Sierra Leone National Premier League
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]
Founded | 1967 |
---|---|
Country | Sierra Leone |
Confederation | CAF |
Number of teams | 13 |
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) |
TV partners | AYV |
Current: 2019 Sierra Leone National Premier League |
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]
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 2019 season
Club | City | Stadium |
---|---|---|
Anti Drugs Strikers | Newton | Dems field Wellington |
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 |
Eastern Tigers Stars | Lungi | Lungi Field |
Kallon | Freetown | National Stadium |
Mighty Blackpool | Freetown | National Stadium |
Old Edwardians | Freetown | National Stadium |
Ports Authority | Freetown | National Stadium |
Kamboi Eagles | Kenema | Town Field |
SLRA | Makeni | EBK Stadium |
Previous winners
|
|
|
Performance by club
Club | City | Titles | Last Title |
---|---|---|---|
East End Lions | Freetown | 12 | 2018–19 |
Mighty Blackpool | Freetown | 11 | 2000–01 |
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 | Kelfala Marah Abdulai K. Conteh | Mighty Blackpool Old Edwardians | 5 |
2007–08 | Lahai "Chandus" Freeman | 10 | |
2011–12 | James Bangura | Central Parade | 8 |
References
- "Aboutaball website". Archived from the original on March 7, 2012.
- "Diamond Stars FC of Kono are the new champions of Sierra Leone".
- "Africell honours league champions tomorrow". sierraexpressmedia.com. 15 July 2011. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
- "Title-winning Diamond Stars finally end Freetown reign". July 23, 2012 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
- Diamond Stars win Salone Premier League for the second time Archived 2013-12-16 at the Wayback Machine