Burkina Faso launches sovereignty football league in 2027
The new competition aims to professionalize football and create 740 direct jobs across the country.
Burkina Faso will launch the first "Ligue de la Souveraineté" in January 2027, a new football competition initiated by Captain Ibrahim Traoré. Officially presented on October 24, 2026, in Ouagadougou, the league aims to promote local talent and professionalize Burkinabè football. The pilot phase, running from January to June 2027, will feature 20 teams divided into two groups based in Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso.
According to Adama Guira, the executive head of the initiative, each team will have 30 players and seven staff, creating an estimated 740 direct jobs. The league requires at least 50% local players among starters, with a six-month residency condition. Sports Minister Annick Lydie Djouma Pikbougoum/Zingué Ouattara highlighted the reform's importance for modernizing national football.
Adama Guira clarified that the Ligue de la Souveraineté will complement, not replace, the national championship, offering greater visibility to regional talents. The initiative is part of the Presidential Initiative for the Development and Promotion of Sporting Excellence (IP-RELIS) and involves all 17 regions of Burkina Faso.
Why it mattersThe new football league will create 740 direct jobs and promote local talent for players and staff in Burkina Faso.