Botola Pro

Men's football league in Morocco From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Botola Pro (Arabic: البطولة الوطنية الإحترافية, romanized: al-Buṭūla al-Waṭaniyya al-Iḥtirāfiyya, lit. "Professional National Championship"), officially known as the Botola Pro Inwi for sponsorship reasons,[1] is a professional association football league in Morocco and the top tier of the Moroccan football league system. Organized by the Ligue Nationale de Football Professionnel (LNFP), under the authority of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), the league features 16 clubs and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Botola Pro 2.[2]

Founded11 June 1915;
110 years ago
 (1915-06-11)[note 1]
CountryMorocco Morocco
Quick facts Organising body, Founded ...
Botola Pro
Organising bodyRoyal Moroccan Football Federation
Founded11 June 1915;
110 years ago
 (1915-06-11)[note 1]
CountryMorocco Morocco
ConfederationCAF
Number of clubs16 (since 1988)
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toBotola Pro 2
Domestic cup(s)Throne Cup
Excellence Cup
International cup(s)CAF Champions League
CAF Confederation Cup
Current championsRS Berkane (1st title)
(2024–25)
Most championshipsWydad AC (22 titles)
Most appearancesAbdelmajid Dolmy (760)
Top scorerAhmed Faras (127)
Broadcaster(s)SNRT (Arryadia)
Websitefrmf.ma
Current: 2025–26 Botola Pro
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The Botola Pro season runs from August to May, with each of the 16 teams playing 30 matches (facing every other team twice, once at home and once away), totaling 240 matches per season. Most games are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday afternoons, while others are played on weekday evenings. The league is currently sponsored by Inwi. From 2015 to 2019, it was known as Botola Maroc Telecom due to its previous sponsorship agreement with Maroc Telecom.[1]

The LNFP was officially established in 2015 by the FRMF to oversee the organization and development of professional football in Morocco, including the Botola Pro. This reform aimed to enhance the management of the domestic league and take advantage of growing commercial and broadcasting opportunities. Moroccan sports channel Arryadia holds the rights to broadcast Botola Pro matches, contributing to the league's media presence and revenue generation.[3]

The Moroccan top-flight has produced the second-highest number of CAF Champions League titles, with three Moroccan clubs having won seven African trophies in total.[4][5] They also produced the highest number of CAF Confederation Cup titles, with five Moroccan clubs having won seven African confederation trophies.[6]

The current champions are RS Berkane, who won their first title in the 2024–25 season.[7]

History

Botola Pro Trophy

The Moroccan Football Championship was launched in the Sultanate on 11 June 1915. Organised by the Moroccan football league. The new organisation under the Royal Moroccan Football Federation took place in January 1957, Wydad AC was crowned with the edition of the 1956–57 season, which was its sixth title.[8] In the following season, the KAC Marrakech club was crowned, and then the following two seasons were crowned by the youth star and Kénitra AC.[9][10][11]

The start of the great rivalry (1960–1970)

AS FAR dominated the championship for four consecutive seasons despite the competition being played by strong teams, namely MAS Fes and KAC Marrakech, where the Askari Club was able to enter history as the first club to achieve four consecutive titles in the years (1961–1964).[12][13][14][15] Then in the 1964–1965 season, MAS Fes won its first title, then Wydad AC won the league title in the 1965–1966 season, which is the beginning of the competition between Raja CA and Wydad AC in the tournament, where the derby was repeated due to the public entering the stadium which ended with Raja winning 2–1; But when it was replayed, it ended in a 0–0 draw, and thus Wydad AC won the championship by one point over Raja CA.[16][17][18]

New champions (1971–1995)

New teams were able to crown the championship title during this period, including RS Settat,[19] RAC Casablanca,[20] Raja Beni Mellal,[21] MC Oujda,[22] SCC Mohammédia,[23] and others that had previously been crowned as Wydad, who won the league for three consecutive seasons. Kenitra was able to obtain the championship in the 1973–1972 season in a dramatic way in a season known as the famous case of the Car Dial Fez, where it noticed the survival of Wydad from going down to the second national division due to the cancellation of the interview of MAS Fes with Wydad AC in the last round due to a malfunction in the bus that was carrying the players of Maghreb Fez, which automated a loss for fez and Wydad got 4 points, Kénitra AC won the league.[24]

