2022–23 Malian Première Division

The 2022–23 Malian Première Division was the 56th season of the highest level of professional football in Mali. The championship was contested by 16 teams, starting in October 2022 and finishing in July 2023. Djoliba AC were the holders going into the season following their 23rd title in the 2021–22 season, but lost the title to AS Real Bamako, who won their 7th title.

Malian Première Division
Season2022–23
Dates15 October 2022 – 10 July 2023
ChampionsAS Real Bamako (7th title)
RelegatedYeelen Olympique
Lafia Club de Bamako
CAF Champions LeagueAS Real Bamako
CAF Confederation CupStade Malien
All statistics correct as of 10 July 2023.

Overview

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Following the reduction of the Première Division from 20 clubs to 18 clubs in the 2021–22 season, there was a further reduction of two teams ahead of the 2022–23 season meaning that 16 clubs contested the championship. Binga FC and US Bougouni were promoted from the second tier, replacing the four relegated teams from the season before - CS Duguwolofila, US Bougouba, AS Olympique de Messira and AS Douanes de Sikasso. Teams played in a home-and-away round robin format.

The title race was largely contested by Djoliba AC and AS Real Bamako, who were tied at the top at the halfway point. The two pulled away further in the second half of the season, with AS Real finishing three points ahead of Djoliba after 30 games to claim the title. At the other end of the table, USC Kita survived a poor start that put them in the bottom two after the first 15 games, finishing 12th. Lafia Club de Bamako instead dropped into the relegation zone, joining Yeelen Olympique who only managed 12 points and ended 18 points away from safety. They will be replaced by US Bougouba and ATS Koro who won their respective Tournoi de Montée pools.[1]

Joint-record champions Stade Malien had a poor league campaign, finishing in 9th place and 21 points behind AS Real Bamako. However, they managed to go all the way in the Malian Cup, beating Simbo AC, CASS, USFAS Bamako and Binga FC on the way to the final. There they beat Onze Créateurs de Niaréla 1–0, thus qualifying for the 2023–24 CAF Confederation Cup.[2]

League table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 AS Real Bamako (C, Q) 30 18 8 4 45 17 +28 62 Qualification for 2023–24 CAF Champions League
2 Djoliba AC 30 16 11 3 39 12 +27 59
3 USFAS Bamako 30 12 13 5 32 22 +10 49
4 AS Bakaridjan 30 13 8 9 29 23 +6 47
5 Onze Créateurs de Niaréla 30 12 9 9 34 28 +6 45
6 Afrique Football Élite 30 12 8 10 30 21 +9 44
7 Binga FC 30 10 13 7 24 19 +5 43
8 US Bougouni 30 11 10 9 39 35 +4 43
9 Stade Malien 30 9 14 7 21 16 +5 41 Qualification for the 2023–24 CAF Confederation Cup[a]
10 AS Korofina 30 8 14 8 25 26 −1 38
11 AS Police de Bamako 30 9 10 11 23 29 −6 37
12 USC Kita 30 7 12 11 23 28 −5 33
13 AS Black Stars de Badalabougou 30 6 13 11 30 38 −8 31
14 Cercle Olympique de Bamako 30 7 9 14 22 43 −21 30
15 Lafia Club de Bamako (R) 30 3 13 14 17 36 −19 22 Relegation
16 Yeelen Olympique (R) 30 3 3 24 21 61 −40 12
Updated to match(es) played on 10 July 2023. Source: Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal Difference
(C) Champions; (Q) Qualified for the phase indicated; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Stade Malien qualified for the CAF Confederation Cup as the 2022-23 Malian Cup winner

References

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  1. ^ ""Mali 2022/23"". RSSSF. 29 November 2023.
  2. ^ ""COUPE DU MALI ÉDITION 2023 : LE STADE MALIEN DE BAMAKO S'IMPOSE FACE AUX 11 CRÉATEURS DE NIARÉLA."". BAMADA.net (in French). 11 June 2023. Retrieved 29 November 2023.