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The Botola Pro (Arabic: البطولة الإحترافيّة, romanized: al-buṭūla l-iḥtirāfiyya) (Tamazight: ⵜⴰⵍⵖⵓⵖⴰ ⵜⴰⵖⴻⵍⵏⴰⵡⵜ ⵜⴰⵙⴰⴷⵓⵔⴰⵏⵜ), 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. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Botola 2.

Quick Facts Organising body, Founded ...
Botola
Organising bodyRoyal Moroccan Football Federation
Founded11 June 1915; 109 years ago (1915-06-11)
2012 (current format)
CountryMorocco
ConfederationCAF
Number of clubs16
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toBotola 2
Domestic cup(s)Moroccan Throne Cup
International cup(s)CAF Champions League
CAF Confederation Cup
Current championsRaja CA (13th title)
(2023–24)
Most championshipsWydad AC (22 titles)
TV partnersSNRT (Arryadia)
Current: 2024–25 Botola
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Seasons run from August to May, with teams playing 30 matches each (playing each team in the league twice, home and away) totaling 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 FRMF 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 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.[2][3] They also produced the highest number of CAF Confederation Cup titles, with five Moroccan clubs having won seven African confederation trophies.[4]

The current champions are Raja CA who won the title in 2023–24 season with an undefeated record, which is a first in the league's history.[5]

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History

Thumb
Botola trophy

The Moroccan Football Championship was launched in the Sultanate in 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.[6] In the following season, the Kawkab Marrakech club was crowned, and then the following two seasons were crowned by the youth star and KAC Kénitra.[7][8][9]

The start of great rivalry (1960–1970)

AS FAR dominated the championship for four consecutive seasons despite the competition being played by strong teams, namely Maghreb de Fès and Kawkab Marrakech, where the Askari Club was able to enter history as the first club to achieve four consecutive titles in the years (1961–1964).[10][11][12][13] Then in the 1964–1965 season, Maghreb de Fès 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.[14][15][16]

New champions (1971–1995)

New teams were able to crown the championship title during this period, including RS Settat,[17] Racing de Casablanca,[18] Raja Beni Mellal,[19] MC Oujda,[20] SCC Mohammédia,[21] 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 Maghreb de Fès 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, KAC Kénitra won the league.[22]

Maghreb de Fès was able to add two more titles to its treasury at this stage. KAC Kénitra managed to win two successive titles,[23][24] while Olympique de Casablanca won their first title,[25] 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 Kawkab 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.[26]

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.[27] Appearing in 3 CAF Champions League Final winning 2 but losing the 2002 CAF Champions League Final[28] and ending 7th in the 2000 FIFA Club World Championship.[29]

New champions (2002–2011)

Hassania Agadir managed to win the championship twice in a row, despite the competition from the two poles of the economic capital.[30] After that, the tournament became more exciting between the two poles of Casablanca, Wydad and ASFAR as the tournament was not decided until the last two rounds or the last round. FAR and Wydad Casablanca won two titles, while Olympique Khouribga won its first title in its history.[31] While Raja 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.[32]

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 Maghreb Tetouan club for the first time in its history.[33] Raja CA managed to win the title in the 2012–13 season, then followed by Maghreb Tetouan in the 2013–14 Botola.[34] In the 2014–15 season, Wydad Casablanca 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,[35] while Wydad Casablanca 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.[36] On 4 October 2020, the FRMF introduced the Virtual Offside Line in Botola.[37] Botola has been ranked in the top 40 world's strongest national league of the decade by International Federation of Football History & Statistics.[38] On 25 May 2021, Botola was placed third as the best African league of the world of the second decade (2011-2020) by IFFHS.[39] 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.[40] Since 2018, Botola has been ranked top 3 strongest African leagues by IFFHS.[41][42]

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Competition format

There are 16 clubs in the Botola. 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 and the Botola 2. The two lowest placed teams in the Botola are relegated to the Botola 2, and the top two teams from the Botola 2 promoted to the Botola.

