Sierra Leone National Premier League

Sierra Leone National Premier League
Founded 1967
Country Sierra Leone
Confederation CAF
Number of teams 14
Level on pyramid 1
Relegation to Sierra Leone National First Division
Domestic cup(s) Sierra Leonean FA Cup
International cup(s) Champions League
Confederation Cup
Current champions Diamond Stars
(2012–13)
TV partners SLBC

Sierra Leone National Premier League is the top professional football league in Sierra Leone. It was founded in 1967. The league is sponsored by the Sierra Leone Commercial Bank, one of the major Sierra Leonean banks. East End Lions and Mighty Blackpool are the two biggest and most successful clubs. The National Premier League is controlled by the Sierra Leone Football Association. The season runs from March to July.[1]

The current champions of the premier league are the Diamond Stars of Kono, who became the first club outside Freetown to ever win the Premier League, after winning the 2012 Premier League season.[2][3]

Structure

Fourteen clubs compete in the league, playing each other twice, once at home and once away. At the end of the season the bottom two clubs are relegated to the Sierra Leone National First Division, the second highest football league in Sierra Leone. The top two teams qualify for the CAF Champions League, while the third place team or the winner of the Sierra Leonean FA Cup will qualify for the CAF Confederation Cup. If the winner of the Sierra Leonean FA Cup has already qualify for the CAF Champions League, the Confederations Cup spot will go to the third place team in the table.

Current teams 2016 season

Club City Stadium
Anti Drugs StrikersNewtonEBK Stadium
Bo RangersBoBo Stadium
Central ParadeFreetownNational Stadium
Diamond StarsKoidu TownKoidu Sports Stadium
East End LionsFreetownNational Stadium
Freetown CityFreetownNational Stadium
Gem StarsTongoTongo Field
KallonFreetownNational Stadium
Mighty BlackpoolFreetownNational Stadium
Old EdwardiansFreetownNational Stadium
Ports AuthorityFreetownNational Stadium

Previous winners

Performance by club

Club City Titles Last Title
Mighty BlackpoolFreetown112000–01
East End LionsFreetown112009–10
Kallon (includes Sierra Fisheries)Freetown42005–06
Real RepublicansFreetown31984
Ports AuthorityFreetown32010–11
Diamond StarsKoidu22012–13
Freetown City (includes Freetown United)Freetown11989
Old EdwardiansFreetown11990

Top scorers

Season Player Club Goals
2000–01 Keifala Marrah
Abdulai K. Conteh		Mighty Blackpool
Old Edwardians		5
2007–08 Sierra Leone Lahai "Chandus" Freeman10
2011–12 Sierra Leone James BanguraCentral Parade8

References

  1. ↑ Aboutaball website Archived 2012-03-07 at the Wayback Machine.
  2. ↑ http://www.thisissierraleone.com/diamond-stars-fc-of-kono-are-the-new-champions-of-sierra-leone/
  3. ↑ http://allafrica.com/stories/201207250574.html
  4. ↑ "Africell honours league champions tomorrow". sierraexpressmedia.com. 15 July 2011. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
  5. ↑ Title-winning Diamond Stars finally end Freetown reign
  6. ↑ Diamond Stars win Salone Premier League for the second time Archived 2013-12-16 at the Wayback Machine.
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