Botola Pro D2
Botola Pro 2, commonly referred to as Botola Pro D2 or Botola 2 Inwi for sponsorship reasons, is the second tier of professional football in Morocco, contested by 16 clubs nationwide under the organization of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF).[1][2] The league operates on a promotion and relegation system with the top-flight Botola Pro and the third-tier National division, where the top two teams from Botola Pro 2 are directly promoted to the elite level, with a third potentially via play-off, while the bottom three teams, including one via play-off, are typically relegated to the amateur ranks.[1][3] Established as part of Morocco's structured football pyramid following the country's independence in 1956, Botola Pro 2—formerly known as the Groupement National de Football 2 (GNF 2)—serves as a crucial developmental stage for clubs and players aspiring to compete at the highest professional level.[2][4] The season typically spans from September to May, with each team playing a total of 30 matches in a round-robin format, accumulating points to determine standings based on wins, draws, and losses.[1] Matches are held across various stadiums in Morocco, emphasizing regional representation and fostering competitive balance among teams from cities like Casablanca, Rabat, and Marrakech. The league plays a vital role in Moroccan football's ecosystem, producing talents who often transition to Botola Pro clubs or even the national team, the Atlas Lions.[4] Sponsorship by Inwi, a major telecommunications company, underscores its professional status and financial support for infrastructure and youth development initiatives.[2] In the 2025/26 season, for instance, the competition highlights intense rivalries and high-stakes encounters, with average match goals around 2.13 (as of November 2025) and a focus on disciplined play evidenced by frequent yellow cards.[1]Overview
League Format
The Botola Pro D2 consists of 16 teams competing in a double round-robin format, where each club plays every other team twice—once at home and once away—for a total of 30 matches per season.[1][5] Teams accumulate points under a standard system awarding 3 points for a victory, 1 point for a draw, and 0 points for a defeat; rankings are determined by total points, with tiebreakers applied in order of head-to-head results, goal difference, goals scored, and fair play points if necessary.[6][7] The season generally spans from late September to mid-May, incorporating a winter break in December and January to account for holidays and inclement weather.[8] Clubs adhere to specific squad regulations set by the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF), including mandates to incorporate under-23 Moroccan players in their matchday squads as part of youth development initiatives.[9] The top two performing teams are typically promoted to the Botola Pro, though this can vary (e.g., three teams in the 2024–25 season) based on the number of teams relegated from the top division.[1]Sponsorship and Naming
The Botola Pro D2, as the second tier of Moroccan professional football, has undergone several naming changes reflecting its evolution from an amateur-oriented structure to a professional league. Prior to 2011, it was known as the Groupement National de Football 2 (GNF 2), managed under the broader amateur framework of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF).[2] In 2011, coinciding with the professionalization of Moroccan football leagues, it was rebranded as Botola 2 to align with the top division's shift to Botola Pro, emphasizing a more commercial and structured identity. This rebranding marked the league's transition toward greater professionalism, though full professional status was solidified later with the establishment of the Ligue Nationale de Football Professionnel (LNFP) in 2015.[10] The current official name, Botola Pro 2 Inwi, stems from a major sponsorship agreement with Inwi, a leading Moroccan telecommunications company. Inwi became the title sponsor starting from the 2020–21 season, replacing the previous deal with Maroc Telecom that had covered both divisions until June 2019.[10][11] This partnership extends to branding across matches, broadcasts, and official communications, enhancing the league's visibility.[12] The FRMF, as the governing body for all Moroccan football, holds ultimate authority over league operations and sponsorship negotiations, while the LNFP, created by the FRMF to professionalize the sport, handles day-to-day management of the Botola Pro divisions, including D2.[13] This division of roles ensures coordinated commercial strategies, with the LNFP facilitating sponsor integrations like Inwi's digital promotions and fan engagement initiatives.[14] The sponsorship has notably boosted financial incentives, enabling the league to offer enhanced prize money and supporting club sustainability and player development in the second tier.[15]Competition Mechanics
Promotion and Relegation
