Andrew Olsson
April 16, 2025Linafoot: Starting date for Championship phase announced in Congolese top flight
TP Mazembe remain the favorites to capture the title in DR Congo's top flight Linafoot. Photo Credit: TP Mazembe
Linafoot: Starting date for Championship phase announced in Congolese top flight
The initial phase of DR Congo’s Linafoot is complete and now the real business begins for the nation’s top clubs in the Championship round. The next stage for the qualified clubs will begin on April 23.
Divided into two groups based on the location of the clubs to avoid exorbitant travel costs, the top six clubs from each group qualified to the Championship round while the remaining clubs go into a Relegation round.
The top two clubs at the end of the Championship round will qualify for the 2025-26 CAF Champions League while the third place team qualifies for the CAF Confederation Cup along with the winners of the Coupe du Congo.
Final Table from the initial stage
Group A (Lubumbashi and surrounding area)
| Points | |
| TP Mazembe | 53 |
| Saint-Éloi Lupopo | 53 |
| Sanga Balende | 37 |
| FC Tanganyika | 36 |
| AS Simba | 36 |
| CS Don Bosco | 30 |
| Blessing FC | 28 |
| Groupe Bazano | 24 |
| AS Malole | 23 |
| US Tshinkunku | 22 |
| Lubumbashi Sport | 22 |
| US Panda | 5 |
Group B (Kinshasa, Goma and surrounding areas)
| Points | |
| Maniema Union | 43 |
| Aigles du Congo | 41 |
| AC Rangers | 34 |
| AS Vita Club | 29 |
| Anges Verts | 29 |
| DC Motema Pembe | 27 |
| Céleste FC | 26 |
| Renaissance | 21 |
| AC Kuya | 19 |
| New Jak | 15 |
| Dauphins Noirs* | 19 |
| Bukavu Dawa* | 13 |
| Etoile de Kivu* | 13 |