MAS Fes was able to add two more titles to its treasury at this stage. Kénitra AC managed to win two successive titles,[25][26] while CO Casablanca won their first title,[27] and the competition was strong between Wydad AC and the AS FAR, where the Military Club won three titles, bringing the total of its titles to 10 to hang its first star, and then Wydad was able to win four titles, bringing its total titles to 15. While the KAC Marrakech club was satisfied with its second title only, while another new competitor appeared, Raja CA, which won its first title in the 1987–1988 season.[28]

Raja's glory (1995–2002)

In the seven seasons between 1995 and 2002, Raja CA arose quickly making it one of the most supported club in Morocco, as it managed to obtain the championship for six consecutive seasons in a golden period during which a generation of excellent players appeared. This period coincided with the emergence of Raja CA on the scene International in the African Champions League and Club World Cup.[29] Appearing in 3 CAF Champions League Final winning 2 but losing the 2002 CAF Champions League Final[30] and ending 7th in the 2000 FIFA Club World Championship.[31]

New champions (2002–2011)

HUS Agadir managed to win the championship twice in a row, despite the competition from the two poles of the economic capital.[32] After that, the tournament became more exciting between the two poles of Casablanca, Wydad AC and AS FAR as the tournament was not decided until the last two rounds or the last round. FAR and Wydad Casablanca won two titles, while OC Khouribga won its first title in its history.[33] While Raja CA continued the race to try to catch up with Wydad and the Army, as it won three titles, bringing its total to ten titles, to be the third team to suspend the ten titles. Botola was placed third as the best African league of the world of the first decade (2001-2010) by IFFHS.[34]

The start of Botola Pro (2011–present)

In light of the league's strength, it was necessary for the Moroccan League to move Moroccan football from the abyss to professionalism, so the first professional season was 2011–12 which was crowned by the MA Tétouan club for the first time in its history.[35] Raja CA managed to win the title in the 2012–13 season, then followed by MA Tétouan in the 2013–14 Botola Pro.[36] In the 2014–15 season, Wydad AC returned after 5 years again to win the 18th title in its history. FUS Rabat also won the 2015–16 season title for the first time in its history,[37] while Wydad AC won the 2016–17 Botola League title for the 19th time in its history. In 2017–18, IR Tanger managed to win their 1st league title in its history.[38] On 4 October 2020, the FRMF introduced the Virtual Offside Line in Botola.[39] Botola has been ranked in the top 40 world's strongest national league of the decade by International Federation of Football History & Statistics.[40] On 25 May 2021, Botola was placed third as the best African league of the world of the second decade (2011-2020) by IFFHS.[41] On 27 December 2022, The President of the National League stated that the winter transfer market will depend on the financial status of the clubs and to resolve all standing disputes related to player contracts, as well as the technical and medical staff of the clubs.[42] Since 2018, Botola has been ranked top 3 strongest African leagues by IFFHS.[43][44]

Competition format

There are 16 clubs in the Botola Pro. During the course of a season (from August to May) each club plays the others twice (a double round-robin system), once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents', for 30 games. Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, then goal difference, and then goals scored. If still equal, teams are deemed to occupy the same position. If there is a tie for the championship, for relegation, or for qualification to other competitions, a play-off match at a neutral venue decides rank.

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.

Promotion and relegation

A system of promotion and relegation exists between the Botola Pro and the Botola Pro 2. The two lowest placed teams in the Botola Pro are relegated to the Botola Pro 2, and the top two teams from the Botola Pro 2 promoted to the Botola Pro.

More information Period (in years), No. of clubs ...
Number of clubs in Botola Pro throughout the years
Period (in years) No. of clubs
1915–37 8 clubs
1937–39 10 clubs
1939–41 27 clubs (4 groups) + playoffs
1941–42 10 clubs
1942–46 27 clubs (4 groups) + playoffs
1946–56 14 clubs
1956–58 16 clubs
1958–66 14 clubs
1966–67 16 clubs
1967–68 18 clubs
1968–80 16 clubs
1980–81 20 clubs
1981–82 18 clubs
1982–85 16 clubs
1985–86 20 clubs
1986–87 24 clubs (2 groups) + playoffs
1987–88 18 clubs
1988–2024 16 clubs
2024–present 16 clubs + relegations playoffs
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Sponsorship

Since 2020, inwi has been the official sponsor of the Botola for a 15 million dirham per year contract.[45]

More information Period, Sponsor ...
Period Sponsor Brand
2011–2015No sponsorBotola Pro
2015–2019Maroc TelecomBotola Maroc Telecom[46]
2019–2020No sponsorBotola Pro 1
2020–presentInwiBotola Pro 1 Inwi[47]
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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.[48]

Throughout the week, every game played in the Botola is broadcast live by at least one TV channel.

