Congo (Brazzaville) - List of Champions

Stanley Pool Championship 1923-1950

In 1931, Etoile de Poto-Poto (Brazzaville) won a first ever championship organised by the "fédération autonome indigène des sports athlétiques", involving 27 clubs; this club was later renamed Etoile du Congo. Other early clubs from Brazzaville included CA Brazzaville (founded 1910, also known as Eléphants, renamed CA Brazzaville 1926), an military club called 'Gobi' (also founded 1910), Napoléon I (founded 1927), Racing, Coqs de AEF, Nomades, Union and Independent (all existing in the 1930s). In 1933, the FAC (Fédération athlétique congolaise) was founded in Brazzaville by the Jenesco (Jeunesse sportive congolaise) organisation in Poto-Poto and the ASM (Association sportive missionnaire) of Bacongo. FAC changed name to Union Aéfienne de la Fédération sportive de France (UAFSF) in 1952, fouding the Ligue de football d'AEF in August 1953, which joined the FFF. In 1939, Olympic de Bacongo and ASM merged to found Diables Noirs (assuming their current name on 23 June 1950). Renaissance de Poto-Poto reportedly won the league of Brazzaville every year between 1945 and 1950.
In Pointe-Noire, a first league was organised in 1940 involving various military teams and ASP (l'Association sportive ponténégrine) as well as Etoile, Racing Club, Lune Sportive and Stade Africain (alle from Poto-Poto) and Olympic and Union Brazza (both from Bacongo); first champions were the navy team (Marine), which won the league in 1940 and 1945.
In 1947, three Brazzaville teams (Saint Vincent A and B and Centre Emile Maudzou) merged into EBR (Etudiants de la boule ronde), which soon disappeared and was integrated into the Renaissance club (a fore-runner of Etoile du Congo) as Renaissance B; in the 1955 sous-ligue of Brazzaville, Renaissance B beat the A team (meanwhile renamed Etoile du Congo) 2-1 in the final round, thereby depriving them of the championship (which went to AS Gendarmerie); after this, the two teams split and Renaissance B were renamed simply Renaissance, changing name again in 1963 to CARA (Club Athlétique Renaissance Aiglon).
In Dolisie, Etoile A and Etoile B were founded in 1951, changing name to Espoir du Niari and Charlemagne in 1953, respectively. AC Léopards were formed at the local protestant mission in 1954; the first official regional league in the Vallée du Niari was played in 1965.

In 1953 the first championship of the "Moyen Congo" was organised, won by Diables Noirs from Brazzaville (another source claims this happened in 1958).

The first edition of the championship of Congo (Brazzaville) (as an independent state) in 1961 was contested over 2 legs by the champions of Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire. After a 5-year interruption, the tournament was resumed, involving 3 clubs: the regional champions of Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Niari. The tournament continued with this formula until 1978.

From 1979 to 1992, a nationwide league with 10 to 14 teams was played, with matches in Brazzaville (Stade de la Révolution, nowadays called Stade Massamba-Débat), Dolisie (Stade Pont, nowadays Stade Denis Sassou Nguesso), Nkayi (Stade Suco) and Pointe-Noire (Stade Municipal).

Due to the political unrest in 1993 and difficulties with the CFCO (Chemin de Fer Congo Océan), the FECOFOOT reverted to a national play-off after the regional tournaments, with additional entries for the stronger leagues (in particular those of Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire).

Championship of Moyen-Congo

NB: prior to independence

   1953     Diables Noirs (Brazzaville)       [first ever edition]
   1958     Diables Noirs (Brazzaville)       3-1 4-2 AS Ponténégrine (Pointe-Noire)

