown of the district ...
(Leribe)
*1981 :
Maseru Brothers
*1982 :
Matlama FC
Matlama Football Club is the champion of Lesotho and the most successful club in the country. It is based in the city of Maseru, capital of the Lesotho.Matlama Football Club formed in 1932, is the most decorated team in Lesotho, having won the rec ...
(Maseru)
*1983 :
Lesotho Paramilitary Forces
Lesotho Paramilitary Forces is a Lesotho football club based in Maseru. It is based in the city of Maseru in the Maseru District
Maseru is a district of Lesotho. Maseru is also the name of the district's capital, and is the only city in the dist ...
(Maseru)
*1984 :
Lesotho Paramilitary Forces
Lesotho Paramilitary Forces is a Lesotho football club based in Maseru. It is based in the city of Maseru in the Maseru District
Maseru is a district of Lesotho. Maseru is also the name of the district's capital, and is the only city in the dist ...
(Maseru)
*1985 :
Lioli (Teyateyaneng)
*1986 :
Matlama FC
Matlama Football Club is the champion of Lesotho and the most successful club in the country. It is based in the city of Maseru, capital of the Lesotho.Matlama Football Club formed in 1932, is the most decorated team in Lesotho, having won the rec ...
(Maseru)
*1987 :
Royal Lesotho Defence Force (Maseru)
*1988 :
Matlama FC
Matlama Football Club is the champion of Lesotho and the most successful club in the country. It is based in the city of Maseru, capital of the Lesotho.Matlama Football Club formed in 1932, is the most decorated team in Lesotho, having won the rec ...
(Maseru)
*1989 :
Arsenal
An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are mostl ...
(Maseru)
*1990 :
Royal Lesotho Defence Force (Maseru)
*1991 :
Arsenal
An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are mostl ...
(Maseru)
*1992 :
Matlama FC
Matlama Football Club is the champion of Lesotho and the most successful club in the country. It is based in the city of Maseru, capital of the Lesotho.Matlama Football Club formed in 1932, is the most decorated team in Lesotho, having won the rec ...
(Maseru)
*1993 :
Arsenal
An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are mostl ...
(Maseru)
*1994 :
Royal Lesotho Defence Force (Maseru)
*1995 :
Majantja FC (Mohale's Hoek)
Performance by club
Topscorers
References
External links
RSSSF competition historyOfficial Lioli Football Club WebsiteConfederation of African Football (CAF) Official Website
{{CAF Leagues
Football leagues in Lesotho
Lesotho
Lesotho ( ), officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a country landlocked as an enclave in South Africa. It is situated in the Maloti Mountains and contains the highest mountains in Southern Africa. It has an area of over and has a population ...
Sports leagues established in 1970
1970s establishments in Lesotho