Lesotho Premier League

The Lesotho Premier League, also known as Econet Premier League for sponsorship reasons, is the top football division in Lesotho and was created in 1970. Econet Telecom Lesotho are the current league sponsor, since 2017/2018 season.[1] Vodacom Lesotho were the previous 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.

Lesotho Premier League
Founded1970 (1970)
CountryLesotho
ConfederationCAF
Number of teams14
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toLesotho A Division
Domestic cup(s)Lesotho Independence Cup (Top 4)
MGC Supa 8
International cup(s)CAF Champions League
Current championsBantu FC
(2022–23)
Most championshipsMatlama FC (11)
Current: 2023–24 Lesotho Premier League

Format

The Lesotho Premier League is currently contested by 14 clubs. The league uses a double round robin format meaning one team plays the other twice. Therefore, a team will play a total of 26 games per season. The team with the most points wins the league title.

The Lesotho Premier League is still played on an amateur status.

Sponsorship

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:

Premier League domestic cups

2020–22 season

Champions
Season Winner Runner-up Relegated
1996–97 Roma Rovers
1997–98 Royal Lesotho Defence Force
1997–98 Royal Lesotho Defence Force
1998–99 Royal Lesotho Defence Force
1999–00 Lesotho Prisons Service
2001–02 Lesotho Defence Force
2001–02 Lesotho Prisons Service
2002–03 Matlama
2003–04 Lesotho Defence Force
2004–05 Likhopo Lesotho Correctional Services Bantu FC (Mafeteng), Qalo FC (Butha-Buthe)
2005–06 Likhopo Lesotho Defence Force Lifefo (Maseru), School Boys (Maseru)
2006–07 Lesotho Correctional Services Matlama Mafeteng LMPS (Mafeteng), Butha-Buthe Warriors (Butha-Buthe)
2007–08 Lesotho Correctional Services Lesotho Defence Force Arsenal Maseru (Maseru), Qalo FC (Butha-Buthe)
2008–09 Lioli Lesotho Defence Force Maseru Naughty Boys FC, Sekamaneng Young Stars FC (Berea)
2009–10 Matlama Lioli Majantja (Mohale's Hoek), Nyenye Rovers (Leribe),
Roma Rovers (Maseru), Butha-Bothe Roses (Butha-Buthe)
2010–11 Lesotho Correctional Services Lesotho Defence Force Mphatlalatsane FC (Leribe), Lerotholi Polytechnic (Maseru),
Swallows FC (Mazenod, Maseru), Mabeoana FC (Matsieng)
2011–12 Lesotho Correctional Services Lesotho Defence Force Maduma FC (Butha-Buthe), Majantja (Quthing)
2012–13 Lioli Bantu
2013–14 Bantu Lioli Melele FC (Qacha's Nek), Joy FC (Leribe)
2014–15 Lioli Bantu Nyenye Rovers (Leribe), Qoaling Highlanders (Maseru)
2015–16 Lioli Matlama Likila United (Butha-Buthe), Mphatlalatsane (Leribe)
2016–17 Bantu Lioli Rovers (Roma), Warriors (Butha-Buthe).
2017–18 Bantu Lioli Sky Battalion FC (Maputsoe), Sandawana (Mpharane).
2018–19 Matlama Bantu Galaxy FC (Hlotse), Majantja (Quthing).
2019–20[3] Bantu Matlama None
2021-22 Matlama Lesotho Defence Force Likhopo (Maseru), Kick 4 Life, Sefothafotha.
2022-23 Bantu Linare Galaxy FC (Hlotse), Swallows (Nyakosoba).

Performance by club
Club City Titles Last title
MatlamaMaseru112022
Lesotho Defence Force (includes Royal Lesotho Defence Force)Maseru82004
Lesotho Correctional Services (includes Lesotho Prisons Service)Maseru62012
LioliTeyateyaneng52016
BantuMafeteng52023
ArsenalMaseru31993
LinareLeribe31980
Maseru Brothers (includes Maseru United)Maseru31981
Lesotho Paramilitary ForcesMaseru21984
Likhopo FCMaseru22006
MajantjaMohale's Hoek21995
MaseruMaseru11975
PoliceMaseru11972
Roma RoversRoma11996

Top goalscorers
Year Best scorers Team Goals
2000–01 Lesotho Lire PhiriLesotho Defence Force30
2005–06 Lesotho Masupha MajaraLesotho Defence Force9
2014–15 Lesotho Litsepe MarabeBantu22
2018–19 Lesotho Sera Motebang Matlama 18
2021-22 Lesotho Katleho Makateng Lesotho Defence Force 20
2022-23 Lesotho Hlomelang Lebina Lesotho Correctional Services 15

References
  1. "Econet new premier league sponsors". 2 September 2017.
  2. "Econet new premier league sponsors". 2 September 2017.
  3. "Lesotho 2019/20". RSSSF. Retrieved 2020-11-27.
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