Congo (Brazzaville) - List of Champions

Stanley Pool Championship 1923-1950

In 1931, Etoile de Poto-Poto (Brazzaville) won a first ever championship organised by the federation of the Congo, involving 27 clubs; this club was later renamed Etoile du Congo. Other early clubs from Brazzaville included CA Brazzaville (founded around 1920 as Eléphants, renamed CA Brazzaville 1926), an unknown club nicknamed 'Gobi' (also founded around 1920), Napoléon I (founded 1927), Racing, Coqs de AEF, Nomades, Union and Independent (all existing in the 1930s).

In 1947, three teams (Saint Vincent A and B and Centre Emile Maudzou) merged into EBR (Etudiants de la boule ronde), which soon disappeared and was integrated into the Renaissance club (a fore-runner of Etoile du Congo) as Renaissance B; in the 1955 sous-ligue of Brazzaville, Renaissance B beat the A team (meanwhile renamed Etoile du Congo) 2-1 in the final round, thereby depriving them of the championship (which went to AS Gendarmerie); after this, the two teams split and Renaissance B were renamed simply Renaissance, changing name again in 1963 to CARA (Club Athlétique Renaissance Aiglon).

The first edition of the championship of Congo (Brazzaville) in 1961 was contested over 2 legs by the champion of Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire. After a 5-year interruption, the tournament was resumed, involving 3 clubs: the regional champions of Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Niari. The tournament continued with this formula until 1978.

From 1979 to 1992, a nationwide league with 10 to 14 teams was played, with matches in Brazzaville (Stade de la Révolution, nowadays called Stade Massamba-Débat), Dolisie (Stade Pont, nowadays Stade Denis sasaou Nguesso), Nkayi (Stade Suco) and Pointe-Noire (Stade Municipal).

Due to the political unrest in 1993 and difficulties with the CFCO (Chemin de Fer Congo Océan), the FECOFOOT reverted to a national play-off after the regional tournaments, with additional entries for the stronger leagues (in particular those of Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire).

Championship of Congo-Brazzaville/Congo

national play-offs
1961     Diables Noirs (Brazzaville)           bt  AS Cheminots (Pointe-Noire) 
1962-66    not held
1967     Etoile du Congo (Brazzaville)
1968     Patronage Sainte Anne (Brazzaville)
1969     CARA (Brazzaville)
1970/71  Victoria Club Mokanda (Pointe-Noire) 
1972       not held
1973     CARA (Brazzaville)
1974       not held
1975     CARA (Brazzaville)
1976     Diables Noirs (Brazzaville)           bt  Vita Club Mokanda (Pointe-Noire) 
1977/78  Etoile du Congo (Brazzaville)
national league
1979     Etoile du Congo (Brazzaville)
1980     Etoile du Congo (Brazzaville)
1981/82  CARA (Brazzaville)
1982/83  Kotoko MFOA (Brazzaville)    
1983     Etoile du Congo (Brazzaville)
1984     CARA (Brazzaville)                 
1985     Etoile du Congo (Brazzaville)
1986     Patronage Sainte Anne (Brazzaville)
1987     Etoile du Congo (Brazzaville)
1988     Inter Club (Brazzaville)
1989     Etoile du Congo (Brazzaville)
1990     Inter Club (Brazzaville)
1991       not held
1991     Diables Noirs (Brazzaville)
1992     Etoile du Congo (Brazzaville)
1993-94    not held
national play-offs; final result listed if known
1995     AS Cheminots (Pointe-Noire)           1-0 Patronage Sainte Anne  (Brazzaville)
1996     Munisport (Pointe-Noire)
1997     Munisport (Pointe-Noire)              bt  Union Sport (Brazzaville)
1998     Vita Club Mokanda (Pointe-Noire)      1-0 Etoile du Congo (Brazzaville)
1999       not held
2000     Etoile du Congo (Brazzaville)
2001     Etoile du Congo (Brazzaville)         1-0 La Mancha (Pointe-Noire)
2002     AS Police (Brazzaville)               2-1 Etoile du Congo (Brazzaville) 
2003     Saint Michel de Ouenzé (Brazzaville)  0-0 La Mancha (Pointe-Noire)      [4-3 pen]
2004     Diables Noirs (Brazzaville)           2-1 AS Police (Brazzaville)  
2005     AS Police (Brazzaville)  [after disqualification of finalists]
2006     Etoile du Congo (Brazzaville)         1-0 La Mancha (Pointe-Noire)
2007     Diables Noirs (Brazzaville)           2-0 AS Ponténégrine (Pointe-Noire)
2008     CARA (Brazzaville)                    2-1 FC Bilombé (Pointe-Noire)

Championships (36):

12 Etoile du Congo (Brazzaville)  [*1]

 6 CARA (Brazzaville)

 5 Diables Noirs (Brazzaville) 

 2 Inter Club (Brazzaville)
   Munisport (Pointe-Noire)
   Patronage Sainte Anne (Brazzaville)
   AS Police (Brazzaville)
   Vita Club Mokanda [includes Victoria Club] (Pointe-Noire)

 1 AS Cheminots (Pointe-Noire)
   Kotoko MFOA (Brazzaville)
   Saint Michel de Ouenzé (Brazzaville)

NB: as the 2002 edition was reported to be the 17th national championship,
    20 editions of the 38 above were probably regional championships restricted
    to Brazzaville/Pointe-Noire.

[*1] Etoile du Congo were founded 1926 Club Scolaire Brazzavillois,
     later renamed Etoile Poto-Poto (1931 champions) and later
     Etoile du Congo

About this document

Thanks to Hans Schöggl and Barry Baker

Prepared and maintained by Julio Bovi Diogo for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation

Author: Julio Bovi Diogo
Last updated: 7 Nov 2008