The Botola Pro D2 features a structured promotion and relegation system that facilitates movement between Morocco's top professional football divisions, ensuring competitive balance and opportunities for upward mobility. The league consists of 16 teams, with promotion determined primarily by final standings at the end of the regular season. The top two teams are automatically promoted to the Botola Pro (first division), providing direct access to the higher tier without additional qualification.[1] Following a decision by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) in March 2024, the system for the 2024–25 season onward includes the third- and fourth-placed teams from Botola Pro D2 competing against the 13th- and 14th-placed teams from Botola Pro in two-leg playoff matches (home and away). These ties are decided by aggregate score over the two legs, with the away goals rule applied in the event of a draw after extra time if necessary. The winners secure their place in the respective division, while the losers are relegated or remain in their current tier. This adjustment aims to intensify competition at the margins of both divisions.[16][17] On the relegation side, the bottom two teams in the Botola Pro D2 standings are automatically relegated to the third-tier National league at the season's conclusion, replaced by the top two finishers from the National. The third-from-bottom team (15th place) participates in relegation playoffs against the third-placed team from the National, conducted in a similar two-leg format to determine survival in the second division or demotion to the third tier. These playoffs, held in late May or early June, follow the same aggregate score principle with away goals as a tiebreaker where applicable.[1][18] Historically, the league underwent structural changes that influenced promotion and relegation dynamics, including an expansion to 16 teams starting in the 2011–12 season after the 2010–11 campaign featured 18 clubs. This reduction streamlined the format to 30 matches per team and standardized promotion slots to two automatic ascents, reducing the number of playoff participants and enhancing focus on consistent performance throughout the season.Cup and International Qualifications
All 16 teams competing in the Botola Pro D2 are eligible to enter the Throne Cup (Coupe du Trône), Morocco's primary domestic knockout competition organized by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation. These teams join the tournament in the preliminary rounds, typically the round of 64 or round of 32, where they face off against clubs from lower amateur divisions before the Botola Pro teams enter later in the round of 32.[19] This structure allows second-division sides a chance to advance and compete against elite opposition, with matches played as single-leg ties until the final.[20] All teams from the Botola Pro D2, along with those from the Botola Pro, participate in the Excellence Cup, a league cup introduced in 2024 featuring 32 clubs divided into eight groups of four based on prior season rankings, with the top two from each group advancing to the knockout stages. Botola Pro D2 participants must field at least six under-23 players per match to encourage talent scouting and squad depth.[21] Teams promoted from the Botola Pro D2 can access the CAF Confederation Cup through specific pathways, primarily by winning the Throne Cup, which grants direct qualification regardless of the club's division at the time of victory. Additional opportunities arise via the Moroccan Football Federation's allocation of extra slots based on a five-year club ranking if the primary qualifiers (Botola Pro third place and Throne Cup winner) overlap with Champions League participants. Promoted clubs that secure the Throne Cup during their second-division campaign retain their continental spot upon ascension to the top flight, providing a significant incentive for cup success.[22]History
French Protectorate Era (1915–1956)
The roots of professional football in Morocco, including precursors to the Botola Pro D2, originated during the French Protectorate, when structured competitions were introduced primarily for European settlers. The foundational top-tier championship began in the 1915/16 season as the Ligue du Protectorat Français au Maroc, organized under the Union des Sociétés Françaises de Sports Athlétiques (USFSA), functioning as a regional tournament focused on major urban centers.[23] Early seasons featured teams from cities like Casablanca, Rabat, and Salé, with Club Athlétique de Casablanca claiming the inaugural title in 1915/16.[23] This setup emphasized local rivalries and served as a precursor to more formalized divisions, though competitions were limited in scope and participation due to colonial priorities. Governance of the league fell under French colonial oversight, with the USFSA managing operations through local athletic committees until broader organizational shifts in the 1920s. By 1928/29, the structure evolved to include regional group winners advancing to playoffs, and Moroccan champions began competing in the inter-territorial North African Championship against counterparts from Algeria and Tunisia until 1954/55.