São Tomé and Príncipe Championship

São Tomé and Principe Championship

Founded	1977
Country	São Tomé and Principe
Confederation	CAF
Number of teams	2
Level on pyramid	1
Domestic cup(s)	Taça Nacional de São Tomé e Principe São Tomé and Príncipe Super Cup
International cup(s)	Champions League Confederation Cup
Current champions	Sporting Praia Cruz (2016)
Most championships	Sporting Praia Cruz (8)
TV partners	TVS and RTP Africa

São Tomé and Principe Championship^[1] is the top division of the Federação Santomense de Futebol.^[2] Currently, there are 16 teams participating in the São Tomé and Principe Championship, 10 teams from São Tomé Island and 6 teams from Príncipe Island. The championship is decided in a match between the São Tomé Island champions and the Príncipe Island champions. The champion heads to the qualifying round of the CAF Champions League each season, for some seasons, there were no participants. Since 1998, the champion competes in the São Tomé and Príncipe Super Cup in the following year.

The championships are broadcast each year on the state network TVS and across Africa on RTP África.

History

Before independence in 12 July 1975, there was a colonial competition which took place, one of the titles won was Andorinha won in 1968.

The inaugural season started in February 1977. From that time to 1985, the São Tomé Regional championships was the only competition and was considered the national competition. Its first competition featuring a Príncipe club was in 1985 when they had their first championship season. The São Tomé regionals was again the national champion in 1986, 1991 and from 1994 to 1996.

A few cancellations occurred including 1983, 1987, 1992 1997, 2002, from 2005 to 2006 and in 2008, there was no single season competition in 2010 as the 2009-10 season continued that time.

Title history

Vitória Riboque won the first title after independence, until 1980, it was the sole club who possessed the national titles which was five, from that time up to 2007, it held the most number of titles per club. It was shared with Sporting Praia Cruz in 2007 and shared it for six years until the club became the one who possesses the most championship titles in the nation and being current champions and won ten titles. Guadalupe was the second club to get a title in 1980, then Sporting Praia Cruz, Andorinha, 6 de Setembro Os Operários, the first club from Príncipe to get at title. Later Santana became the seventh club to get a title in 1991, Inter Bom-Bom in 1995, Bairros Unidos in 1996. Sundy became a second Príncipe club to get a title in 2010 and the recent Sporting Príncipe in 2011. The last time a club from Príncipe won a championship title was in 2012. Its recent club to get a title was UDRA, the twelfth one in 2014.

Sporting Praia Cruz won the most titles numbering 8, followed by Vitória Riboque with 5, Os Operários with four, Inter Bom-Bom with three, Bairros Unidos, Guadalupe and Sporting Príincipe with two and seventh and remaining are with a single title including 6 de Setembro, Andorinha, Santana, Sundy and UDRA of São João dos Angolares. 9 out of 12 clubs who won a championship title are from the island of São Tomé.

By island, São Tomé has the most champ titles with 23 over Príncipe's 7 titles won by two clubs. By district, Água Grande of São Tomé is the leader, Pagué of Príncipe has 7 titles, the remaining are of São Tomé, Lobata has two and Caué has one. 6 of the 7 district has a club (or more) who won a title or more.

Island or regional championship articles

Clubs 2013–14

Previous winners

Performance by club

• ¹also known as Caixão Grande

Performance By Island

References

External links

• RSSSF