Botola clubs in Africa

The Botola is currently second in the CAF 5-year ranking of African leagues, after being first for the past three years. This ranking is based on the performances of domestic clubs in African competitions over a five-year period.

Raja CA and Wydad AC have been in the top ten most successful clubs in African football in terms of total African trophies. These two clubs, along with AS FAR and MAS Fes, are four of the most successful teams in African competition history. HUS Agadir, OC Khouribga, DH El-jadida and FUS Rabat are the joint fourth-most participating Moroccan team in the Champions League with MAS Fes — after Raja CA, Wydad AC and AS FAR. AS FAR is the first Moroccan club to win an international cup after defeating AS Bilima in the 1985 African Cup of Champions Clubs Finals.[49]

Moroccan Clubs are the most titled in the CAF Confederation Cup with 8 titles and the second most titled Clubs in the CAF Champions League and CAF Super Cup. AS FAR became the first Moroccan club to play back-to-back finals in the African Confederation Cup winning the 2005 Confederation Cup[50] and losing the 2006 Confederation Cup.[51]

Qualification for African competitions

Association ranking for the 2025–26 CAF club season

The association ranking for the 2025–26 CAF Champions League and the 2025–26 CAF Confederation Cup will be based on results from each CAF club competition from 2020–21 to the 2024–25 season.

Legend
  • CL: CAF Champions League
  • CC: CAF Confederation Cup
  • : Associations points might increase on basis of its clubs performance in 2024–25 CAF club competitions
  •   Associations ranked 1–12 are eligible to enter two teams in each CAF club competition.
More information Rank, Association ...
RankAssociation2020–21
(× 1)
2021–22
(× 2)
2022–23
(× 3)
2023–24
(× 4)
2024–25
(× 5)
Total
20252024MvtCLCCCLCCCLCCCLCCCLCC
11- Egypt 837482.577104 190.5
22- Morocco 4695822455 142
34+1 +1 South Africa 82544341.593 131
43-1 -1 Algeria 6571652355 130
56+1 +1 Tanzania 30.502346024 82.5
65-1 -1 Tunisia 4351426130.5 82.5
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Historical rankings since 2011

Legend
  •   Associations ranked 1–12 and eligible to enter two teams in each CAF club competition.
  • — No rank (0 Points)
More information Association, Rank (points) ...
AssociationRank (points)
201120122013201420152016201720182018–192019–202020–21 2021–222022–232023–242024–25
 Morocco8 (20)7 (27)4 (62)5 (53)4 (44)7 (29)7 (24)6 (41)4 (84)2 (153)1 (190)1 (183)1 (194)1 (180)2 (148)
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Club ranking for the 2024–25 CAF club season

The club ranking is used for seeding in the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup. Pending equality in ranking points, the team receiving more points in the previous season is considered as the higher-ranked team.[52]

The club ranking for the 2024–25 CAF Champions League and the 2024–25 CAF Confederation Cup is be based on results from each CAF club competition from the 2019–20 to the 2023–24 seasons.

More information Rank, Club ...
RankClub2019–20
(× 1)
2020–21
(× 2)
2021–22
(× 3)
2022–23
(× 4)
2023–24
(× 5)
Total
1Egypt Al Ahly SC 66566 87
2Tunisia ES Tunis 34345 61
3Morocco Wydad AC 44652 60
4South Africa Mamelodi Sundowns 33344 54
5Egypt Zamalek SC 52225 48
6Morocco RS Berkane 51504 42
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12Morocco Raja CA 45330 35
36Morocco AS FAR 00020 8
58Morocco HUS Agadir 30000 3

