Namibia Premiership Explained

Namibia Premiership
Pixels:250
Organiser:Namibia Football Association
Confed:CAF
Founded:2020
First:2022–23
Teams:16
Relegation:First Division
Levels:1
Domest Cup:Namibia FA Cup
Confed Cup:CAF Champions League
CAF Confederation Cup
Champions:African Stars (2)
Most Successful Club:African Stars (2)
Current:2024–25 Namibia Premiership

The Namibia Premiership, or the Debmarine Namibia Premiership for sponsorship reasons, is the highest level of domestic association football in Namibia. It operates under the auspices of the Namibia Football Association.[1]

History

After ongoing financial and organizational problems with the Namibia Premier League (NPL), the Namibia Football Association expelled the league and founded a new top-flight league themselves following the 2018–19 season.[2] [3]

Despite a planned debut season in 2021, the league finally played its first season in 2022-23 after securing major sponsorship funding.[1] Originally called the Namibia Premier Football League, the league was renamed the Namibia Premiership with the significant sponsorship of N$13 million provided by Debmarine.[4] [5]

Following the 2023–24 season, the Namibia Football Association addressed the long-time issue of clubs with shared ownership competing in the same league. Beginning with the 2024–25 season, the practice would no longer be allowed. The debate had begun a season earlier with Mighty Gunners and Military School Okahandja, both operated by the Namibian Defence Force, set to compete in the Premiership. The issue was solved with the sale and rebranding of the club to Okahandja United. The issue arose again in summer 2024 when Khomas NAMPOL and Namibia Correctional Service were set to compete in the top-flight. Because of the new policy, Namibian Correctional Service FC were not promoted and were replaced by First Division South runners-up Blue Boys.[6]

Clubs

2024/2025 Namibia Premiership
TeamLocationStadium Capacity
African StarsKatuturaSam Nujoma Stadium10,300
Blue BoysSwakopmundMondesa Stadium2,000
Blue WatersWalvis BayKuisebmund Stadium4,000
CitizensWindhoekSam Nujoma Stadium10,300
Eeshoke Chula ChulaOshikangoOshakati Independence Stadium8,000
CivicsKhomasdalKhomasdal Stadium2,000
Cuca TopsRunduRundu Sports Stadium500
Julinho SportingRunduRundu Sports Stadium500
Khomas NAMPOLWindhoekUNAM Stadium3,000
KK PalaceOndangwaOshakati Independence Stadium8,000
Mighty GunnersOtjiwarongoMokati Stadium1,000
Okahandja United OkahandjaNau-AIB Stadium1,000
Ongos SCWindhoekSam Nujoma Stadium10,300
United Africa TigersWindhoekSam Nujoma Stadium10,300
UNAMWindhoekUNAM Stadium3,000
Young AfricansGobabisLegare Stadium5,000
Young BraziliansKarasburgKarasburg Stadium1,000

Champions

SeasonChampionRunners-upTop Scorer(s)ClubGoals
2022–23[7] African StarsBlue Waters Willy Stephanus[8] African Stars20
2023–24[9] African StarsOngos Valley Willy Stephanus[10]
Rewaldo Prins[11]
African Stars
Khomas NAMPOL
16
2024–25

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: From Premier League to Premiership: Namibian top-flight league faces turbulence . FIFA . 9 July 2023 . 12 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231012103640/https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/articles/from-premier-league-to-premiership-namibian-top-flight-league-faces-turbulence . live .
  2. Web site: Namibia football starts new chapter. Southern Times, 11 December 2020. . 18 January 2021 . 13 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201213132747/https://southerntimesafrica.com/site/news/namibia-football-starts-new-chapter . live .
  3. Web site: "Homeless" NPL refuses to yield. The Namibian, 22 December 2020. . 18 January 2021 . 13 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210113180030/https://www.namibian.com.na/97549/read/Homeless-NPL-refuses-to-yield . live .
  4. Web site: Debmarine Namibia Premiership . Namibian Football Association . 2 July 2024.
  5. Web site: Premiership Action Returns Courtesy of Denmark e . Namibia Economist . 2 July 2024.
  6. Web site: Tuerijama . John . NFA addressing sister clubs in one league . The Namibian . 3 August 2024.
  7. Web site: Stokkermans . Karel . Namibia 2022/23 . RSSSF . 9 July 2023 . 9 July 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230709144357/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesn/nami2023.html#first . live .
  8. Web site: Kambukwe . Maurice . Stars lift Debmarine Premiership trophy… Oshaala FC, Eleven Arrows, Citizens relegated . New Era . 9 July 2023 . 9 July 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230709144602/https://neweralive.na/posts/stars-lift-debmarine-premiership-trophy . live .
  9. Web site: Schöggl . Hans . Stokkermans . Karel . Namibia 2023/24 . RSSSF . 2 July 2024.
  10. Web site: Munango . Brian . Stars Back to Back Champions . The Namibian Sun . 2 July 2024.
  11. Web site: Benjamin happy with players’ movement abroad . New Era Live . 15 July 2024.