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 Strikers Newton EBK Stadium
Bo Rangers Bo Bo Stadium
Central Parade Freetown National Stadium
Diamond Stars Koidu Town Koidu Sports Stadium
East End Lions Freetown National Stadium
Freetown City Freetown National Stadium
Gem Stars Tongo Tongo Field
Kallon Freetown National Stadium
Mighty Blackpool Freetown National Stadium
Old Edwardians Freetown National Stadium
Ports Authority Freetown National Stadium

Previous winners

Performance by club

Club City Titles Last Title
Mighty Blackpool Freetown 11 2000–01
East End Lions Freetown 11 2009–10
Kallon (includes Sierra Fisheries) Freetown 4 2005–06
Real Republicans Freetown 3 1984
Ports Authority Freetown 3 2010–11
Diamond Stars Koidu 2 2012–13
Freetown City (includes Freetown United) Freetown 1 1989
Old Edwardians Freetown 1 1990

Top scorers

Season Player Club Goals
2000–01 Keifala Marrah
Abdulai K. Conteh 		Mighty Blackpool
Old Edwardians 		5
2007–08 Sierra Leone Lahai "Chandus" Freeman 10
2011–12 Sierra Leone James Bangura Central Parade 8

References

  1. ↑ Aboutaball website
  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. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
  5. ↑ Title-winning Diamond Stars finally end Freetown reign
  6. ↑ Diamond Stars win Salone Premier League for the second time
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