Botswana Division One

Last updated
Botswana Division One
Founded1966
CountryBotswana
Confederation Botswana Football Association
Number of teams202
Chobe: 14
Nhabe: 13
Boteti: 12
Francistown: 12
Selibe Phikwe: 12
Central North: 6
Tswapong: 10
Central South: 17
Kweneng: 16
Kgatleng:16
Gaborone: 14
Southern: 12
South East: 16
Kgalagadi South: 6
Kgalagadi Central: 6
Hukuntsi: 9
Ghanzi: 11
Level on pyramid3
Promotion to Botswana First Division North
Botswana First Division South
Relegation to Botswana Division Two
Domestic cup(s) FA Cup
Current champions Chobe United ( CHORFA Division One )
Maun United Terrors ( NRFA Division One )
Diamond Chiefs ( BORFA Division One )
Tonota ( FRAFA Division One )
Peacemakers ( SPRFA Division One )
Tsabotlhe ( CNRFA Division One )
Palapye ( TRFA Division One )
Santa Green ( CSRFA Division One )
Masitaoka ( Kweneng Division One )
Bokaa Young Pirates ( Kgatleng Division One )
Taung Young Strikers ( SOFA Division One )
Holy Ghost ( GRFA Division One )
Kanye United ( SERFA Division One )
King Rodgers ( Tsabong Division One )
Kang United ( KCRFA Division One )
Moselebe Young Fighters ( HRFA Division One )
Ncojane Young Stars ( Ghanzi Division One )

The Botswana Division One, also known as the Second Division, is Botswana's third tier of professional football. Although it is the poorest in terms of organisation and remuneration, it consists of more teams than the Premier League and First Division.

League structure

Division One is split into 17 regional leagues consisting of 6 to 17 teams to ease fixture congestion and reduce financial strain on economically struggling clubs, . [1] A localised football association runs each of these regional leagues under the overall management of the BFA and follows the Botswana football calendar from August to May. At the end of each campaign, the 17 regional champions qualify for and contest the Botswana Division One playoffs. The winners of each block are then promoted to either the First Division North or South depending on their geographical location (the north and east blocks feed the First Division North, whereas the south and west blocks feed the First Division South). [2] Prior to this, the four block winners had to compete in a secondary playoff, which saw the number of promoted teams reduced to just two. However, that format was abandoned in 2015 after mass complaints by teams. [3]

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The Botswana Division One playoffs are a series of annual association football matches played to determine the teams which get promoted to the Botswana First Division North and South. It involves the seventeen regional champions. These teams meet in a series of playoffs and block winners are promoted to either the First Division North or South depending on their geographical location. The playoffs were introduced in 1966 and have been played at the end of every season since. Eleven Angels, Palapye All-Stars, Blue Stars and Jwaneng Fighters are the current champions.

References

  1. Jeremiah Sejabosigo (10 May 2018). "Botswana: Fight for First Division Status On This Weekend". allAfrica. Gaborene. This Day. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  2. "First Division Promotional Playoffs - The Patriot on Sunday". www.thepatriot.co.bw. Archived from the original on 2019-05-12.
  3. "Regional champions get promotion boost". 4 August 2015.