# Somali First Division (Somali National League): every champion since 1933

> Somalia's top football league: history from the 1933 colonial championship, every champion by year, titles by club, the 2021 season and the inter-state championship.

Source page: https://calankii.com/en/society/somali-first-division/
Last checked: 2026-11-12
Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com)

## The league today

The Somali National League, formerly the Somali Premier League and widely called the First Division, is the top men's football league in Somalia. It was set up in 1967, is run by the Somali Football Federation, and each club may register four foreign players at a time ([Somali First Division, Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somali_First_Division)). The federation also runs a second and third division and the Somalia Cup ([Somali Football Federation, Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somali_Football_Federation)). In 2015 Al Jazeera reported foreign players arriving as the league revived ([Al Jazeera, 1 July 2015](https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2015/7/1/somalias-football-revival-lures-foreign-players)).

## Before independence

The RSSSF, which keeps football records by country, finds league championships under Italian colonial rule from at least 1932/33 to 1939/40, won by Italian clubs. The first Somali clubs were formed in the 1940s. Among the earliest were Bondhere (first called SYL "[Leego](/en/history/somali-youth-league/)", founded by the Somali Youth League), the transport team Autoparco (later Gaadiidka), the Public Works team Lavori Publici (later Jeenyo, from the Italian *genio*), Shibis, Hamarweyne and Wardhiigley. Police and army teams became the strongest; because matches between them caused tension, they were later merged to form Horseed ([RSSSF, Somalia champions](https://www.rsssf.org/tabless/somachamp.html)).

## Every champion

| Season | Champion |
|---|---|
| 1933 | Comando Marina |
| 1937, 1938 | AC Amaruini (Hamarweyne) |
| 1939 | Arabe |
| 1946/47 | AC Mogadiscio |
| 1952 | SC Genio Officina (Jeenyo) |
| 1953/54 | AS Corpo di Polizia (Police) |
| 1954/55 to 1956/57 | Autoparco (Gaadiidka), three in a row |
| 1957/58 | AS Mogadiscio |
| 1959/60 | Lavori Publici (Jeenyo) |
| 1967 | Somali Police (Booliska) |
| 1968 | Hoga (Xoogga) |
| 1969, 1970, 1971 | Lavori Publici (Jeenyo) |
| 1971/72, 1972/73, 1973/74 | Horseed |
| 1975/76 | Mogadishu Municipality |
| 1976/77 to 1979/80 | Horseed, four in a row |
| 1980/81 | Lavori Publici (Jeenyo) |
| 1982 | Wagad |
| 1983 | National Printing Agency (Madbacadda Qaranka) |
| 1984 | Marine Club (Badda) |
| 1985 | Wagad |
| 1986 | Mogadishu Municipality |
| 1987, 1988 | Wagad |
| 1989 | Mogadishu Municipality |
| 1990 | Gaadiidka |
| 1994 | Morris Supplies |
| 1995 | Alba |
| 1998 | Ports Authority (Dekedda) |
| 1999 | Banaadir Telecom |
| 2000 to 2003 | Elman FC |
| 2004–06 | Banaadir Telecom |
| 2007 | Ports Authority (Dekedda) |
| 2009/10 | Banaadir Telecom |
| 2011, 2012 | Elman FC |
| 2013/14 | Banaadir Telecom |
| 2014/15 | Heegan |
| 2015/16 | Banaadir Telecom |
| 2016/17, 2018, 2019 | Dekedda |
| 2019/20 | Mogadishu City Club |
| 2021 | Horseed |
| 2022 | Gaadiidka |
| 2023/24 | Dekedda |
| 2024/25 | Mogadishu City Club |
| 2025/26 | Gaadiidka |

Source: [RSSSF, Somalia champions, list by Karel Stokkermans and others](https://www.rsssf.org/tabless/somachamp.html). Years not shown were not played or are not known. RSSSF notes that [Elman FC](/en/people/elman-ali-ahmed/)'s own player profiles date its four titles to 1997, 1999, 2001 and 2003, and that the 2004 season was suspended after a few weeks and resumed only in August 2006.

## Titles by club since 1967

- **10:** Mogadishu City Club, counting [Mogadishu Municipality](/en/society/mogadishu-city-club/) and Banaadir Telecom
- **8:** Horseed
- **6:** Dekedda (Ports Authority) and Elman FC
- **4:** Lavori Publici (now Jeenyo) and Wagad
- **3:** Gaadiidka
- **1:** Alba, Heegan, Hoga, Marine Club, Morris Supplies, National Printing Agency, Somali Police

Source: [RSSSF](https://www.rsssf.org/tabless/somachamp.html), which counts 48 titles since 1967 and notes that two may be missing.

## A season in detail: 2021

Ten clubs played 18 rounds from January to July 2021. Horseed and Mogadishu City Club finished level on 38 points. The play-off on 2 August was awarded to Horseed after Mogadishu City Club declined to play, because two of its players were suspended. Elman FC and [Geeska Afrika](/en/society/somaliland-newspapers/) were relegated, and [Badbaado](/en/society/badbaado-camp/) and Saxafi Hotel came up ([RSSSF, Somalia 2021](https://www.rsssf.org/tabless/soma2021.html)). Heegan beat Geeska Afrika 13–0 in the last round ([same](https://www.rsssf.org/tabless/soma2021.html)). Wikipedia records a crowd of 65,000 at Horseed against Mogadishu City Club, the largest of the season ([Somali First Division, Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somali_First_Division); [WardheerNews](https://wardheernews.com/tanks-gone-somalis-fill-mogadishu-stadium-with-65000-fans-for-first-time-since-2004/)).

## Inter-state championship

Teams of the federal member states play their own championship:

- 2016: [Puntland](/en/states/puntland/) beat [Jubbaland](/en/states/jubaland/) on penalties
- 2017: Jubbaland 1–0 Puntland
- 2020: Banadir beat [Galmudug](/en/states/galmudug/) on penalties
- 2023/24: Galmudug beat [Hirshabelle](/en/states/hirshabelle/) on penalties

Source: [RSSSF, Somalia cup winners](https://www.rsssf.org/tabless/somacuphist.html).

## Read more

- [Somalia Cup and Super Cup](/en/society/somalia-cup/)
- [Somali football clubs](/en/society/somali-football-clubs/)
- [Somalia national football team](/en/society/somalia-national-football-team/)
- [Sport in Somalia](/en/society/sport-in-somalia/)

---
I want to help with this: email hello@calankii.com. Fix this page: email hello@calankii.com with the page link and your source.