The Liberian First Division, officially known as Orange First Division for sponsorship reasons, is the highest division of football in Liberia. The first division league began in 1956 and has only once been won by a club outside Monrovia. It has been dominated by Mighty Barrolle FC and Invincible Eleven FC. The league is organized by the Liberia Football Association. In 2010, the league became known as the Orange Premier League for sponsorship reasons and it is now called LFA-Orange First Division League.
| Founded | 1956 |
|---|---|
| Country |  Liberia |
| Confederation | CAF |
| Number of teams | 14 |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Relegation to | LFA- Orange Second Division |
| Domestic cup(s) | Petro Trade Cup |
| International cup(s) | Champions League Confederation Cup |
| Current champions | Watanga (2023–24) |
| Most championships | Mighty Barrolle (13 titles) Invincible Eleven (13 titles) |
| Website | liberiafa.com (archived) |
| Current: 2024–25 LFA First Division | |
Sponsorship
editIn March 2010, Cellcom GSM, a telecommunications corporation in Liberia and Guinea contracted a three-year sponsorship deal with the League until the end of the 2012–13 season.[1]
In October 2013, Cellcom GSM and the Liberia Football Association extended their deal to another three years until the end of the 2015–16 season.[2]
Clubs
edit- Note: Table lists in alphabetical order.
| 2024–25 Club |
Location | Founded | 2023–24 Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| FC Bea Mountain | Robertsport | 2014 | 2nd |
| Black Man Warrior | Monrovia | 2020 | 1st (SD) |
| Discoveries SA | Gardnersville | 2017 | 3rd (SD) |
| Freeport FC | Monrovia | 2011 | 11th |
| Global Pharma | Monrovia | 2022 | 7th |
| Heaven Eleven | Yekepa | 2011 | 5th |
| Invincible Eleven | Monrovia | 1943 | 9th |
| FC Kallon-Liberia | Paynesville | 2002 | 10th |
| LISCR FC | Monrovia | 1995 | 3rd |
| LPRC Oilers | Monrovia | 1975 | 8th |
| Mighty Barrolle | Monrovia | 1956 | 4th |
| Paynesville FC | Paynesville | 2013 | 6th |
| Shaita FC | Careysburg | 2017 | 2nd (SD) |
| Watanga FC | Paynesville | 1997 | 1st |
Previous champions
edit| Years | Champions |
| De 1956 à 1962 | Unknown |
| 1963 | Invincible Eleven (1) |
| 1964 | Invincible Eleven (2) |
| 1965 | Invincible Eleven (3) |
| 1966 | Invincible Eleven (4) |
| 1967 | Mighty Barrolle (1) |
| 1968 | Not held |
| 1969 | Not finished |
| 1970 | Not held |
| 1971 | Not held |
| 1972 | Mighty Barrolle (2) |
| 1973 | Mighty Barrolle (3) |
| 1974 | Mighty Barrolle (4) |
| 1975 | Not held |
| 1976 | Saint Joseph Warriors FC (1) |
| 1977 | Not held |
| 1978 | Saint Joseph Warriors FC (2) |
| 1979 | Saint Joseph Warriors FC (3) |
| 1980 | Invincible Eleven (5) |
| 1981 | Invincible Eleven (6) |
| 1982 | Not held |
| 1983 | Invincible Eleven (7) |
| 1984 | Invincible Eleven (8) |
| 1985 | Invincible Eleven (9) |
| 1986 | Mighty Barrolle (5) |
| 1987 | Invincible Eleven (10) |
| 1988 | Mighty Barrolle (6) |
| 1989 | Mighty Barrolle (7) |
| 1990 | Not held |
| 1991 | LPRC Oilers (1) |
| 1992 | LPRC Oilers (2) |
| 1993 | Mighty Barrolle (8) |
| 1994 | National Port Authority Anchors (1) |
| 1995 | Mighty Barrolle (9) |
| 1996 | Junior Professional FC |
| 1997 | Invincible Eleven (11) |
| 1998 | Invincible Eleven (12) |
| 1999 | LPRC Oilers (3) |
| 1999-2001 | Mighty Barrolle (10) |
| 2002 | LPRC Oilers (4) |
| 2003 | Not finished due to civil war |
| 2004 | Mighty Barrolle (11) |
| 2005 | LPRC Oilers (5) |
| 2006 | Mighty Barrolle (12) |
| 2007 | Invincible Eleven (13) |
| 2008 | Monrovia Black Star FC (1) |
| 2009 | Mighty Barrolle (13) |
| 2010-2011 | LISCR FC (1) |
| 2012 | LISCR FC (2) |
| 2012-2013 | Barrack Young Controllers FC (1) |
| 2013-2014 | Barrack Young Controllers FC (2) |
| 2015 | Nimba United F.C. (1) |
| 2016 | Barrack Young Controllers FC (3) |
| 2016-2017 | LISCR FC (3) |
| 2018 | Barrack Young Controllers FC (4) |
| 2019 | LPRC Oilers (6) |
| 2019-2020 | Not finished due to Covid-19 |
| 2020-2021 | LPRC Oilers (7) |
| 2021-2022 | Watanga FC (1) |
| 2022-2023 | LISCR FC (4) |
| 2023-2024 | Watanga FC (2) |
Performance By Club
edit| Club | City | Titles | Last title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mighty Barrolle | Monrovia | 13 | 2009 |
| Invincible Eleven | Monrovia | 13 | 2007 |
| LPRC Oilers | Monrovia | 7 | 2021 |
| Barrack Young Controllers | Monrovia | 4 | 2018 |
| LISCR | Monrovia | 4 | 2023 |
| Saint Joseph Warriors | Monrovia | 3 | 1979 |
| Watanga FC | Monrovia | 2 | 2024 |
| NPA Anchors | Monrovia | 1 | 1994 |
| Junior Professional | Monrovia | 1 | 1996 |
| Black Star | Monrovia | 1 | 2008 |
| Nimba United | Sanniquellie | 1 | 2015 |
Top goalscorers
edit| Year | Country | Best scorers | Team | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Mariconino | LISCR | 23 | |
| 2011–12 | Dominic Jelateh[3] | Fatu | 20 | |
| 2012–13 |  |
Mohammed Varney[4] | LISCR | 15 |
| 2018 | |
Trokon Myers | BYC | 9 |
| 2020–21 | |
Augustine Otu | Watanga | 22 |
| 2021–22 |  |
Prince Sawoh | Nimba United | 14 |
| 2022–23 | |
Christopher Jackson | LISCR | 22 |
| 2023-24 | |
Clement Zubah | Mighty Barrolle | 23 |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "LFA, Cellcom sponsorship deal comes to a successful end". lfa.com.lr. Liberia Football Association. Archived from the original on 8 October 2013. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
- ^ "LFA & Cellcom renew contract". leaguewebsite.co.uk/lfaleagues. LFA National Leagues. Archived from the original on 3 November 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
- ^ I am tired playing Free Football, says LFA Premier League Top Scorer Dominic Jelateh Archived 2012-11-12 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "No Intention to join BYC, says LISCR FC Top Striker Mohammed Varney". Archived from the original on 2015-02-10. Retrieved 2013-10-08.