The Zambia Super League, known as the MTN Super League for sponsorship purposes, is the top association footballleague created in 1962 by the Football Association of Zambia. The winners of the league each season receives ZMW1,000,000 ($40000) and a copper trophy engraved with their team name.
Format
The league is contested by 18 teams every season. Until 2018, it was scheduled to run within the calendar year from March to December. Since then, owing to the decision by CAF on 20 July 2017 to switch from their traditional across-year runtime/schedule of their club competitions to align with that of the UEFA/European calendar,[1][2] it currently runs from August to May.
At the conclusion of each season and assuming Zambia is among the top 12 countries in the current CAF 5-year ranking system, the top 4 teams will qualify for CAF competitions; the top 2 qualifies for the CAF Champions League and the two teams finishing below the top 2 positions on the league table qualifies for the CAF Confederation Cup. The teams who finish in the final 3 positions of the table are relegated to the National Division One league and replaced with the teams who finish in the top 3 positions of the National Division One league table.
Broadcasting
The league's broadcaster since 2007 is South Africa-based SuperSport, which telecasts 126 of the current 306 matches each season, all outside Southern Africa.[3][4] Seven matches were added to the telecast schedule since the 2022–23 season.
Sponsorship
In 2018, FAZ struck a deal with the MTN Group of South Africa to sponsor the league being worth initially $4 million (ZMW 7,571,280) for 5 years[5] which has since been extended till date.[6][7][8][9][10] Via telecasting the league on SuperSport, the prize money given to each league team is ZMW300,000 ($ 15,848.52). The league runners-up receives ZMW 350,000 ($ 18,489.94) and the other 16 teams receive ZMW 200,000 ($ 10,565.68).[4][3]
^"Decisions of CAF Executive Committee – 20 July 2017". CAFOnline.com. 20 July 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2017. It was agreed by the Committee to maintain the current format, but to proceed in the future to a change in timing for inter-club competitions which are expected to start from August to May.
^"Change in dates for Caf club competitions will begin in 2018". BBC Sport. 13 December 2017. Archived from the original on 30 December 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
^ a b"SuperSport announces new outside broadcast partner and reaffirms commitment to Zambia". Mwebantu. 15 January 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
^ a bNelson, Adam (7 September 2015). "SuperSport signs US$5 million deal with Zambian FA". SportsPro. Archived from the original on 24 June 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2022. The latest upgrade to the deal is the second renewal between SuperSport and the FAZ, with the initial contract commencing in 2007 and being renewed for a further five years in 2010.
^Ngcatshe, Phumzile (21 March 2018). "Zambian FA announce new sponsorship deal with MTN". African Football. Archived from the original on 17 October 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
^Long, Michael (15 December 2014). "MTN renews support for Zambian soccer". SportsPro Media. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
^"FAZ reveal eye-watering new MTN sponsorship deal". ESPN. 19 March 2018. Archived from the original on 24 August 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
^Jere, Joshua (12 April 2021). "FAZ, MTN SEAL K43m SPONSORSHIP DEAL FAZ, MTN SEAL K43m SPONSORSHIP DEAL". ZNBC. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
^"Zambia : MTN Announces New K45 Million FAZ League Deal". Lusaka Times. 12 April 2021. Archived from the original on 29 March 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
^"FAZ, MTN pen new three-year deal". FARPost. 13 April 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
^"Nkana lifted 2019/20 Zambia Super League trophy". Africa Top Sports. 10 August 2020. Archived from the original on 24 August 2022. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
^"Nkana crowned 2019/20 champions". The Lusaka Sun. 10 August 2020. Archived from the original on 24 August 2022. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
^"Nkana crowned Zambia champions". CAFOnline.com. 10 August 2020. Archived from the original on 24 August 2022. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
^"Zesco United crowned 2020/21 Zambian Super League champions". African Football. 13 June 2021. Archived from the original on 16 August 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
^"Zesco United wins ninth Zambian League title". CAFOnline.com. 15 June 2021. Archived from the original on 15 June 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
^"Zesco United crowned champions in Zambia". SuperSport. 13 June 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
^"Red-hot Arrows strike first Zambia league title in 18 years". Africa Top Sports. 25 April 2022. Archived from the original on 24 August 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
^"Red Arrows Crowned 2021/22 Zambian Super League champions". 24 April 2022. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
^"Zambia: Red Arrows secure league title with one match to spare". Sport News Africa. 25 April 2022. Archived from the original on 14 August 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
^"Red Arrows triumph over Zesco United to lift Zambian League trophy". CAFOnline.com. 10 May 2022. Archived from the original on 24 August 2022. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
^"Power Dynamos are MTN Super League champions". SuperSport. 6 May 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
^"Power Dynamos seal seventh league title as Chambishi are relegated". ZamFoot. 6 May 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
^"Power Dynamos Officially Win the Zambian Super League". Added Time Exclusive. 7 May 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
External links
Official website (link currently unresponsive) Archived 27 November 2022 at the Wayback Machine
League profile (Archived) at the now-defunct MTNFootball.com
Zambia
Walter Bwalya
Laudit Mavugo