Clubs

2025-2026 season

Stadium and locations

Locations of the 2025–26 Botola teams

Stadiums

Current stadiums

More information Casablanca, Tanger ...
Casablanca Tanger Rabat Agadir Rabat
Stade Mohammed V Ibn Batouta Stadium Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium Adrar Stadium Moulay Hassan Stadium
Capacity: 45,000 Capacity: 75,000 Capacity: 68,000 Capacity: 45,480 Capacity: 22,000
Fes Meknes Safi Berkane Rabat
Fez Stadium Honneur Stadium El Massira Stadium Berkane Municipal Stadium Al Medina Stadium
Capacity: 45,000 Capacity: 12,000 Capacity: 8,000 Capacity: 15,000 Capacity: 18,000
Marrakesh Rabat Zemamra El Jadida
Marrakesh Stadium Rabat Olympic Stadium Ahmed Choukri Stadium Ben M'Hamed El Abdi Stadium
Capacity: 45,240 Capacity: 21,000 Capacity: 1,000 Capacity: 10,000
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Other stadiums

More information Mohammedia, Marrakesh ...
Mohammedia Marrakesh Khemisset Kenitra
El Bachir Stadium El Harti Stadium 18 November Stadium Kenitra Municipal Stadium
Capacity: 15,000 Capacity: 10,000 Capacity: 5,000 Capacity: 28,000
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List of champions

Performance by club

More information Rank, Club ...
Rank Club Winners Seasons
1 Wydad AC
22
1947–48, 1948–49, 1949–50, 1950–51, 1954–55, 1956–57, 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, 2020–21, 2021–22
2 Raja CA
13
1987–88, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2003–04, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2019–20, 2023–24
3 AS FAR
13
1960–61, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1969–70, 1983–84, 1986–87, 1988–89, 2004–05, 2007–08, 2022–23
4 MAS Fes
4
1964–65, 1978–79, 1982–83, 1984–85
Kenitra AC
4
1959–60, 1972–73, 1980–81, 1981–82
6 RAC Casablanca
3
1944–45, 1953–54, 1971–72
Stade Marocain
3
1927–28, 1930–31, 1943–44
8 MA Tétouan
2
2011–12, 2013–14
HUS Agadir
2
2001–02, 2002–03
KAC Marrakech
2
1957–58, 1991–92
11 RS Berkane
1
2024–25
IR Tanger
1
2017–18
FUS Rabat
1
2015–16
OC Khouribga
1
2006–07
COD Meknès
1
1994–95
CO Casablanca
1
1993–94
SCC Mohammédia
1
1979–80
MC Oujda
1
1974–75
Raja Beni Mellal
1
1973–74
RS Settat
1
1970–71
EJS Casablanca
1
1958–59
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By city

By region

Performance comparison since 2011

Performance comparison of top teams since 2011.

More information Teams, 11–12 ...
Teams11–1212–1313–1414–1515–1616–1717–1818–1919–2020–2121–2222–2323–2424–25
WAC346121[a]21[a]211[a]253
RCA412853[a]62[a]122[a]515
ASFAR7271146814633[a]122
MAT15146121113716-13915
FUS26351[a]7494105374
IRT----351514813141210
DHJ5957132581111816-9
OCK10131421211121115-1015--
RSB-7997497346631
HUSA1210868833861271013
MAS63141016[b]----7410117
KACM--4314131415------
OCS8121112997413117468
  League champions
  Champions League
  Confederation Cup
  Arab Cup
  Relegation
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  1. Participated also in the Arab Cup.
  2. Despite relegation, MAS qualified for the Confederation Cup as Throne Cup winners.

All-time Botola Pro table (since 2011)

The all-time Botola Pro table is an overall record of all match results, points, and goals of every team that has played in Botola Pro since its new format inception in 2011.

