Founded | 1970 |
---|---|
Country | Lesotho |
Confederation | CAF |
Number of teams | 16 |
Level on pyramid | 1 |
Relegation to | Lesotho A Division |
Domestic cup(s) | Lesotho Independence Cup (Top 4) MGC Supa 8 |
International cup(s) | CAF Champions League |
Current champions | Lioli FC (6th title) (2023-2024) |
Most championships | Matlama FC (11) |
Current: 2023–24 Lesotho Premier League |
The Lesotho Premier League, also known as Vodacom Premier League for sponsorship reasons, is the top football division in Lesotho and was created in 1970. Econet Telecom Lesotho was the league sponsor, from 2017/2018 to 2019/2020 season. [1] Vodacom Lesotho are again the current league sponsor and were also the sponsor of the now cancelled Vodacom Soccer Spectacular knockout competition, which was the Lesotho's annual national cup tournament.
The Lesotho Premier League is currently contested by 16 clubs. The league uses a double round robin format meaning one team plays the other twice. Therefore, a team will play a total of 30 games per season. The team with the most points wins the league title.
The Lesotho Premier League is still played on an amateur status.
Since 2002, Lesotho's Premier League has been sponsored by telecommunications companies. Econet Telecom Lesotho, through its prepaid product Buddie, sponsored the Premier League and Lesotho's lower leagues (the A-Division, B-Division and C-Division) from 2002 until 2009. In 2009, the Lesotho Football Association (LeFA) ended its seven-year association with Econet Telecom Lesotho and signed a three-year partnership with Vodacom Lesotho. As part of the deal, Vodacom Lesotho agreed to sponsor the Premier League and all lower leagues for a combined M1 million per season for three years. However, in 2017, LeFA ended its sponsorship with Vodacom Lesotho to pen a new three-year multi-million maloti sponsorship with the previous sponsor Econet Telecom Lesotho in which the champions will pocket M500 000; a 150% increase from the previous M200 000 received by 2016–2017 champions Bantu. [2]
The sponsor has been able to determine the league's sponsorship name. The list below details who the sponsors have been and what they have called the Lesotho Premier League:
Club | City | Titles | Last title |
---|---|---|---|
Matlama | Maseru | 11 | 2022 |
Lesotho Defence Force (includes Royal Lesotho Defence Force) | Maseru | 8 | 2004 |
Lioli | Teyateyaneng | 6 | 2024 |
Lesotho Correctional Services (includes Lesotho Prisons Service) | Maseru | 6 | 2012 |
Bantu | Mafeteng | 5 | 2023 |
Arsenal | Maseru | 3 | 1993 |
Linare | Leribe | 3 | 1980 |
Maseru Brothers (includes Maseru United) | Maseru | 3 | 1981 |
Lesotho Paramilitary Forces | Maseru | 2 | 1984 |
Likhopo FC | Maseru | 2 | 2006 |
Majantja | Mohale's Hoek | 2 | 1995 |
Maseru | Maseru | 1 | 1975 |
Police | Maseru | 1 | 1972 |
Roma Rovers | Roma | 1 | 1996 |
Year | Country | Best scorers | Team | Goals |
---|---|---|---|---|
2000–01 | Lire Phiri | Lesotho Defence Force | 30 | |
2005–06 | Masupha Majara | Lesotho Defence Force | 9 | |
2014–15 | Litsepe Marabe | Bantu | 22 | |
2018–19 | Sera Motebang | Matlama | 18 | |
2021-22 | Katleho Makateng | Lesotho Defence Force | 20 | |
2022-23 | Hlomelang Lebina | Lesotho Correctional Services | 15 | |
Jane Thabantso | Matlama | |||
2023-24 | Lemohang Lintsa | Limkwokwing University FC | 19 |
Lesotho is a mountainous, landlocked country located in Southern Africa. It is an enclave, surrounded by South Africa. The total length of the country's borders is 909 kilometres (565 mi). Lesotho covers an area of around 30,355 square kilometres (11,720 sq mi), of which a negligible percentage is covered with water.
Politics of Lesotho takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic constitutional monarchy, whereby the Prime Minister of Lesotho is the head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of Parliament, the Senate and the National Assembly. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.
Maseru is the capital and largest city of Lesotho. It is also the capital of the Maseru District. Located on the Caledon River, Maseru lies directly on the Lesotho–South Africa border. Maseru had a population of 330,760 in the 2016 census. The city was established as a police camp and assigned as the capital after the country became a British protectorate in 1869. When the country achieved independence in 1966, Maseru retained its status as capital. The name of the city is a Sesotho word meaning "red sandstones".
The Free State, formerly known as the Orange Free State, is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bloemfontein, which is also South Africa's judicial capital. Its historical origins lie in the Boer republic called the Orange Free State and later the Orange Free State Province.
Teyateyaneng is a town located in the district of Berea in Lesotho. Usually abbreviated to T.Y., Teyateyaneng takes its name from the two twin rivers which run on the north and the South. Both rivers lead to the Mohokare, or the Caledon River which forms the western boundary with South Africa. They are both named for their vast quantities of sand which means rapid dipping of feet as one crosses them, leading to both names which may well suggest that this is a 'place of quick sands'. Teyateyaneng's name therefore comes from the southern Teja-tejana River, but the name later changed to Teyateyaneng, perhaps due to British influences as the country became a Protectorate in the late 1800s.
The Lesotho Independence Cup is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic football in Lesotho.
Lesotho requires its residents to register their motor vehicles and display vehicle registration plates.
Administratively, Lesotho is divided into ten districts, each headed by a district administrator. Each district has a capital known as a camptown.
Vodacom Soccer Spectacular is a soccer tournament that was launched by Vodacom Lesotho in 2008 and took place in 2011.
The sport of football in the country of Lesotho is run by the Lesotho Football Association. The association administers the national football team, as well as the Premier League. Football is the most popular sport in the country.
Bantu Football Club is a Lesotho football club based in Mafeteng.
Linare FC is a Lesotho football club based in Leribe in the Leribe District. It was established in 1931 and it has been in the Lesotho Premier Division from the early 1930s to date.
The 2016–17 Lesotho Premier League is the 49th season of top-tier football in Lesotho. The season began on 27 August 2016 and concluded on 6 May 2017. Bantu won their second league title and will represent the Lesotho Premier League in the 2018 CAF Champions League.
Liteboho Mokhesi is a Mosotho footballer who plays as a goalkeeper. He currently plays Matlama FC. He previously played for the Lesotho national football team, and is still eligible to compete in it.
Antonio J. Flores Flores is a Spanish football manager who serves as a technical director at Hogar hispano valencia fc of the liga estadal venezuela.
Joshua Pulumo Mohapeloa (1908-1982) was a prominent choral music composer in Sesotho, the native language of the BaSotho people of Southern Africa.
Butha-Buthe Warriors is a Lesotho football club based in the town of Butha-Buthe.
Mazenod Swallows FC is a Mosotho football club based in Mazenod that currently competes in the Lesotho Premier League. It is currently managed by former Lesotho international and Swallows player Teele Nts'onyana.
Naughty Boys Football Club is a football club based in Maseru, Lesotho. The club currently competes in the Lesotho Premier League, the Lesotho top flight.
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations .(September 2015) |