Through circular No. 005/CE/SG/2026, signed on September 10, 2026, by its Secretary General Laëtitia Muderhwa, the Congolese Football Association (FECOFA) has officially approved the gradual restructuring of the national championships. This initiative, the result of reform work conducted in collaboration with LINAFOOT and the provincial leagues (including LIFKIN), aims to optimize organization, increase competitiveness, and adapt competitions to the economic and logistical realities of the country.
For the 2026-2027 season, the national Ligue 1 championship will feature 25 clubs divided into two distinct groups, Group A with 13 teams and Group B with 12 teams. At the end of this regular phase, the consequences will be severe as the bottom 4 teams from each group, totaling 8 clubs, will be directly relegated to Ligue 2 based solely on their sporting performance. Meanwhile, only 3 teams will be promoted to the elite (one from each development zone: Centre-South, West, and North-East). This transitional formula paves the way for a direct national championship of 20 clubs starting in the 2027-2028 season.
In Ligue 2, the number has been adjusted and limited to 58 clubs for the 2026-2027 season to better manage the schedule and participation. The table will consist of the 8 clubs relegated from Ligue 1 2025-2026, the 11 champions from the provincial leagues, and the 39 best teams from the last Ligue 2 season. Teams not retained in this useful ranking order or in relegation positions will automatically be sent back to their respective provincial leagues to clarify the hierarchy of national football.
The process of reduction will also continue in D2 throughout the 2026-2027 season to bring the championship down to 48 clubs for the 2027-2028 season. Thus, at the end of the season, the bottom 6 teams from each development zone, totaling 18 clubs, will be relegated to the provincial league. Relegations will be confirmed according to the sporting rankings established in each zone, subject to decisions by the judicial authorities.
As for promotion to Ligue 2 for the 2027-2028 season, the path will be particularly challenging. The 11 champions from the provincial leagues will no longer be promoted automatically; they will have to participate in access playoffs organized by development zone under the authority of FECOFA. Only the winner from each zone will secure their ticket to the higher level, reducing the number of provincial promotions to 3 for D2.
This circular, which takes immediate effect, establishes a strict framework for LINAFOOT, the provincial leagues, and all affiliated clubs. By strengthening maintenance criteria and reducing the number of promotions, the governing body of Congolese football seeks to move away from the hypertrophy of national divisions to establish denser, financially viable, and technically high-level competitions.
