Botola
The Botola Pro 1 (Arabic: البطولة), is a Moroccan professional league for men's association football clubs. At the top of the Moroccan football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Football League.
Botola logo after 2019 redesign ('Maroc Telecom' no longer included in logo). | |
Founded | 1956 |
---|---|
Country | Morocco |
Confederation | CAF |
Number of teams | 16 |
Level on pyramid | 1 |
Relegation to | Botola 2 |
Domestic cup(s) | Coupe du Trône |
International cup(s) | Champions League Confederation Cup |
Current champions | Wydad Casablanca (20) 2018–19 |
Most championships | Wydad Casablanca (20) |
TV partners | Al Aoula, Arryadiya, 2M TV, BeIN Sports |
From 2015 to 2019, the league was called Botola Maroc Telecom for sponsorship reasons.
The Botola Pro 1 is a corporation in which the 16 member clubs act as shareholders, Seasons run from August to May, with teams playing 30 matches each (playing each team in the league twice, home and away) totalling 214 matches in the season. Most games are played in the afternoons of Saturdays and Sundays, the other games during weekday evenings. It is sponsored by Maroc Télécom and thus known as the Botola-Ittisalat. Outside England.
The competition formed as the FRFM on 20 February 1992 following the decision of clubs in the Botola Pro to break away from the UNAF, which had been founded in 1911, and take advantage of a lucrative television rights deal. This deal is worth MAD 55 million a year domestically as of 2015–16, with Arryadia securing the domestic rights to broadcast games respectively. The league generates MAD 123 million per year in domestic and international television rights.
The Botola Pro is the most-watched football league in Africa, broadcasts in 153 territories to 54 million homes and a potential TV audience of 2 billion people. In the 2010–11 season, the average Botola Pro match attendance was 25,363, the highest of any professional football league in Africa, and stadium occupancy was 92% capacity. The Premier League ranked second in the CAF 5-Zaers of leagues based on performances in African competitions over the last five years.
Of the 16 clubs to have competed since the inception of the Premier League in 1992, five have won the title: Wydad Athletic Club (20), Association Sportive des FAR (12), Raja de Casablanca (11), Magreb Fez (4) and Hašania Agadir (2). The current champions are Wydad Athletic Club, who won the title in 2018–19. ° On 5 June 2016 FUS Rabat won the football championship for the first time after being runner-up to the title for 5 previous times.[1]
History
The first edition of the Moroccan Football League under the Royal Moroccan Football Federation took place in 1956–57, soon after Morocco became an independent country.
Competition
Each year 16 teams compete for the championship. The two lowest-placed teams are relegated to Botola Elite 2 and the top two teams from Botola Elite 2 are promoted in their place to Botola Pro.
Champion and runner-up participate in the African Champions League. The third-place team and Coupe du Trône winner qualify to participate in the African Confederation Cup.
Sponsorship
Since 2000, Maroc Telecom has been the official sponsor of the Botola for a 15 million dirham per year contract.
Broadcasting rights
In September 2007, the SNRT Group (Al Aoula, 2M TV and Arryadia) paid 225 million dirhams for the rights to broadcast the following three seasons of the Botola.[2]
Throughout the week, every game played in the Botola is broadcast live by at least one TV channel.
BeIN Sports network also broadcasts a few matches every week.
Clubs
The most popular Moroccan clubs are Wydad Casablanca, AS FAR, and Raja Casablanca. Other historically established sides include CODM Meknes, KAC Kenitra , Maghreb Fès, Moghreb Tétouan, Fath Rabat, and Kawkab Marrakech.
