Botola
The Botola Pro (Arabic: البطولة الاحترافية, romanized: al-buṭūla l-iḥtirāfiyya), 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.
 | |
| Organising body | Royal Moroccan Football Federation |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1956 |
| Country | Morocco |
| Confederation | CAF |
| Number of teams | 16 |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Relegation to | Botola 2 |
| Domestic cup(s) | Moroccan Throne Cup Moroccan Super Cup |
| International cup(s) | CAF Champions League CAF Confederation Cup |
| Current champions | Wydad AC (21st title) (2021–22) |
| Most championships | Wydad AC (21 titles) |
| TV partners | Al Aoula, Arryadiya |
| Current: 2021–22 Botola | |
The Botola Pro 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 240 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 Inwi[1] and thus known as the Botola Pro Inwi. From 2015 to 2019, the league was called Botola Maroc Telecom for sponsorship reasons.
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 55 million MAD a year domestically as of 2015–16, with Arryadia securing the domestic rights to broadcast games respectively. The league generates 123 million MAD per year in domestic and international television rights.
The current champions are Wydad AC who won the title in 2020–21 season.[2]
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 2020, inwi 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.[3]
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, Kawkab Marrakech, Hassania Agadir, and Ittihad Tanger
Qualification for African competitions
Association ranking for 2021–22 CAF competitions
Association ranking for 2021–22 CAF Champions League and 2021–22 CAF Confederation Cup will be based on results from each CAF tournament (Champions League and Confederation Cup) from 2017 to 2020–21.
- Legend
- CL: CAF Champions League
- CC: CAF Confederation Cup
- Associations ranked 1–12 and eligible to enter two teams in each CAF tournament (Champions League and Confederation Cup)
| Rank | Association | 2017 (× 1) | 2018 (× 3) | 2018–19 (× 3) | 2019–20 (× 4) | 2020–21 (× 5) | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2020 | Mvt | CL | CC | CL | CC | CL | CC | CL | CC | CL | CC | ||
| 1 | 1 |  — |  Morocco |
6 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 183 |
| 2 | 2 | — |  Egypt |
7 | 0.5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 11 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 173.5 |
| 3 | 3 | — |  Tunisia |
7 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 131 |
| 4 | 5 |  +1 |  Algeria |
4 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 109 |
| 5 | 6 | +1 |  South Africa |
3 | 4.5 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0.5 | 8 | 2 | 93.5 |
| 6 | 4 |  –2 |  DR Congo |
1 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 75 |
| 7 | 9 | +2 |  Guinea |
0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 38 |
| 8 | 8 | — |  Nigeria |
0 | 0.5 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 37.5 |
| 9 | 7 | –2 |  Zambia |
2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2.5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1.5 | 35 |
| 10 | 10 | — |  Angola |
0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0.5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 31.5 |
Stadiums
Current stadiums
| Casablanca | Rabat | Agadir | Tanger |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stade Mohamed V | Stade Moulay Abdellah | Stade Adrar | Stade de Tanger |
| Capacity: 67,000 | Capacity: 53,000 | Capacity: 45,000 | Capacity: 45,000 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Fes | Oujda | El Jadida | Tétouan |
| Fez Stadium | Honneur Stadium | Stade El Abdi | Stade Saniat Rmel |