More information Pos, Team ...
All-time Botola Pro table (2011–)
Pos Team S Pts GP W D L GF GA GD 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th T Debut Since/
Last App
Best
1Wydad AC1478642021912972608342+26654211132011–122011–121
2Raja CA1476042020913378611349+26234113122011–122011–121
3AS FAR14682420182136102561400+161132172011–122011–121
4FUS Rabat14654420171141108485362+1231123292011–122011–121
5RS Berkane1359439014914794432338+9412242012–132012–131
6OC Safi14540420130150140419470−51222011–122011–124
7HUS Agadir14530[a]420132136152449478−29222011–122011–123
8DH Jadida13523390129135126419413+61342011–122024–252
9MA Tétouan13517390128133129416421−521142011–122024–251
10IR Tanger103873009893109297328−3111242015–162015–161
11OC Khouribga11383[b]33092109129323392−69112011–122019–202
12MAS Fès103703008412888309303+61122011–122020–213
13CR Al Hoceima8265[c]2406472104215295−802011–122018–198
14MC Oujda7244210596784215261−46222015–162023–245
15KAC Marrakech6220180555570183204−211122013–142025–263
16Kenitra AC6185180416277151222−712011–122016–1711
17RC Oued Zem5172150405258132167−352017–182017–189
18CAY Berrechid5154150364668138206−682018–192023–246
19RCA Zemamra4151120403149140145−52019–202020–218
20SCC Mohammédia5129150294279112204−922020–212024–259
21JS Soualem4124[d]120323157120166−462021–222024–259
22UTS Rabat31159029283399107−8112022–232022–234
23COD Meknès396[e]9024254171110−392011–122024–2510
24CA Khénifra3959021323778102−242014–152017–1810
25WA Fes3899019323977112−352011–122013–1411
26IZ Khemisset251601021293872−342011–122014–1516
27R Beni Mellal23660521343584−492012–132019–2016
28AS Sale12930611132533−82013–142013–1415
29JS Massira1283077162442−182011–122011–1215
30JS Kasba Tadla1283077162547−222016–172016–1715
31RAC Casablanca1173038192254−322017–182017–1816
32US Yacoub El Mansour10300000002025–262025–26
33Olympique Dcheira10300000002025–262025–26
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League or status for 202526 season
2025–26 Botola
2025–26 Botola 2
2025–26 National
2025–26 Amateur I
2025–26 Amateur II
2025–26 Regional League
Club no longer exists
  1. HUSA deducted 2 points due to the involvement of 4 foreign players against CRA in 2011/12 Season
  2. OCK deducted 2 points because of two matches being awarded against them in 2013/14 season
  3. 2 points were added to CRA in 2011/12 season because of HUSA's inclusion of 4 foreign players against them. And in 2013/14 season 1 point deducted because of one match being awarded against them
  4. JSS deducted 3 points Because his coach Mohamed El Sebki was on the bench of his club without being legally qualified, in the match he won against US Touarga 1–0 in the 2023/24 season
  5. CODM deducted 1 point after the masses rioted in front of MAS 2011/12 season

Player records

Most goals (since 2011)

The table shows the Botola Pro top scorers since its new format inception in 2011. The table is accurate as of the end of the 2024–25 season[citation needed].

Boldface indicates a player still active in Botola Pro1. Italics indicates a player still active outside Botola Pro1.

More information Rank, Player ...
Rank Player Club(s) Years active Goals
1 Morocco Mouhcine Iajour Wydad AC (5), Raja CA (53), MA Tétouan (12), RS Berkane (9) 2011–2015, 2017–2019, 2020–2179
2 Morocco Zakaria Hadraf DH Jadidi (52), Raja CA (10), RS Berkane (5), RCA Zemamra (5) 2011–2019, 2020–2024 72
3 Morocco Mehdi Naghmi AS FAR (41), IR Tanger (22), MC Oujda (3) 2011–2020, 2022 66
4 Morocco Abdelilah Hafidi Raja CA (50) 2011–2021, 2023–2024 50
Morocco Brahim El Bahraoui OC Safi (13), Fath US (7), RC Oued Zem (16), RS Berkane (14) 2011–
6 Morocco Abdessamad El Mobarky CR Al Hoceima (35), RS Berkane (1), RCA Zemamra (12) 2011–202148
7 Morocco Reda Hajhouj Wydad AC (15), OC Khouribga (21), Fath US (11) 2014–2017, 2017–2018, 2020–2022, 2024– 47
8 Ivory Coast Lamine Diakite DH Jadidi (4), Fath US (8), MC Oujda (21), AS FAR (13) 2014– 46
Morocco Hamid Ahaddad DH Jadidi (17), Raja CA (16), Fath US (9), MAS Fes (4) 2015–2018, 2019–2020, 2021–
10 Morocco Jalal Daoudi DH Jadidi (2), Fath US (1), HUS Agadir (34), AS FAR (4), Wydad AC (3) 2011–2019, 2021–2023 44
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The historical top scorer of the competition is Ahmed Faras with 127 goals.

See also

References

Notes

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