The new format of the national football championship in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been unveiled by the Congolese Federation of Football Association (FECOFA). From the 2023–24 season, the championship will be held in two groups, with ten clubs in each group.
One group will be based in Kinshasa, with teams representing the provinces of Kinshasa, Equateur, Maniema, North Kivu and South Kivu. The other group will be located in Lubumbashi, bringing together clubs from the Katanga and Kasai regions.
This new format involves a group stage where each team will play the others in home and away matches. At the end of this phase, the first four of each group will qualify for the Play-Off phases, while the other teams will play in Play-Down or Play-Out to avoid relegation.
The decision for this new format was taken after numerous consultations and exchanges between FECOFA, the provincial leagues, the national football league, club representatives and other Congolese football players. This is an attempt to renew and energize the national championship, giving teams more opportunities to qualify for the final stages.
This announcement is generating excitement among football fans in the DRC, who are eagerly awaiting the start of the new season. They hope this new format will bring more competitiveness and suspense to the national championship, while giving young Congolese talent a platform to shine and get noticed.
It remains to be seen how the teams will adapt to this new format and which team will ultimately emerge victorious in the Play-Offs. One thing is certain, the national football championship in the DRC promises to be exciting and full of twists and turns for the 2023-2024 season. Fans are ready to live their passion for football intensely and support their favorite teams throughout this new adventure