[24] Initially dominated by European settler clubs, the league saw increasing involvement from indigenous teams, exemplified by Union Sportive Marocaine (founded in 1919 by Moroccans in Casablanca), which dominated with 16 titles between 1916/17 and 1941/42, including several in the 1920s.[24] Other notable early successes included Olympique Marocaine (Rabat) winning three titles in the early 1920s.[24] In the 1930s, reforms amid rising Moroccan nationalism facilitated greater integration of local clubs into the competitive framework, allowing teams like Wydad Athletic Club—established in 1937 by nationalists in Casablanca—to participate and challenge colonial dominance.[25] These changes transformed regional derbies into platforms for cultural expression, pitting "European" sides against "Muslim" ones, such as Union Sportive Marocaine versus Wydad, and helped build a foundation for national football identity before independence.[26] The era's competitions, disrupted briefly by World War II (with a 1942/43 season abandoned and a wartime cup held), underscored the league's role in fostering sport amid political tensions.[24]Post-Independence Development (1956–Present)
Following Morocco's independence in 1956, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) reorganized the country's football structure into a national pyramid, including the establishment of a second division to integrate clubs from the colonial era.[4] This reorganization, building on the Independence Cup tournament held that year, aimed to create a unified competitive framework under FRMF oversight, marking the transition from protectorate-era competitions to a sovereign national hierarchy.[4] The league evolved significantly in the ensuing decades, with further development coming in 2015 with the formation of the Ligue Nationale de Football Professionnel (LNFP) by the FRMF, which assumed responsibility for managing both professional divisions, including Botola Pro D2, to promote governance and growth.[27] The 2020–21 season saw adjustments due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including delayed starts and scheduling changes, while the league maintained its structure of 16 teams, a format solidified in prior years to balance regional representation and competition intensity. Reforms in recent years have focused on technological and financial enhancements for sustainability. Following a 2020 study, VAR technology was piloted in a limited number of Botola Pro D2 matches starting in the 2020/21 season, building on its introduction in the top tier in 2019.[12] By 2023, VAR usage was refined and expanded in Moroccan professional football to improve accuracy and reduce controversies. Complementing this, the FRMF and LNFP introduced stricter financial regulations in the early 2020s, mandating timely financial reporting and compliance to ensure club sustainability; non-compliance, such as failure to submit documents by March 31, 2025, resulted in transfer bans for 16 Botola clubs, underscoring efforts to curb debt and promote fiscal responsibility.[28] Despite these advances, the league has faced significant challenges, particularly corruption scandals in the 2010s that eroded trust and prompted governance overhauls. These events led to reforms, including enhanced disciplinary codes and anti-corruption measures enforced by the FRMF, aiming to restore integrity and align with international standards.Champions and Records
List of Champions
The Botola Pro D2, as Morocco's professional second-division football league, has existed in its modern national form since the post-independence period starting in the 1956/57 season, with the champion typically earning promotion to the Botola Pro (first division). Prior to 1956, during the French Protectorate era (1915–1956), football was organized into regional leagues (such as those in Casablanca, Rabat, and Marrakech) with promotion determined via inter-regional playoffs rather than a unified national second division; no centralized list of "champions" exists for this period, though clubs like FUS Rabat participated in early regional competitions leading to national playoffs. The following table lists all title winners chronologically, including runner-up where documented and promotion status for the champion (generally direct promotion, though occasionally subject to playoffs or administrative decisions).[29]| Season | Champion | Runner-up | Promoted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1956/57 | Raja Club Athletic | N/A | Yes |
| 1957/58 | Chabab Mohammédia | N/A | Yes |
| 1958/59 | FAR de Rabat | N/A | Yes |
| 1959/60 | TAS de Casablanca | N/A | Yes |
| 1960/61 | Stade Marocain | N/A | Yes |
| 1961/62 | FUS de Rabat | N/A | Yes |
| 1962/63 | Chabab Larache | N/A | Yes |
| 1963/64 | Chabab Mohammédia | N/A | Yes |
| 1964/65 | Moghreb de Tétouan | N/A | Yes |
| 1965/66 | Renaissance de Settat | N/A | Yes |
| 1966/67 | Union de Sidi Kacem | N/A | Yes |
| 1967/68 | Club omnisports de Meknès | N/A | Yes |