More information Period (in years), No. of clubs ...
Number of clubs in Botola throughout the years
Period (in years) No. of clubs
1956–1958 16 clubs
1958–1966 14 clubs
1966–67 16 clubs
1967–68 18 clubs
1968–1980 16 clubs
1980–81 20 clubs
1981–82 18 clubs
1982–1985 16 clubs
1985–86 20 clubs
1986–87 24 clubs (2 groups) + playoffs
1987–88 18 clubs
1988–present 16 clubs
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Sponsorship

Since 2020, inwi has been the official sponsor of the Botola for a 15 million dirham per year contract.[43]

More information Period, Sponsor ...
Period Sponsor Brand
2011–2015No sponsorBotola Pro
2015–2019Maroc TelecomBotola Maroc Telecom[44]
2019–2020No sponsorBotola Pro 1
2020–presentInwiBotola Pro 1 Inwi[45]
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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.[46]

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 the first in the CAF 5-year ranking of African leagues based on their performances in African competitions over a five-year period, ahead of Egypt's Egyptian Premier League and Tunisia's Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1.

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 Maghreb de Fès, are four of the most successful teams in African competition history. Hassania Agadir, Olympique Club de Khouribga, Difaâ Hassani El Jadidi and Fath Union Sport are the joint fourth-most participating Moroccan team in the Champions League with Maghreb de Fès — 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.[47]

Moroccan Clubs are the most titled in the CAF Confederation Cup with 7 titles and the second most titled Clubs in the CAF Champions League and CAF Super Cup. FAR Rabat became the first Moroccan club to play back-to-back finals in the African Confederation Cup winning the 2005 Confederation Cup[48] and losing the 2006 Confederation Cup.[49]

Qualification for African competitions

Association ranking for 2023–24 CAF competitions

Association ranking for 2023–24 CAF Champions League and 2023–24 CAF Confederation Cup will be based on results from each CAF tournament (Champions League and Confederation Cup) from 2018–19 to the 2022–23 season.

Legend
  • CL: CAF Champions League
  • CC: CAF Confederation Cup
  •   Associations ranked 1–12 are eligible to enter two teams in each CAF club competition.
More information Rank, Association ...
RankAssociation2018–19
(× 1)
2019–20
(× 2)
2020–21
(× 3)
2021–22
(× 4)
2022-23
(× 5)
Total
20232022MvtCLCCCLCCCLCCCLCCCLCC
11- Morocco 5788469582 180
22- Egypt 45116837482.5 172.5
33- Algeria 5131657165 134
45+1 +1 South Africa 6030.5825443 114
54-1 -1 Tunisia 8660435142 101
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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 2021–222022–232023–24
 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)
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Club ranking for the 2023–24 CAF club season

The club ranking is used for seeding in the 2 CAF club competitions; the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup. Pending equality in ranking points, the team receiving more points in the previous season will be considered as the higher-ranked team.[50]

The club ranking for the 2023–24 CAF Champions League and the 2023–24 CAF Confederation Cup was based on results from each CAF club competition from 2018-19 to the 2022–23 season.

More information Rank, Club ...
RankClub2018-19
(× 1)
2019-20
(× 2)
2020-21
(× 3)
2021-22
(× 4)
2022-23
(× 5)
Total
1Egypt Al-Ahly 36656 83
2Morocco Wydad AC 54465 74
3Tunisia Espérance de Tunis 63434 56
4South Africa Mamelodi Sundowns 43334 51
5Morocco Raja CA 14533 51
6Egypt Zamalek 55222 39
7Morocco RS Berkane 45150 37
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30Morocco ASFAR Rabat 00002 10
37Morocco Hassania Agadir 23000 8
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Stadiums

Current stadiums

More information Casablanca, Tanger ...
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Other stadiums

More information Marrakech, El Aaiún ...
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List of champions

Performance by club

More information Club, Winners ...
Club Winners Runners-up Winning Seasons
Wydad AC ⭐⭐
22
17
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
Raja CA
13
12
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
ASFAR
13
8
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
Maghreb Fes
4
7
1964–65, 1978–79, 1982–83, 1984–85
KAC Kenitra
4
2
1959–60, 1972–73, 1980–81, 1981–82
Racing de Casablanca
3
6
1944–45, 1953–54, 1971–72
Stade Marocain
3
4
1927–28, 1930–31, 1943–44
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
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
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By city

By region

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Performance comparison since 2011

Performance comparison of top teams since 2011.