Stadiums
Current stadiums
Rabat | Casablanca | Marrakech | Agadir |
---|---|---|---|
Stade Moulay Abdellah | Stade Mohamed V | Stade de Marrakech | Stade Adrar |
Capacity: 53,000 | Capacity: 67,000 | Capacity: 45,000 | Capacity: 45,000 |
Fes | Tanger | Oujda | El Aaiún |
Fez Stadium | Stade de Tanger | Honneur Stadium | Stade Cheikh Laaghdef |
Capacity: 45,000 | Capacity: 45,000 | Capacity: 35,000 | Capacity: 30,000 |
Meknes | Kénitra | Al Hoceima | Tétouan |
Stade d'Honneur | Stade Municipal de Kénitra | Stade Mimoun Al Arsi | Stade Saniat Rmel |
Capacity: 20,000 | Capacity: 15,000 | Capacity: 12,000 | Capacity: 12,000 |
Safi | El Jadida | Berkane | Khouribga |
Stade El Massira | Stade El Abdi | Stade Municipal De Berkane | Complexe OCP |
Capacity: 15,000 | Capacity: 10,000 | Capacity: 10,000 | Capacity: 10,000 |
List of champions
Season | Champion | Runner-up |
---|---|---|
1956–57 | Wydad Casablanca | Kawkab Marrakech |
1957–58 | Kawkab Marrakech | Wydad Casablanca |
1958–59 | Étoile de Casablanca | Wydad Casablanca |
1959–60 | KAC Kenitra | AS FAR |
1960–61 | AS FAR | Maghreb Fez |
1961–62 | AS FAR | Racing de Casablanca |
1962–63 | AS FAR | Kawkab Marrakech |
1963–64 | AS FAR | Stade Marocain |
1964–65 | Maghreb Fez | Racing de Casablanca |
1965–66 | Wydad Casablanca | Raja Casablanca |
1966–67 | AS FAR | Renaissance de Settat |
1967–68 | AS FAR | Renaissance de Settat |
1968–69 | Wydad Casablanca | Maghreb Fez |
1969–70 | AS FAR | Union Sidi Kacem |
1970–71 | Renaissance de Settat | AS FAR |
1971–72 | Racing de Casablanca | Wydad Casablanca |
1972–73 | KAC Kenitra | FUS Rabat |
1973–74 | Raja de Beni Mellal | Raja Casablanca |
1974–75 | Mouloudia Oujda | Maghreb Fez |
1975–76 | Wydad Casablanca | Difaa El Jadida |
1976–77 | Wydad Casablanca | Mouloudia Oujda |
1977–78 | Wydad Casablanca | Maghreb Fez |
1978–79 | Maghreb Fez | KAC Kenitra |
1979–80 | Chabab Mohammédia | Wydad Casablanca |
1980–81 | KAC Kenitra | FUS Rabat |
1981–82 | KAC Kenitra | Wydad Casablanca |
1982–83 | Maghreb Fez | Renaissance de Berkane |
1983–84 | AS FAR | Olympique Khouribga |
1984–85 | Maghreb Fez | KAC Kenitra |
1985–86 | Wydad Casablanca | Raja Casablanca |
1986–87 | AS FAR | Kawkab Marrakech |
1987–88 | Raja Casablanca | Kawkab Marrakech |
1988–89 | AS FAR | Maghreb Fez |
1989–90 | Wydad Casablanca | IR Tanger |
1990–91 | Wydad Casablanca | AS FAR |
1991–92 | Kawkab Marrakech | Raja Casablanca |
1992–93 | Wydad Casablanca | Raja Casablanca |
1993–94 | Olympique de Casablanca | Wydad Casablanca |
1994–95 | CODM de Meknès | Olympique de Casablanca |
1995–96 | Raja Casablanca | Olympique Khouribga |
1996–97 | Raja Casablanca | Wydad Casablanca |
1997–98 | Raja Casablanca | Kawkab Marrakech |
1998–99 | Raja Casablanca | Kawkab Marrakech |
1999–00 | Raja Casablanca | Wydad Casablanca |
2000–01 | Raja Casablanca | FUS Rabat |
2001–02 | Hassania Agadir | Wydad Casablanca |
2002–03 | Hassania Agadir | Raja Casablanca |
2003–04 | Raja Casablanca | AS FAR |
2004–05 | AS FAR | Raja Casablanca |
2005–06 | Wydad Casablanca | AS FAR |
2006–07 | Olympique Khouribga | AS FAR |
2007–08 | AS FAR | IZK Khemisset |
2008–09 | Raja Casablanca | Difaa El Jadida |
2009–10 | Wydad Casablanca | Raja Casablanca |
2010–11 | Raja Casablanca | Maghreb Fez |
2011–12 | Moghreb Tétouan | FUS Rabat |
2012–13 | Raja Casablanca | AS FAR |
