Colombo League 1985 Saunders SC 1986 Saunders SC 1987 Saunders SC 1988 Old Bens SC Super League 1989 Saunders SC 1990 Renown SC 1991 Saunders SC 1992 Saunders SC 1993 Renown SC 1994 Renown SC 1995 Pettah United SC 1996 Saunders SC 1997 Saunders SC 1997/98 Ratnams SC 1998/99 Saunders SC Premier League 1999/00 Ratnams SC 2000/01 Saunders SC 2001/02 Saunders SC 2002/03 Negombo Youth SC 2003 Blue Star SC 2004/05 Saunders SC 2005/06 Negombo Youth SC 2006/07 Ratnams SC 2007/08 Ratnams SC 2008/09 Army SC Champions League 2009/10 Renown SC 2010/11 Don Bosco SC 2011/12 Ratnams SC 2013 Air Force SC 2014/15 Solid SC 2015 Colombo FC 2016/17 Colombo FC 2017/18 Colombo FC 2018/19 Defenders FC 2019/20 not held Super League 2020/21 not held (postponed to 2021/22) 2021/22 Blue Star SC Number of Titles (35) 12 Saunders SC (Colombo) 5 Ratnams SC (Colombo) 4 Renown SC (Colombo) 3 Colombo FC 2 Blue Star SC (Kalutara) Defenders FC (Colombo) [includes Army SC] Negombo Youth SC (Negombo) 1 Air Force SC Don Bosco SC (Negombo) Old Bens SC (Colombo) Pettah United SC (Colombo) Solid SC (Anuradhapura)
British service units such as Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, Royal Engineers, Royal Artillery and the Royal Garrison Command were the pioneers who promoted competitive football in this country. The first ever attempt to organize and conduct Association Football in Ceylon was when the Colombo Association Football League was formed at a meeting at the Bristol Hotel, Colombo on 4th April 1911. After a lapse of nine years, the Colombo Association Football League was revived and re-constituted in 1920 under the amended name, Colombo Football League, The City Football league was inaugurated in 1922. Some of the earliest known Colombo football clubs in the twenties were St. Michael's SC, Chums SC, CH & FC, Police, the Ceylon Light Infantry (CLI), Bloomfield Club, Colombo Rovers and the Ramblers.
Colombo City League - Known Winners 1911 Royal Artillery 1912-19 not played 1932 Saunders SC 1933 Saunders SC 1941 Hyde Park XI [championship known as De Mel League Championship] 1943 Hyde Park XI 1944 Saunders SC [by beating Price Park] 1949 Saunders SC 1953 Sunrise SC 1957 Old Bens SC 1958 Old Bens SC 1959/60 Victory SC 1962 Red Lions SC 1963 Victory SC 1964 Victory SC 1967 Army SC [beat Colombo 4-2 in final on Oct 25; reportedly for "National Soccer Championship"] 1985 Ratnams SC 1986 Ratnams SC 1987 Ratnams SC 1988 Ratnams SC NB: missing years unknown
Founded 1925 as Kandy Amateur Football League [KAFL], later called Kandy District League, which also served football in Matale, Gampola, Nawalapitya, Kurunegala and Kegalle. (Later these towns formed their own leagues.) Some of the leading clubs in the early 1930s were Old Antonians SC, Old Kingswoodians SC, Police SC, YMCA, YMMA Kandy, Greenfield SC, Rovers SC, Phoenix SC, Kandy Sports Club and Red Stars SC.
Kandy City League - Known Winners
1925 Antonian's [aka St. Anthony's College]
1928 Old Antonians SC
1929 Old Antonians SC
1930 Old Antonians SC
2002 York SC
NB: Old Antonians SC were founded 1927 as successor club of Antonian's;
champions missing years unknown
With thanks to Erlan Manaschev and Neil Morrison
Prepared and maintained by Hans Schöggl for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation
Author: Hans Schöggl
Last updated: 13 Jan 2022
(C) Copyright Hans Schöggl and RSSSF 1999/2022
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