More information Teams, 11–12 ...
Teams11–1212–1313–1414–1515–1616–1717–1818–1919–2020–2121–2222–2323–24
WAC346121[a]21[a]211[a]25
RCA412853[a]62[a]122[a]51
ASFAR7271146814633[a]12
MAT15146121113716-139
FUS26351[a]749410537
IRT----3515148131412
DHJ5957132581111816-
OCK10131421211121115-1015-
RSB-799749734663
HUSA12108688338612710
MAS63141016[b]----741011
KACM--4314131415-----
OCS812111299741311746
  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. The table is accurate as of the end of the 2023–24 season. Teams in bold are part of the 2024–25 Botola season.

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 AC1373239020511768563315+24854111122011–122011–121
2Raja CA1371239019712172573324+24934112112011–122011–121
3AS FAR1362539016612797513376+137122162011–122011–121
4Fath US13601390156133101432336+961122282011–122011–121
5RS Berkane1252436012814092383324+592242012–132012–133
6HUS Agadir13501[a]390124131135418440−22222011–122011–123
7MA Tétouan12494360123125112391381+1021142011–122020–211
8OC Safi13494390118140132382437−55222011–122011–124
9DH Jadida12481360118126116383371+121342011–122024–252
10OC Khouribga11383[b]33092109129323392−69112011–122019–202
11IR Tanger9350270898398262291−2911242015–162015–161
12Maghreb AS93242707211880275274+11122011–122020–213
13CR Al Hoceima8265[c]2406472104215295−802011–122018–198
14MC Oujda7244210596784215261−46222015–162023–245
15KAC Marrakech6220180555570183204−211122013–142018–193
16Kenitra AC6185180416277151222−712011–122016–1711
17RC Oued Zem5172150405258132167−352017–182017–189
18CAY Berrechid5154150364668138206−682018–192023–246
19SCC Mohammédia412512029385399133−342020–212020–219
20RCA Zemamra310490262638106116−102019–202020–218
21JS Soualem399[d]9026244099124−252021–222021–229
22CA Khénifra3959021323778102−242014–152017–1810
23WA Fes3899019323977112−352011–122013–1411
24US Touarga280602117227073−3112022–232022–234
25COD Meknès260[e]601516294466−222011–122024–2510
26IZ Khemisset251601021293872−342011–122014–1516
27R Beni Mellal23660521343584−492012–132019–2016
28AS Sale12930611132533−82013–142013–1415
29JS Massira1283077162442−182011–122011–1215
30JS Kasbah Tadla1283077162547−222016–172016–1715
31Racing AC1173038192254−322017–182017–1816
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League or status for 202425 season
2024–25 Botola
2024–25 Botola 2
2024-25 Amateur National
2024–25 Amateur Division I
2024–25 Amateur Division II
2024–25 Amateur Division III
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 2023–24 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– 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, 2023–50
5 Morocco Abdessamad El Mobarky CR Al Hoceima (35), RS Berkane (1), RCA Zemamra (12) 2011–202148
6 Morocco Reda Hajhouj Wydad AC (15), OC Khouribga (21), Fath US (11) 2014–2017, 2017–2018, 2020–2022 47
7 Morocco Brahim El Bahraoui OC Safi (9), Fath US (7), RC Oued Zem (16), RS Berkane (14) 2011– 46
8 Ivory Coast Lamine Diakite DH Jadidi (4), Fath US (7), MC Oujda (21), AS FAR (13) 2014– 45
9 Morocco Jalal Daoudi DH Jadidi (2), Fath US (1), HUS Agadir (34), AS FAR (4), Wydad AC (3) 2011–2019, 2021–2023 44
10 Morocco Ayoub Nanah DH Jadidi (24), Raja CA (6), Fath US (13) 2014– 43
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The historical top scorer of the competition is Ahmed Faras with 127 goals.

See also

Notes

    References

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