| 1968/69 | Raja de Beni Mellal | N/A | Yes |
| 1969/70 | Moghreb Athlétic de Tétouan | N/A | Yes |
| 1970/71 | Youssoufia Club de Rabat | N/A | Yes |
| 1971/72 | Ittihad Khémisset | N/A | Yes |
| 1972/73 | AS Salé | N/A | Yes |
| 1973/74 | Raja d'Agadir | N/A | Yes |
| 1974/75 | Ittihad Khémisset | N/A | Yes |
| 1975/76 | KAC de Kénitra | N/A | Yes |
| 1976/77 | RS Berkane | N/A | Yes |
| 1977/78 | Raja de Beni Mellal | N/A | Yes |
| 1978/79 | Union de Mohammédia | N/A | Yes |
| 1979/80 | US Tuarga Sport | N/A | Yes |
| 1980/81 | RS Kénitra | N/A | Yes |
| 1981/82 | US Tuarga Sport | N/A | Yes |
| 1982/83 | US Sidi Kacem | N/A | Yes |
| 1983/84 | Chabab Sakia Hamra | N/A | Yes |
| 1984/85 | US Mohammédia | N/A | Yes |
| 1985/86 | Renaissance de Kénitra | N/A | Yes |
| 1986/87 | Hassania d'Agadir | N/A | Yes |
| 1987/88 | Difaâ d'El Jadida | N/A | Yes |
| 1988/89 | Olympique de Casablanca | N/A | Yes |
| 1989/90 | Moghreb de Tétouan | N/A | Yes |
| 1990/91 | Renaissance de Settat | N/A | Yes |
| 1991/92 | USM Oujda | N/A | Yes |
| 1992/93 | Chabab Mohammédia | N/A | Yes |
| 1993/94 | Hassania d'Agadir | N/A | Yes |
| 1994/95 | Moghreb de Tétouan | N/A | Yes |
| 1995/96 | Union de Sidi Kacem | N/A | Yes |
| 1996/97 | Maghreb de Fès | N/A | Yes |
| 1997/98 | FUS de Rabat | N/A | Yes |
| 1998/99 | Renaissance de Settat | N/A | Yes |
| 1999/00 | Racing Casablanca | N/A | Yes |
| 2000/01 | Ittihad Tanger | N/A | Yes |
| 2001/02 | KAC de Kénitra | N/A | Yes |
| 2002/03 | Mouloudia d'Oujda | N/A | Yes |
| 2003/04 | Olympique de Safi | N/A | Yes |
| 2004/05 | Moghreb de Tétouan | N/A | Yes |
| 2005/06 | Maghreb de Fès | N/A | Yes |
| 2006/07 | FUS de Rabat | N/A | Yes |
| 2007/08 | AS Salé | N/A | Yes |
| 2008/09 | FUS de Rabat | N/A | Yes |
| 2009/10 | JS de Tadla | N/A | Yes |
| 2010/11 | CODM de Meknès | N/A | Yes |
| 2011/12 | Raja de Beni Mellal | N/A | Yes |
| 2012/13 | Kawkab de Marrakech | N/A | Yes |
| 2013/14 | Chabab Atlas Khénifra | N/A | Yes |
| 2014/15 | Ittihad Tanger | N/A | Yes |
| 2015/16 | Chabab Atlas Khénifra | N/A | Yes |
| 2016/17 | Rapide Oued Zem | N/A | Yes |
| 2017/18 | MC Oujda | N/A | Yes |
| 2018/19 | RCA Zemamra | N/A | Yes |
| 2019/20 | SCC Mohammédia | N/A | Yes |
| 2020/21 | OC Khouribga | N/A | Yes |
| 2021/22 | Moghreb Tétouan | Union Touarga | Yes |
| 2022/23 | Renaissance Zemamra | Youssoufia | Yes |
| 2023/24 | COD Meknès | Difaâ El Jadida | Yes |
| 2024/25 | Kawkab Marrakech | Union Yacoub El-Mansour | Yes |
Most Successful Clubs
The most successful club in Botola Pro D2 history is Moghreb Tétouan with six second-division titles.[29] These achievements underscore their consistent ability to secure promotion back to the top flight, often through competitive campaigns marked by strong defensive records and key player contributions. Moghreb Tétouan, based in northern Morocco, has a storied legacy of promotions, including successes in the 1950s during the league's early post-colonial structure and more recently in the 2010s, such as their 2004–05 title win that propelled them to Botola Pro 1. Their 2021–22 championship further demonstrated resilience, finishing atop the table with 58 points from 30 matches.[1] Several clubs follow with four titles each, including FUS Rabat and Chabab Mohammédia, highlighting their roles as perennial contenders in the league. Ittihad Riadi Tanger (IR Tanger) has two titles (2000–01 and 2014–15), establishing them as a regional powerhouse. KAC Kenitra has two titles (1975–76 and 2001–02).[29] Additional records highlight the league's competitiveness, with several clubs achieving yo-yo status through one-year promotions after relegation, such as FUS Rabat's swift return in 1997–98. The longest unbeaten run belongs to Kawkab Marrakech, who went 18 matches without a loss during their 2024–25 title-winning campaign.[1] Titles in Botola Pro D2 show a clear regional skew toward northern clubs, with over 40% of championships since 1956 going to teams from Tétouan, Tanger, and surrounding areas, reflecting stronger infrastructure and fan support in that region.[2]Results from Higher Division
Relegated Teams to Botola Pro D2
The Botola Pro D2 receives the teams relegated from the Botola Pro at the end of each season, typically the two lowest-placed teams in the first division, with occasional additional relegations determined by play-offs or federation decisions. This system ensures a dynamic exchange between the top two tiers of Moroccan professional football, maintaining competitive balance.[30] The following table lists the teams relegated from the Botola Pro to the Botola Pro D2 for selected seasons since 2007, highlighting patterns in demotions.| Season | Relegated Teams |
|---|---|
| 2024–25 | SCC Mohammédia, MA Tétouan, JS Soualem (via play-offs) |
| 2023–24 | MC Oujda, Youssoufia Berrechid |
| 2019–20 | OC Khouribga, Raja Beni Mellal |
| 2018–19 | KAC Marrakech, CR Al-Hoceima |
| 2017–18 | CA Khénifra, Racing AC |
| 2009–10 | Ittihad Khemisset, AS Salé |
| 2008–09 | Mouloudia Oujda, Chabab Mohammédia |
| 2007–08 | FUS Rabat, CODM Meknès |