Championship of Congo-Brazzaville/Congo

NB: since independence

national play-offs
   Season   champions                                 runners-up                        third
   1961     Diables Noirs (Brazzaville)           awd AS Cheminots (Pointe-Noire) [*2] 
   1962-66    not held [*1]
   1967     Etoile du Congo (Brazzaville)         bt  AC Léopards de Dolisie            AS Cheminots (Pointe-Noire)
   1968     Patronage Sainte Anne (Brazzaville)   bt  Abeilles (Pointe-Noire)           US Comirail (Makabana)
   1969     CARA (Brazzaville)                    bt  Abeilles (Pointe-Noire)           AS Cheminots (Dolisie)
   1970/71  Victoria Club Mokanda (Pointe-Noire)  bt  CARA (Brazzaville)                US Comirail (Makabana)
   1972       not held
   1973     CARA (Brazzaville)                    bt  Victoria Club Mokanda             AC Léopards de Dolisie
   1974       not held
   1975     CARA (Brazzaville)                    bt  AS Cheminots (Pointe-Noire)       US Comirail (Makabana)
   1976     Diables Noirs (Brazzaville)           bt  Vita Club Mokanda (Pointe-Noire)  AC Léopards de Dolisie
   1977/78  Etoile du Congo (Brazzaville)         bt  AS Cheminots (Pointe-Noire)       AS Cheminots (Dolisie)      
national league
Ed Season   champions                                 runners-up
 1 1979     Etoile du Congo (Brazzaville)             CARA (Brazzaville)
 2 1980     Etoile du Congo (Brazzaville)             CARA (Brazzaville)
 3 1981/82  CARA (Brazzaville)                        AS Cheminots (Pointe-Noire) 
 4 1982/83  Kotoko Mfoa (Brazzaville)                 Etoile du Congo (Brazzaville)   
 5 1983     Etoile du Congo (Brazzaville)             Telesport (Brazzaville)
 6 1984     CARA (Brazzaville)                        Etoile du Congo (Brazzaville)
 7 1985     Etoile du Congo (Brazzaville)             Inter Club (Brazzaville) 
 8 1986     Patronage Sainte Anne (Brazzaville)       Diables Noirs (Brazzaville)  
 9 1987     Etoile du Congo (Brazzaville)             Diables Noirs (Brazzaville)  
10 1988     Inter Club (Brazzaville)                  Patronage Sainte Anne (Brazzaville)    
11 1989     Etoile du Congo (Brazzaville)             Inter Club (Brazzaville) 
12 1990     Inter Club (Brazzaville)                  Patronage Sainte Anne (Brazzaville)    
13 1991     Diables Noirs (Brazzaville)               Etoile du Congo (Brazzaville)    
   1992-93    not held
14 1994       abandoned due to civil war
national play-offs; final result listed if known
   Season   champions                                 runners-up
   1995     AS Cheminots (Pointe-Noire)           1-0 Patronage Sainte Anne  (Brazzaville)
   1996     Munisport (Pointe-Noire)              1-0 AS Cheminots (Pointe-Noire)  
   1997     Munisport (Pointe-Noire)              bt  Union Sport (Brazzaville)
   1998     Vita Club Mokanda (Pointe-Noire)      1-0 Etoile du Congo (Brazzaville)
   1999       not held
   2000     Etoile du Congo (Brazzaville)
   2001     Etoile du Congo (Brazzaville)         1-0 La Mancha (Pointe-Noire)
   2002     AS Police (Brazzaville)               2-1 Etoile du Congo (Brazzaville) 
   2003     Saint Michel de Ouenzé (Brazzaville)  0-0 La Mancha (Pointe-Noire)      [4-3 pen]
   2004     Diables Noirs (Brazzaville)           2-1 AS Police (Brazzaville)  
   2005     AS Police (Brazzaville)  [after disqualification of finalists]
   2006     Etoile du Congo (Brazzaville)         1-0 La Mancha (Pointe-Noire)
   2007     Diables Noirs (Brazzaville)           2-0 AS Ponténégrine (Pointe-Noire)
   2008     CARA (Brazzaville)                    2-1 FC Bilombé (Pointe-Noire)
national league
   Season   champions                                 runners-up
   2009     Diables Noirs (Brazzaville)               AC Léopards de Dolisie   
national play-offs
   Season   champions                                 runners-up
   2010     Saint Michel de Ouenzé (Brazzaville)  3-2 AC Léopards de Dolisie
   2011     Diables Noirs (Brazzaville)           2-0 AC Léopards de Dolisie
   2012     AC Léopards de Dolisie                1-1 Diables Noirs (Brazzaville)   [4-2 pen]    
national league
   Season   champions                                 runners-up
   2013     AC Léopards de Dolisie                    Diables Noirs (Brazzaville)
   2014       abandoned
   2015       abandoned
   2016     AC Léopards de Dolisie                    Diables Noirs (Brazzaville)
   2017     AC Léopards de Dolisie                    AS Otohô
   2018     AS Otohô                                  La Mancha (Pointe-Noire)
   2018/19  AS Otohô                                  Etoile du Congo (Brazzaville) 
   2019/20  AS Otohô                                  Diables Noirs (Brazzaville)
   2021     AS Otohô                                  Diables Noirs (Brazzaville)
   2021/22  AS Otohô                                  Diables Noirs (Brazzaville)
   2022/23  AS Otohô                                  Diables Noirs (Brazzaville)
   2023/24  AC Léopards de Dolisie 

[*1] between 1962 and 1966 the local leagues of Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire were played, but no
     national playoff: known champions: Diables Noirs 1963/64 and 1965/66 in Brazzaville, and
     FC Dragon 1963/64 in Pointe-Noire; in Brazzaville Patronage Sainte Anne finished second in
     1963/64 and third in 1964/65
[*2] Cheminots walked off with Diables Noirs leading 3-1

Championships (49):

11 Etoile du Congo (Brazzaville)  [*1]

 7 Diables Noirs (Brazzaville) 

 6 CARA (Brazzaville)
   AS Otohô (Oyo)

 5 AC Léopards de Dolisie 

 2 Inter Club (Brazzaville)
   Munisport (Pointe-Noire)
   Patronage Sainte Anne (Brazzaville)
   AS Police (Brazzaville)
   Saint Michel de Ouenzé (Brazzaville)
   Vita Club Mokanda [includes Victoria Club] (Pointe-Noire)

 1 AS Cheminots (Pointe-Noire)
   Kotoko Mfoa (Brazzaville)

[*1] Etoile du Congo were founded 1926 as Club Scolaire Brazzavillois,
     before being renamed Etoile Poto-Poto (1931 champions) and later
     Etoile du Congo

About this document

Partial source: [Kim 17]

Thanks to Karel Stokkermans and Barry Baker

Prepared and maintained by Julio Bovi Diogo and Hans Schöggl for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation

Authors: Julio Bovi Diogo and Hans Schöggl
Last updated: 26 May 2024

(C) Copyright Julio Bovi Diogo, Hans Schöggl and RSSSF 1996/2024
You are free to copy this document in whole or part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All rights reserved.