The Super Ligue, formerly known as Ligue 1, is the top division of football in Niger. There are 14 teams competing in the league, which operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Ligue Nationale.

Super Ligue
Founded1966
CountryNiger
ConfederationCAF
Number of teams14
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toLigue Nationale
Domestic cup(s)Niger Cup
International cup(s)Champions League
Confederation Cup
Current championsAS GNN
(2023–24)
Most championshipsSahel SC (13)
Current: 2024–25 Ligue 1

The league began in 1966, with Secteur 6 winning the first five championships. It was known as the Ligue 1 between 2010[1] and 2018,[2] when it changed its name to Super Ligue.[3]

History

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Although the championship has been contested since 1966, the structure has changed over time, and a number of years the competition has been canceled or shortened. In 2002, the league was completely cancelled.[4]

Several major clubs dropped out in 2004 and 2005 for financial reasons and because of the 2005 famine afflicting the south center of the nation. In 2004, for instance, three clubs in the first round were disqualified, and more than two dozen matches were annulled or awarded after the fact for a variety of offences.[5]

Since the 1990s, the clubs compete in a group stage, the winners of which advance to the "Super League" which contests the second half of the season, with the losers contesting a league to determine what clubs will be relegated to the Regional leagues. The Leagues in each of the Nigerien regions (called the Nigerien D2 Championships) then send champions to a play-off to determine which two clubs will be promoted.[4]

Historically, Niamey has had the most accomplished regional league, and has provided most clubs in the national championship. Only two clubs from outside Niamey have ever won the championship.[4] The Ligue de Niamey has been powerful enough that, after disputes over relegation on 2000, five Niamey clubs formed their own rival competition (the "Coupe des Sponsors"), and played only the Ligue de Niamey championship in the 2002 season, when the Nigerien Football Federation cancelled the season due to funding shortfalls.[6]

Current clubs (2021−22 season)

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Team Location Stadium Capacity
Akokana FC Arlit Stade d'Arlit 7,000
AS Douanes Niamey Stade Général Seyni Kountché 50,000
AS Forces Armées Niamey Stade du Camp Bagagi Iya 5,000
AS GNN Niamey Stade Général Seyni Kountché 50,000
AS Police Niamey Stade Général Seyni Kountché 50,000
AS SONIDEP Niamey Stade municipal de Niamey 5,000
ASN Nigelec Niamey Stade Général Seyni Kountché 50,000
Espoir FC Zinder Stade de Zinder 10,000
JS Tahoua Tahoua Stade Régional de Tahoua 5,000
Olympic Niamey Niamey Stade Général Seyni Kountché 50,000
RC Boukoki Niamey Stade Général Seyni Kountché 50,000
Sahel SC Niamey Stade Général Seyni Kountché 50,000
Urana FC Arlit Stade d'Arlit 7,000
US Gendarmerie Nationale Niamey Stade Général Seyni Kountché 50,000

Previous champions

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Years Champions
1966 Olympic FC (1)
1967 Olympic FC (2)
1968 Olympic FC (3)
1969 Olympic FC (4)
1970 Olympic FC (5)
1971 ASFAN Niamey (1)
1972 Not held
1973 Sahel SC (1)
1974 Sahel SC (2)
1975 ASFAN Niamey (2)
1976 Olympic FC (6)
1977 Olympic FC (7)
1978 Olympic FC (8)
1979 Not held
1980 AS Niamey (1)
1981 AS Niamey (2)
1982 AS Niamey (3)
1983 Jangorzo FC (1)
1984 Espoir FC (1)
1985 Zumunta AC (1)
1986 Sahel SC (3)
1987 Sahel SC (4)
1988 Zumunta AC (2)
1989 Olympic FC (9)
1990 Sahel SC (5)
1991 Sahel SC (6)
1992 Sahel SC (7)
1993 Zumunta AC (3)
1994 Sahel SC (8)
1995 Not held
1996 Sahel SC (9)
1997/98 Olympic FC (10)
1999 Olympic FC (11)
2000 JS Ténéré (1)
2001 JS Ténéré (2)
2002 Not held
2003 Sahel SC (10)
2004 Sahel SC (11)
2005 ASGNN (1)
2006 ASGNN (2)
2007 Sahel SC (12)
2008 AS Police (1)
2009 Sahel SC (13)
2010 ASFAN Niamey (3)
2010-2011 ASGNN (3)
2011-2012 Olympic FC (12)
2012/13 AS Douanes Niamey (1)
2013-2014 ASGNN (4)
2014-2015 AS Douanes Niamey (2)
2015-2016 ASFAN Niamey (4)
2016-2017 ASFAN Niamey (5)
2017-2018 AS Sonidep (1)
2018-2019 AS Sonidep (2)
Not held in 2019-2020 due to Covid-19[7]
2020-2021 US Gendarmerie Nationale (1)
2021-2022 ASN Nigelec FC (1)
2022-2023 ASGNN (5)
2023-2024 ASGNN (6)

Performance by club

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Club Titles Winning seasons
Sahel SC 13 1973, 1974, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 2003, 2004, 2006–07, 2009
Olympic FC 12 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1989, 1997–98, 1999, 2011–12
ASGNN 6 2004–05, 2005–06, 2010–11, 2013–14, 2022–23, 2023–24
AS FAN 5 1971, 1975, 2010, 2015–16, 2016–17
AS Niamey 3 1980, 1981, 1982
Zumunta AC 3 1985, 1988, 1993
AS Douanes 2 2012–13, 2014–15
AS SONIDEP 2 2017–18, 2018–19
JS du Ténéré 2 2000, 2001
Espoir FC 1 1984
Jangorzo FC 1 1983
AS Police 1 2008
US Gendarmerie Nationale 1 2020–21
ASN Nigelec 1 2021–22

Top goalscorers

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Season Player Team Goals
2023-24   Victorien Adebayor GNN 22

Multiple hat-tricks

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Rank Country Player Hat-tricks
1   Victorien Adebayor 1

References

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  1. ^ "Niger 2010/11". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 25 June 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  2. ^ "Niger 2017/18". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 25 June 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  3. ^ "Niger 2018/19". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 25 June 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  4. ^ a b c "RSSSF Championships". Archived from the original on 24 October 2008. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  5. ^ RSSSF 2004 season review Archived 5 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine For instance, one match was abandoned and BOTH clubs were assigned 0–3 losses.
  6. ^ RSSSF 2001 Archived 2 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine, RSSSF 2002 Archived 25 June 2024 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ "Le Niger annule lui aussi sa saison". www.sofoot.com. 5 May 2020. Archived from the original on 30 December 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
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