Burkina Faso launches a 'Sovereignty League' with salaried players
Twenty teams from every region, a monthly wage of about $300 for selected players and a promise of 1,000 jobs. How it fits with the football federation is unclear.
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Ouagadougou — Burkina Faso's leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, has launched a new national football championship, the Sovereignty League, Africanews reports.
The league
- Twenty teams representing every region of the country, taking top-level football beyond the big cities.
- Selected players will reportedly receive a monthly salary of about $300, plus other benefits.
- The presidency says it will create 1,000 jobs.
- Some media report that regional governors will play a central role in running it.
The stated aims are to use football for nation-building, create opportunities for young people and professionalise the game.
The open question
Analysts say it is not clear how the league will fit with the Burkinabè Football Federation, whose status is protected under FIFA rules. The launch follows Captain Traoré's recent threat to take over the federation after Burkina Faso lost 7-0 to Argentina in a friendly.
Source: Africanews with AP, 15 October 2026.
