Sierra Leone - List of Champions


Prior to the formation of an official national league in 1980, three attempts were made to define a national club champion; these are apparently considered unofficial. Prior to that, regional competitions were held, most importantly among the clubs from the Western Area around Freetown, where the SLFA was founded (as SLFL, later SLAFA, see below).

National Club Championship

NB: prior to the first ever national league held in 1980, a few earlier attempts were made to
    crown national champions (or rather, select teams for the African champions cup), but these
    competitions are apparently not considered official.

1967/68 Blackpool (Freetown)
1975    Mammy Yoko
1977      apparently cancelled

National League

NB: first held in 1980.

1980    East End Lions (Freetown)             
1981    Real Republicans (Freetown)          
1982    Sierra Fisheries (Freetown)         
1983    Real Republicans (Freetown)
1984    Real Republicans (Freetown)
1985    East End Lions (Freetown)
1986    Old Edwardians (Freetown)
1987    Sierra Fisheries (Freetown)
1988    Mighty Blackpool (Freetown)
1989    Freetown United (Freetown)´              
1990    Old Edwardians (Freetown)
1991    Mighty Blackpool (Freetown) [league abandoned, Blackpool awarded title]
1992    East End Lions (Freetown)
1993    East End Lions (Freetown)
1994    East End Lions (Freetown)
1995    Ports Authority (Freetown)
1996    Mighty Blackpool (Freetown)
1997    East End Lions (Freetown)
1998    Mighty Blackpool (Freetown)
1999    East End Lions (Freetown)
2000    Mighty Blackpool (Freetown)
2001    Mighty Blackpool (Freetown)
2002      not played
2003      not played
2004      not played
2005    East End Lions (Freetown)
2006    Kallon FC (Freetown)
2008    Ports Authority (Freetown)
2009    East End Lions (Freetown)
2010    East End Lions (Freetown)
2011    Ports Authority (Freetown)
2012    Diamond Stars (Kono)
2013    Diamond Stars (Kono)
2014    East End Lions (Freetown)
2015      not played
2016      not played; rebel league abandoned
2017      not played
2018      not played
2019    East End Lions (Freetown)
2020      abandoned
2021/22 Bo Rangers
2022/23 Bo Rangers
2023/24 Bo Rangers

Championships (35; since 1980):

12 East End Lions

 6 Mighty Blackpool

 3 Bo Rangers
   Kallon FC (includes Sierra Fisheries)
   Ports Authority
   Real Republicans 

 2 Diamond Stars (Kono)
   Old Edwardians 

 1 Freetown United 

Western Area

The Sierra Leone Football League (SLFL) was founded on 23 March 1923 and changed name to Sierra Leone Amateur Football Association (SLAFA) on 26 March 1926. It was affiliated to the Football Association in London as Sierra Leone was a British colony at the time. The SLAFA folded in the sixties and was refounded in July 1967. At the same time, the WAFA (Western Area Football Association) started organising the regional championship in the Western Area (around Freetown), which hitherto had been organised by the (old) SLAFA. The (new) SLAFA changed name to Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) in 1992. After a national league was established in 1980, the regional championship apparently disappeared (although it initially may have served as a kind of qualifying competition for the nationwide tournament, which initially was decided by a final).

SLFL
1923    East End GC                 
1924    Regents Olympic
1925    Regents Olympic
SLAFA
1926    Academy GC
1927    Bame Games Club
1928    Regents Olympic 
1929    South End Tyrants
1930    Bame Games Club
1931    Old St Anthony
1932    Old St Anthony
1933    International
1934    Regents Olympic
1935-38   not known
1939    Regents Olympic 
1940-43   not known
1944    Young Tigers
1945      not known
1946    Tigers
1947    East End Lions
1948    Young Tigers
1949    Everton
1950    Old Edwardians
1951    Police FC
1952    Sokro XI
1953    Regents Olympic
1954    East End Lions
1955    Blackpool 
1956    U.A.C.
1957    Old Edwardians
1958    Railway
1959    Regent Olympic
1960    East End Lions
1961    Arsenal
1962    Blackpool
1963    Blackpool
1964    East End Lions
1965    East End Lions
1966    Blackpool
WAFA
1967    Blackpool
1968    Old Edwardians
1969    Bolton Nationale
1970    Ports Authority
1971    Ports Authority
1972-73   not known
1974    Blackpool
1975/76 Blackpool
1976/77   abandoned
1977/78 Blackpool
1978-80   not known


About this document

Sources included: [FIF 31], FIFA Handbook 1935, Joseph Turay (in "Public Review"), Hassan Conteh (in "Sierraeye")

Additions thanks to Barry Baker, José Batalha and Hans Schöggl

Prepared and maintained by Julio Bovi Diogo and Neil Morrison for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation

Authors: Julio Bovi Diogo and Neil Morrison
Last updated: 12 Jun 2024

(C) Copyright Julio Bovi Diogo, Neil Morrison 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.