| Capacity: 45,000 | Capacity: 35,000 | Capacity: 15,000 | Capacity: 15,000 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Safi | Berkane | Rabat | Berrechid |
| Stade El Massira | Stade Municipal de Berkane | Stade Moulay Hassan | Stade Municipal de Berrechid |
| Capacity: 15,000 | Capacity: 15,000 | Capacity: 12,000 | Capacity: 10,000 |
 |
 |
 |
Other stadiums
| Marrakech | El Aaiún | Meknes | Kénitra |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stade de Marrakech | Stade Cheikh Laaghdef | Stade d'Honneur | Stade Municipal de Kénitra |
| Capacity: 45,000 | Capacity: 30,000 | Capacity: 20,000 | Capacity: 15,000 |
 |
.jpg.webp) | ||
| Al Hoceima | Khouribga | ||
| Stade Mimoun Al Arsi | Complexe OCP | ||
| Capacity: 12,000 | Capacity: 10,000 | ||
|
List of champions
Performances
Performance by club
| Club | Winners | Runners-up | Winning Seasons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wydad AC⭐⭐ | 21 |
12 |
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 |
| Raja CA⭐ | 12 |
10 |
1987–88, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2003–04, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2019-20 |
| ASFAR⭐ | 12 |
7 |
1960–61, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1969–70, 1983–84, 1986–87, 1988–89, 2004–05, 2007–08 |
| Maghreb Fez | 4 |
7 |
1964–65, 1978–79, 1982–83, 1984–85 |
| KAC Kenitra | 4 |
2 |
1959–60, 1972–73, 1980–81, 1981–82 |
| Kawkab Marrakech | 2 |
6 |
1957–58, 1991–92 |
| Hassania Agadir | 2 |
1 |
2001–02, 2002–03 |
| Moghreb Tétouan | 2 |
– |
2011–12, 2013–14 |
| FUS Rabat | 1 |
5 |
2015–16 |
| Olympique Khouribga | 1 |
3 |
2006–07 |
| Racing de Casablanca | 1 |
2 |
1971–72 |
| Renaissance de Settat | 1 |
2 |
1970–71 |
| IR Tanger | 1 |
1 |
2017–18 |
| Olympique de Casablanca | 1 |
1 |
1993–94 |
| Mouloudia Oujda | 1 |
1 |
1974–75 |
| CODM de Meknès | 1 |
– |
1994–95 |
| Chabab Mohammédia | 1 |
– |
1979–80 |
| Raja de Beni Mellal | 1 |
– |
1973–74 |
| Étoile de Casablanca | 1 |
– |
1958–59 |
Performance comparison since 2011
Performance comparison of top teams since 2011.
| Teams | 11–12 | 12–13 | 13–14 | 14–15 | 15–16 | 16–17 | 17–18 | 18–19 | 19–20 | 20–21 | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WAC | 3 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 1[lower-alpha 1] | 2 | 1[lower-alpha 1] | 2 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||
| RCA | 4 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 3[lower-alpha 1] | 6 | 2[lower-alpha 1] | 1 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||
| FUS | 2 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 1[lower-alpha 1] | 7 | 4 | 9 | 4 | 10 | |||||||||||||||||||
| MAT | 1 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 7 | 16 | |||||||||||||||||||
| DHJ | 5 | 9 | 5 | 7 | 13 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 11 | 11 | |||||||||||||||||||
| IRT | - | - | - | - | 3 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 14 | 8 | |||||||||||||||||||
| MAS | 6 | 3 | 14 | 10 | 16[lower-alpha 2] | - | - | - | - | 7 | |||||||||||||||||||
| FAR | 7 | 2 | 7 | 11 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 6 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||
| HUSA | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||
| RSB | - | 7 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||
| League champions Champions League Confederation Cup Arab Championship Relegation | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- Participated also in the Arab Championship.
- 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. The table is accurate as of the end of the 2020–21 season. Teams in bold are part of the 2021–22 Botola season.
