Benin Premier League
Football league
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Benin Premier League, also called Championnat National du Bénin in French, is the highest football division in Benin. The league was held in 1969 for the first time. Currently, the initial round is a double round-robin tournament, with 36 clubs being divided in 4 groups, and 9 clubs in each. The last 5 teams of each group, goes to the relegation round, which consists on 2 groups of 10 teams. The first 4 teams of each group goes to the final stage with 16 clubs playing a single round-robin tournament. The winner of this round (and of the Premier League) earns a place in the CAF Champions League.
| Founded | 1969 |
|---|---|
| Country | Benin |
| Confederation | CAF |
| Number of clubs | 36 |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Relegation to | Benin Second Division |
| Domestic cup | Benin Cup |
| International cup(s) | Champions League Confederation Cup |
| Current champions | Sobemap FC (2025–26) |
| Most championships | AS Dragons FC de l'Ouémé (12) |
| Current: 2025–26 Benin Premier League | |
2021–22 season teams
Group A
- Béké FC de Bembèrèkè (Bembèrèkè)
- Buffles du Borgou FC (Parakou)
- Cavaliers FC (Nikki)
- Damissa FC (Nikki)
- Dynamique Djougou (Djougou)
- Dynamo Parakou (Parakou)
- Real Sport de Parakou FC (Parakou)
- Panthères FC (Djougou)
- Takunnin FC (Kandi)
Group B
- Dadje FC (Aplahoué)
- Dynamo Abomey FC (Abomey)
- Energie FC (Sèmè-Kpodji)
- FC Loto (Sakété)
- Espoir FC (Savalou)
- Hodio FC (Comè)
- Soleil FC (Cotonou)
- Tonnerre d'Abomey FC (Bohicon)
- US Baboni (Parakou)
Group C
- Ajijas Cotonou (Cotonou)
- AS Cotonou (Cotonou)
- ASPAC FC (Cotonou)
- AS Police FC (Porto-Novo)
- Coton FC de Ouidah (Ouidah)
- Eternel (Cotonou)
- Requins de l'Atlantique FC (Cotonou)
- Sitatunga FC (Abomey-Calavi)
- UPI-ONM FC (Cotonou)
Group D
- AS Dragons FC de l'Ouémé (Porto-Novo)
- AS Sobemap Sport (Porto-Novo)
- ASVO FC (Porto-Novo)
- ASOS (Porto-Novo)
- Avrankou Omnisport FC (Avrankou)
- Ayema (Sèmè-Kpodji)
- Djèffa FC (Sèmè-Kpodji)
- JA Cotonou (Cotonou)
- JS Pobè (Pobè)
ASPAC and Takunnin played in the final of the league. Takunnin won the final.
Final clubs' stadiums
| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASPAC FC | Cotonou | Stade Charles de Gaulle | 15,000 |
| Takunnin | Kandi | Stade Saka Kina Guézéré | 1,000 |
Previous champions
- 1969: FAD Cotonou
- 1970: AS Porto-Novo
- 1971: AS Cotonou
- 1972: AS Porto-Novo
- 1973: AS Porto-Novo
- 1974: Etoile Sportive Porto-Novo
- no championship between 1975 and 1977
- 1978: Dragons de l'Ouémé
- 1979: Dragons de l'Ouémé
- 1980: Buffles du Borgou
- 1981: Ajijas Cotonou
- 1982: Dragons de l'Ouémé
- 1983: Dragons de l'Ouémé
- 1984: Lions de l'Atakory
- 1985: Requins de l'Atlantique
- 1986: Dragons de l'Ouémé
- 1987: Requins de l'Atlantique
- 1988: no championship
- 1989: Dragons de l'Ouémé
- 1990: Requins de l'Atlantique
- 1991: Postel Sport
- 1992: Buffles du Borgou
- 1993: Dragons de l'Ouémé
- 1994: Dragons de l'Ouémé
- 1995: Toffa Cotonou
- 1996: Mogas 90
- 1997: Mogas 90
- 1998: Dragons de l'Ouémé
- 1999: Dragons de l'Ouémé
- no official championship between 2000 and 2001
- 2001–02: Dragons de l'Ouémé
- 2003: Dragons de l'Ouémé
- 2004: not finished
- 2005: no championship
- 2005–06: Mogas 90
- 2007: Tonnerre d'Abomey
- 2008–09: declared invalid
- 2009: no competition
- 2009–10: ASPAC
- 2010–11: suspended
- 2011–12: ASPAC
- 2012–13: Jeunesse Athlétique du Plateau
- 2013–14: Buffles du Borgou
- 2014–15: abandoned
- 2016: abandoned
- 2017: Buffles du Borgou
- 2018–19: Buffles du Borgou
- 2019–20: abandoned [1]
- 2020–21: Loto-Popo FC[2]
- 2021–22: Coton
- 2022–23: Coton
- 2023–24: Coton
- 2024–25: Dadje FC
- 2025–26: Sobemap FC
Performance by club
| Club | Titles | Last title |
|---|---|---|
| Dragons de l'Ouémé | 12 | 2003 |
| Buffles du Borgou | 5 | 2019 |
| Mogas 90 | 3 | 2006 |
| Requins de l'Atlantique | 3 | 1990 |
| AS Porto-Novo | 3 | 1973 |
| ASPAC | 2 | 2012 |
| Coton | 2 | 2023 |
| Sobemap FC | 1 | 2026 |
| Dadje FC | 1 | 2025 |
| Loto-Popo | 1 | 2021 [4] |
| Jeunesse Athlétique du Plateau | 1 | 2013 |
| Tonnerre d'Abomey | 1 | 2007 |
| Toffa Cotonou | 1 | 1995 |
| Postel Sport | 1 | 1991 |
| Lions de l'Atakory | 1 | 1984 |
| Ajijas Cotonou | 1 | 1981 |
| Etoile Sportive Porto-Novo | 1 | 1974 |
| AS Cotonou | 1 | 1971 |
| FAD Cotonou | 1 | 1969 |
Top goalscorers
| Season | Player | Team | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019–20 |  Henry Uche |
Espoir Savalou | 19 |
| 2021 | Henry Uche |
Espoir Savalou | 19 |
| 2021–22 | Henry Uche |
Espoir Savalou | 17 |
| 2022–23 |  Issah Razack Benín |
Coton | 16 |
| 2023–24 |  Moussa Traore |
Bani Gansé | 19 |
- Most time goalscorers
- 3 times
Henry Uche (2019-20, 2021, 2021-22)