Pioneer Football League (Bangladesh)
Football league
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Pioneer Football League (Bengali: পাইওনিয়ার ফুটবল লিগ), also known as the Bangladesh Pioneer Football League, is an age-level league and also the sixth-tier of Bangladeshi football organised by Bangladesh Football Federation. The semi-finalists of the competition are promoted to the Dhaka Third Division Football League.[1][2][3] As the tournament is considered to be the lowest level of Bangladeshi football, there is no limit on the number of teams that can participate and any club can apply to join the tournament.[4]
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| |
| Founded | 1981 |
|---|---|
| Country | Bangladesh |
| Confederation | AFC |
| Number of clubs | 46 |
| Level on pyramid | 4 (1981–1992) 5 (1993–2011) 6 (2012–present) |
| Promotion to | Dhaka Third Division League |
| Current champions | Barishal Academy (2021–22) |
| Website | www |
History
The league unofficially started on 29 April 1980. A total of 160 teams participated in the qualifiers, from which 80 teams got a chance in the final stage. But the tournament was not registered as the Bangladesh Football Federation did not determine a champion and runner-up team. The Pioneer League officially started in 1981. In its first edition the league was inaugurated by the Speaker of the National Assembly (MNA), Shamsul Huda Chaudhury.[5]
on September 24, 1983, the then FIFA President João Havelange inaugurated the league at the Dhaka Stadium. The next few editions saw the league being inaugurated by Prime Minister's Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina.[5]
Format
- As of 2021–2022[1]
- A total of 46 teams were split into five zones - Central, East, West, North and South.
- The matches will be held at the five different venues- Paltan Outer Stadium, Gopibagh Brother Union ground, Mirpur Golartek ground, Uttara Sector 14 ground and Fatullah Aliganj ground. Each venue will host 2 groups.
- A total of 20 teams will play in the Super League, two from each zone. In the Super League, 20 teams will play in four groups.
- The four group champions will play the semi-finals. These four semi-finalists will advance to the Dhaka Third Division Football League.
Structure
- As of February 2025.
| Level | Division | Class |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bangladesh Football League 10 clubs  teams relegated |
Professional |
| 2 | Bangladesh Championship League 10 clubs  2 teams promoted 2 teams relegated | |
| 3 | Dhaka Senior Division League 18 clubs 4 teams promoted 2 teams relegated |
Semi-professional |
| 4 | Dhaka Second Division League 15 clubs 2 teams promoted 2 teams relegated | |
| 5 | Dhaka Third Division League 15 clubs 2 teams promoted 2 teams relegated | |
| 6 | Bangladesh Pioneer League Unlimited number of clubs 4 teams promotedNo relegation |
Amateur |
Champions
| Season | Champion | Runner up | Third place | Fourth Place | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Khilgaon FA | Matuail Udayan | Nasrin FA | None | [6] |
| 2013–2014 | Narinda Junior Lions | Araf Sporting | Kollol Sangaa | None | [7] |
| 2014–15 | Bangladesh Ansar | Tangail FA | Fakirerpool STS | None | [8] |
| 2016 | Arambagh FA | Gazipur City FA | Bashundhara Kings | None | [9] |
| 2017 | Kingstar SC | City Club | Asaduzzaman FA | Wajed Miya KC | [10] |
| 2019–20 | Elias AC SS | Uttar Bongo | FC Brahmanbaria | Green Welfare Center | [11] |
| 2021–22 | Barishal Academy[12] | GV Kishor Bangla | Prantik Junior | Feni SA | [13] |
Individual awards
Top-scorer
| Season | Player | Club | Goals | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | Mohammad Jewel | Bangladesh Ansar | 22 | [8] |
| 2019–20 | Mahfuz Ahmed | Eskaton SSC | 20 | [11] |
| 2021–22 | Mehdi Hasan Minar | Skylark | 15 | [14] |
Player of the tournament
| Season | Player | Club | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021–22 | Raihan Mia | Barishal Academy | [12] |
Player of the final
| Season | Player | Club | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021–22 | Akash Islam | Barishal Academy | [12] |