Niger Premier League

The Niger Premier League (fr. Championnat National de Première Division or Championnat D1) is the highest division in football in Niger. The league's first year of operation was 1966.

Structure

Although the Premier League Championship has been contested since 1966, the structure has changed over time, and a number of years the competition has been canceled or shortened. Most recently the Championship was canceled completely in 2002, and several major clubs dropped out in 2004 and 2005 for financial reasons and because of the 2005 Famine afflicting the south center of the nation. In 2004, for instance, three clubs in the first round were disqualified, and more than two dozen matches were annulled or awarded after the fact for a variety of offences.^[1]

Since the 1990s, the clubs compete in a group stage, the winners of which advance to the "Super League" which contests the second half of the season, with the losers contesting a league to determine what clubs will be relegated to the Regional leagues. The Leagues in each of the Nigerien regions (called the Nigerien D2 Championships) then send champions to a playoff to determine which two clubs will be promoted. Historically, Niamey has had the most accomplished regional league, and has provided most clubs in the national championship. Only two clubs from outside Niamey have ever won the championship.^[2] The Ligue de Niamey has been powerful enough that, after disputes over relegation on 2000, five Niamey clubs formed their own rival competition (the "Coupe des Sponsors"), and played only the Ligue de Niamey championship in the 2002 season, when Fenifoot canceled the season due to funding shortfalls.^[3]

In 2008 there were 20 clubs entered, broken down into four groups (Groupe A, B, C, D) of five. The top two teams from each group go on to the Super League, while the bottom club in each group goes into a Relegation Playoff, in which two clubs are relegated. The first stages were played in ten rounds March-June, the Relegation playoff in three rounds in July, and the Super league in seven rounds in July to August.

The Niger Cup, as well as a number of invitational and regional trophies, are played simultaneously.

From 2010 the league will be broken down to two groups of ten .

2013-14 standings

1  AS Douanes 24 14 7 3 36 15             21 49  
2  ASGNN 24 12 8 4 39 19             20 44  
3  AS FAN 24 12 8 4 33 21             12 44  
4  Sahel SC 24 14 1 9 30 23             7 43  
5  Olympic FC 24 11 8 5 29 17             12 41  
6  USGN 24 11 8 5 26 18             8 41  
7  Espoir FC 24 10 6 8 29 17             12 36  
8  ASN NIGELEC 24 9 4 11 17 18             -1 31  
9  Dan Kassawa FC 24 8 5 11 17 30             -13 29  
10  Urana FC 24 7 6 11 14 18             -4 27  
11  Akokana FC 24 6 8 10 22 29             -7 26  
12  Zumunta AC 24 4 8 12 14 29             -15 20  
13  Alkali NC 24 4 7 13 14 29             -15 19  
14  Jangorzo FC 24 2 4 18 10 47             -37 10

Niger Premier League - Clubs 2013/14

• Akokana FC (Arlit)
• Alkali Nassara (Zinder)
• AS Douanes (Niamey)
• AS NIGELEC (Niamey)
• ASFAN (Niamey)
• ASGNN¹ (Niamey)
• Dan Kassawa FC (Maradi)
• Espoir FC (Zinder)
• Kandadji Sport (Niamey)
• Olympic FC (Niamey)
• Sahel SC (Niamey)
• Urana FC (Arlit)
• US GN (Niamey)
• Zumunta AC (Niamey)

¹ AS-FNIS were renamed AS GNN (Gendarmerie Nationale Nigérienne)

Previous champions

Performance by club

References

• Rec Sports Soccer Foundation: Niger 2008: Championnat national de première division.
• UEMOA Cup, Niger qualifying page, 2008.

External links

• League at fifa.com
• RSSSF competition history