| Pos | Team | S | Pts | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | T | Debut | Since/ Last App |
Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wydad AC | 10 | 559 | 300 | 155 | 94 | 51 | 439 | 243 | +196 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | – | 9 | 2011–12 | 2011–12 | 1 |
| 2 | Raja CA | 10 | 536 | 300 | 148 | 92 | 60 | 449 | 262 | +187 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 2011–12 | 2011–12 | 1 |
| 3 | Fath US | 10 | 460 | 300 | 119 | 103 | 78 | 330 | 262 | +68 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 2011–12 | 2011–12 | 1 |
| 4 | AS FAR | 10 | 439 | 300 | 111 | 106 | 83 | 360 | 306 | +54 | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | 3 | 2011–12 | 2011–12 | 2 |
| 5 | MA Tétouan | 10 | 429 | 300 | 110 | 99 | 91 | 336 | 312 | +24 | 2 | – | – | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2011–12 | 2020–21 | 1 |
| 6 | DH Jadida | 10 | 418 | 300 | 104 | 105 | 91 | 327 | 287 | +40 | – | 1 | – | – | 3 | 4 | 2011–12 | 2011–12 | 2 |
| 7 | HUS Agadir | 10 | 393[lower-alpha 1] | 300 | 97 | 104 | 99 | 327 | 338 | −11 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | 2011–12 | 2011–12 | 3 |
| 8 | RS Berkane | 9 | 387 | 270 | 93 | 108 | 69 | 275 | 239 | +36 | – | – | 1 | 2 | – | 3 | 2012–13 | 2012–13 | 3 |
| 9 | OC Safi | 10 | 364 | 300 | 86 | 106 | 108 | 290 | 356 | −66 | – | – | – | 1 | – | 1 | 2011–12 | 2011–12 | 4 |
| 10 | OC Khouribga | 9 | 319[lower-alpha 2] | 270 | 79 | 84 | 107 | 262 | 319 | −57 | – | 1 | – | – | – | 1 | 2011–12 | 2019–20 | 2 |
| 11 | CR Al Hoceima | 8 | 265[lower-alpha 3] | 240 | 64 | 72 | 104 | 215 | 295 | −80 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2011–12 | 2018–19 | 8 |
| 12 | IR Tanger | 6 | 255 | 180 | 66 | 57 | 57 | 179 | 173 | +6 | 1 | – | 1 | – | 2 | 4 | 2015–16 | 2015–16 | 1 |
| 13 | KAC Marrakech | 6 | 220 | 180 | 55 | 55 | 70 | 183 | 204 | −21 | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | 2 | 2013–14 | 2018–19 | 3 |
| 14 | Maghreb AS | 6 | 211 | 180 | 48 | 77 | 55 | 186 | 189 | −3 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 2011–12 | 2020–21 | 3 |
| 15 | Kenitra AC | 6 | 185 | 180 | 41 | 62 | 77 | 151 | 222 | −71 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2011–12 | 2016–17 | 11 |
| 16 | MC Oujda | 4 | 154 | 120 | 39 | 37 | 44 | 130 | 142 | −12 | – | – | – | – | 2 | 2 | 2015–16 | 2018–19 | 5 |
| 17 | RC Oued Zem | 4 | 143 | 120 | 33 | 44 | 43 | 113 | 128 | −15 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2017–18 | 2017–18 | 9 |
| 18 | CAY Berrechid | 3 | 108 | 90 | 27 | 27 | 36 | 92 | 114 | −22 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2018–19 | 2018–19 | 6 |
| 19 | CA Khénifra | 3 | 95 | 90 | 21 | 32 | 37 | 78 | 102 | −24 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2014–15 | 2017–18 | 10 |
| 20 | WA Fes | 3 | 89 | 90 | 19 | 32 | 39 | 77 | 112 | −35 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2011–12 | 2013–14 | 11 |
| 21 | RCA Zemamra | 2 | 64 | 60 | 15 | 19 | 26 | 71 | 81 | −10 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2019–20 | 2020–21 | 12 |
| 22 | COD Meknès | 2 | 60[lower-alpha 4] | 60 | 15 | 16 | 29 | 44 | 66 | −22 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2011–12 | 2012–13 | 10 |
| 23 | IZ Khemisset | 2 | 51 | 60 | 10 | 21 | 29 | 38 | 72 | −34 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2011–12 | 2014–15 | 16 |