2013–14 | Moghreb Tétouan | Raja Casablanca |
2014–15 | Wydad Casablanca | Olympique Khouribga |
2015–16 | FUS Rabat | Wydad Casablanca |
2016–17 | Wydad Casablanca | Difaa El Jadida |
2017–18 | IR Tanger | Wydad Casablanca |
2018–19 | Wydad Casablanca | Raja Casablanca |
Performances
Performance by club
Club | Winners | Runners-up | Winning Seasons |
---|---|---|---|
Wydad Casablanca⭐⭐ | 1947-1948, 1948-1949, 1949-1950, 1950-1951, 1954-1955, 1956-1957, 1965–66, 1968–69, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1985–86, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1992–93, 2005–06, 2009–10, 2014–15, 2016–17, 2018–19 | ||
AS FAR⭐ | 1960–61, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1969–70, 1983–84, 1986–87, 1988–89, 2004–05, 2007–08 | ||
Raja Casablanca⭐ | 1987–88, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2003–04, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2012–13 | ||
Maghreb Fez | 1964–65, 1978–79, 1982–83, 1984–85 | ||
KAC Kenitra | 1959–60, 1972–73, 1980–81, 1981–82 | ||
Kawkab Marrakech | 1957–58, 1991–92 | ||
Moghreb Tétouan | 2011–12, 2013–14 | ||
Hassania Agadir | 2001–02, 2002–03 | ||
FUS Rabat | 2015–16 | ||
Olympique Khouribga | 2006–07 | ||
Racing de Casablanca | 1971–72 | ||
Renaissance de Settat | 1970–71 | ||
IR Tanger | 2017–18 | ||
Olympique de Casablanca | 1993–94 | ||
Mouloudia Oujda | 1974–75 | ||
CODM de Meknès | 1994–95 | ||
Chabab Mohammédia | 1979–80 | ||
Raja de Beni Mellal | 1973–74 | ||
Étoile de Casablanca | 1958–59 |
Top scorers
Season | Player | Team | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
1959-60 | Raja Casablanca | 22 | |
1967–68 | Difaa El Jadida | 19 | |
1968–69 | Chabab Mohammédia | 16 | |
1972–73 | Chabab Mohammédia | 16 | |
1974–75 | Difaa El Jadida | 12 | |
1976–77 | KAC Kenitra | 17 | |
1979–80 | AS FAR | 15 | |
1980–81 | KAC Kenitra | 17 | |
1981–82 | KAC Kenitra | 25 | |
1982–83 | AS FAR | 14 | |
1983–84 | Wydad Casablanca Mouloudia d'Oujda | 11 | |
1984–85 | Renaissance Berkane | 13 | |
1985–86 | Wydad Casablanca Kawkab Marrakech | 13 | |
1986–87 | AS FAR | 12 | |
1987–88 | AS FAR | 17 | |
1988–89 | Wydad Casablanca | 18 | |
1989–90 | AS FAR | 22 | |
1990–91 | AS FAR | 15 | |
1991–92 | AS FAR | 11 | |
1992–93 | Wydad Casablanca | 18 | |
1993–94 | Kawkab Marrakech | 14 | |
1994–95 | AS FAR | 15 | |
1995–96 | Jeunesse El Massira | 16 | |
1996–97 | AS Salé | 17 | |
1997–98 | Chabab Mohammédia | 15 | |
1998–99 | Olympique Khouribga | 16 | |
1999–00 | FUS Rabat | 17 | |
2000–01 | Kawkab Marrakech | 12 | |
2001–02 | Tihad Sportif Casablanca | 14 | |
2002–03 | Raja Casablanca | 14 | |
2003–04 | Raja Casablanca | 13 | |
2004–05 | AS FAR | 12 | |
2005–06 | Olympique Khouribga | 9 | |
2006–07 | AS FAR | 12 | |
2007–08 | AS FAR | 13 | |
2008–09 | AS FAR | 14 | |
2009–10 | Widad Fez | 12 | |
2010–11 | AS FAR | 11 | |
2011–12 | Difaa El Jadida | 17 | |
2012–13 | Olympic Safi | 15 | |
2013–14 | Moghreb Tétouan Hassania Agadir | 11 | |
2014–15 | Wydad Casablanca | 16 | |
2015–16 | AS FAR | 12 | |
2016–17 | Wydad Casablanca | 19 | |
2017–18 | Raja Casablanca | 17 | |
2018-19 | Raja Casablanca RS Berkane | 19 |
See also
- Sport in Morocco
- Moroccan football league (1916 – 1955)
References
- "LE FUS DE RABAT CHAMPION POUR LA PREMIÈRE FOIS".
- La SNRT décroche les droits TV du GNF Archived July 10, 2009, at the Wayback Machine www.lavieeco.com