Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League is the top professional division of the
Zimbabwe Football Association. It was founded in 1980, as a successor to the 1962 formed ''Rhodesia National Football League.'' It is currently sponsored by Delta Beverages under the
Castle Lager brand and hence is known as Castle Lager Premier Soccer League. The current sponsorship deal runs from 2011 and is worth $3.6 million.
The league consists of 18 teams listed below, that play a total of 34 matches. The season runs from April to November. Most matches are played during weekends on Saturdays and Sundays. Postponed matches are played midweek. At the end of the season four teams are relegated into the lower division and an equal number promoted.
The end of season winner qualifies for the
CAF Champions League
The CAF Champions League, known for sponsorship purposes as the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League and formerly the African Cup of Champions Clubs, is an annual football club (association football), club football competition organized by the Conf ...
, while the
Cup of Zimbabwe winners gains entry into the
CAF Confederation Cup
The CAF Confederation Cup, known as the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup for sponsorship purposes, is an annual association football football team, club competition established in 2004 and organized by Confederation of African Football, CAF ...
, though clubs from the league do not always participate if they qualify. The current champions are
Simba Bhora who won the
2024 Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League.
Overview
Locations
Previous winners
Top goalscorers
Sponsorship
From 2011, the Premier Soccer League has had
title sponsorship rights sold to Delta Beverages, who sponsor the league under their
Castle Lager brand. The deal has been extended until 2026. Originally a lower income level, in 2014 Delta Beverages upped their sponsorship to $3.6 million.
Media coverage
Previously, the Premier Soccer League had a television deal with
SuperSport who broadcast matches regularly across Africa.
In 2021, the league signed a deal with
ZTN (Zimpapers Television Network) to air live Castle Lager PSL and Chibuku Super Cup matches. ZTN Prime, their newest free-to-air television network will air the matches and their social media platforms as well.
Lack of goalscoring
As of end of the 2024 season, in the eleven seasons since 2012, when champions
Dynamos scored 58 goals in a 30-game season, only three teams have scored more than 50 goals, in spite of the season length being increased to 34 games. This relative lack of goalscoring has been attributed to poor pitch quality, a defensive coaching attitude, and a lack of resources and data-driven training
See also
*
Soccer Star of the Year
References
External links
fifa.com League overview
{{CAF Leagues
Football leagues in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
file:Zimbabwe, relief map.jpg, upright=1.22, Zimbabwe, relief map
Zimbabwe, officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Bots ...
Sports leagues established in 1980
1980 establishments in Zimbabwe