Hippoinfos breaks down the entire Cameroon Football League System to understand the promotion and relegation regulations across the country's football pyramid.
Read on for the full breakdown.
How Many Football Leagues Are in Cameroon?
There are several Football Leagues in Cameroon. These Leagues either fall into the Professional, Semi-professional, or amateur tiers.
The MTN ELITE ONE CHAMPIONSHIP is at the top of the Pyramid, with the MTN ELITE TWO just one Step below.
So how do Clubs get promoted or relegated along the Cameroon football Pyramid?
Rules For Promotion and Relegation in Cameroon Football Leagues
MTN ELITE ONE CHAMPIONSHIP
The MTN ELITE ONE CHAMPIONSHIP is at the top of the Cameroon Football Pyramid.
The first-ever edition of the Cameroon League was in 1961, with 11 clubs competing.
The format of the League has changed several times since then.
In the 2022/23 football season, 23 clubs competed in two groups, with the top two from each group qualifying for a playoff tournament.
The winners of the playoffs were crowned champions.
In the current format, the winner of the ELITE ONE CHAMPIONSHIP qualifies for the CAF Champions League, while the runner-up qualifies for the CAF Confederations Cup.
Five teams were relegated from the top tier of Cameroonian football.
The bottom two teams from each group were relegated automatically, while the fifth team was relegated via a relegation playoff.
There are speculations that the format will be changed again next season, with a single league of 19 teams competing on a home-and-away basis.
MTN ELITE TWO CHAMPIONSHIP
Promotion and Relegation in the MTN ELITE TWO CHAMPIONSHIP are more straightforward.
15 teams competed in the MTN ELITE TWO for the 2022/23 season, with the top two teams gaining promotion to the ELITE ONE CHAMPIONSHIP.
The bottom three teams were relegated to the Regional Leagues, the third tier of Cameroon football.
REGIONAL LEAGUES
The Regional Leagues are the third tier of Cameroon football.
There are 10 regional leagues in Cameroon, with the structure of each region having its own unique organization.
But the general principle is that the 10 regional Champions participate in the National Interpools.
At the end of the Interpools, Two teams are promoted to the ELITE TWO CHAMPIONSHIP while the other eight return to their respective Regional Leagues to try again.
DIVISIONAL LEAGUES
The Divisional Leagues are organized at the Divisional Level and involve amateur football clubs in that division.
This is the entry-level of the football Pyramid system in Cameroon. From here, ambitious clubs can climb the Pyramid to the very top of Cameroon; this, of course, is easier said than done (laughs).
Tags:
Featured