| 24 | R Beni Mellal | 2 | 36 | 60 | 5 | 21 | 34 | 35 | 84 | −49 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2012–13 | 2019–20 | 16 |
| 25 | SCC Mohammédia | 1 | 35 | 30 | 7 | 14 | 9 | 26 | 25 | +1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2020–21 | 2020–21 | 9 |
| 26 | AS Sale | 1 | 29 | 30 | 6 | 11 | 13 | 25 | 33 | −8 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2013–14 | 2013–14 | 15 |
| 27 | JS Massira | 1 | 28 | 30 | 7 | 7 | 16 | 24 | 42 | −18 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2011–12 | 2011–12 | 15 |
| 28 | JS Kasbah Tadla | 1 | 28 | 30 | 7 | 7 | 16 | 25 | 47 | −22 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2016–17 | 2016–17 | 15 |
| 29 | Racing AC | 1 | 17 | 30 | 3 | 8 | 19 | 22 | 54 | −32 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2017–18 | 2017–18 | 16 |
| 30 | JS Soualem | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2021–22 | – | – |
| 2021–22 Botola | |
| 2021–22 Botola 2 | |
| 2021-22 Amateur National | |
| 2021–22 Amateur Division I |
- HUSA deducted 2 points due to the involvement of 4 foreign players against CRA in 2011/12 Season
- OCK deducted 2 points because of two matches being awarded against them in 2013/14 season
- 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
- CODM deducted 1 point after the masses rioted in front of MAS 2011/12 season
Top scorers
Player records
Most goals
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 2020–21 season.
Boldface indicates a player still active in Botola Pro1. Italics indicates a player still active outside Botola Pro1.
| Rank | Player | Club(s) | Years active | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mouhcine Iajour |
Wydad AC (5), Raja CA (53), MA Tétouan (12), RS Berkane (9) | 2011–2015, 2017–2019, 2020– | 79 |
| 2 | Mehdi Naghmi |
AS FAR (40), IR Tanger (21), MC Oujda (3) | 2011–2020 | 64 |
| 3 | Zakaria Hadraf |
DH Jadidi (47), Raja CA (9), RS Berkane (5) | 2011–2019, 2020– | 61 |
| 4 | Abdelilah Hafidi |
Raja CA (49) | 2011– | 50 |
| 5 | Abdessamad El Mobarky |
CR Al Hoceima (35), RS Berkane (1), RCA Zemamra (12) | 2011– | 48 |
| 6 | Jalal Daoudi |
DH Jadidi (2), Fath US (1), HUS Agadir (34), AS FAR (4) | 2011–2019, 2021– | 41 |
| 7 | Karim El Berkaoui |
HUS Agadir (40) | 2013–2020 | 40 |
| 8 | Reda Hajhouj |
Wydad AC (15), OC Khouribga (21), Fath US (3) | 2014–2018, 2018– | 39 |
| 9 | Brahim El Bahraoui |
OC Safi (8), Fath US (7), RC Oued Zem (16), RS Berkane (6) | 2011– | 37 |
| Mourad Batna |
HUS Agadir (5), Fath US (32) | 2011–2016 |
See also
- Sport in Morocco
- Moroccan football league (1916 – 1955)
Notes
References
- "Inwi nouveau sponsor de la Botola Pro".
- "الوداد يحقق رسميا "درع البطولة" الـ21 في تاريخه بعد انتصار في قلب وجدة" [Wydad officially achieves the 21st "Championship Shield" in its history after a victory in the heart of Oujda]. www.elbotola.com (in Arabic). Retrieved 2021-07-14.
- La SNRT décroche les droits TV du GNF Archived July 10, 2009, at the Wayback Machine www.lavieeco.com
- "Mehdi Naghmi meilleur buteur".
External links
- BOTOLA FACEBOOK Archived 2020-11-04 at the Wayback Machine
- League at fifa.com
- RSSSF competition history
- Botola 1 - Hailoosport.com (Arabic)
- Botola 1 - Hailoosport.com
| |||||
| National teams |
| ||||
| League system |
| ||||
| Domestic cups |
| ||||
| Awards |
| ||||
| Lists |
| ||||
| |||||