Madar (Ouagadougou) - Burkina Faso will launch the first edition of the "Sovereignty League" in January 2027, a new football competition initiated by transitional president Capt. Ibrahim Traore under a presidential initiative to develop and promote elite sporting talent (IP-RELIS), Lefaso.net reported on Sunday, 25 October 2026, citing the presidency.
Officially presented on Saturday, 24 October 2026 in Ouagadougou, the competition aims to promote local talent, professionalise Burkinabe football and boost participation from the country's 17 regions.
The pilot phase, scheduled from January to June 2027, will bring together 20 teams split into two pools of ten clubs, based in Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso.
According to the initiative's executive head, former international Adama Guira, each team will have 30 players and seven staff, or 740 direct jobs announced. The competition will require at least 50% of starting players to be local, with a residence condition of at least six months.
Sports Minister Annick Lydie Djouma Pikbougoum/Zingue Ouattara stressed the importance of the reform for modernising national football, while Guira said the Sovereignty League would not replace the national championship but complement it, giving more visibility to talent from the regions.
