Morocco’s Botola Pro will remain a 16-team league for the 2026-27 season, ending a contentious push to expand the country’s top flight to 20 clubs just weeks before the new campaign.
The National Professional Football League (LNFP) confirmed Thursday that the existing format will remain unchanged, with 16 clubs competing in Botola Pro 1 and another 16 in Botola Pro 2.
“The Botola Pro competitions for the 2026-2027 sporting season will take place according to the format currently in force, with the participation of 16 clubs in the first division and 16 clubs in the second division,” the LNFP said.
The league added that the format would be maintained “in accordance with the procedures, regulations and laws in force.”
The announcement effectively ends, at least for the coming season, a debate that had dominated Moroccan professional football in recent weeks.
Clubs backed expansion, but the numbers were not enough
The proposal had gathered considerable support among club officials.
At a meeting between the LNFP and professional club presidents on Monday, 17 clubs voted in favor of expanding the two professional divisions to 20 teams. Seven voted against the proposal and three abstained.
But the vote failed to produce the unanimity needed to move ahead with such a major change to the competition format.
The existing regulations set the number of clubs in each of Morocco’s two professional divisions at 16, meaning an expansion could not simply be implemented through a vote among club presidents shortly before the season.
Thursday’s announcement means the LNFP has opted to retain the existing regulatory framework rather than overhaul the competition on the eve of a new campaign.
Weeks of debate over a 20-team Botola
The expansion proposal had initially been championed by several club presidents before gaining support from coaches and, most recently, the Moroccan Union of Professional Footballers (UMFP).
Supporters argued that increasing the league to 20 teams would create more jobs for players and other football professionals, generate more matches and potentially increase economic activity around participating clubs and cities.
But the proposal also raised questions over scheduling, club finances, infrastructure and the sporting rationale for expansion.
Moving from 16 to 20 clubs would have increased each team’s league schedule from 30 to 38 matches and substantially expanded the number of fixtures that would have to be accommodated alongside the Throne Cup, CAF club competitions and international windows.
The financial implications were another source of concern, particularly at a time when several professional clubs are already struggling with debt, unpaid salaries and other financial obligations.
Botola draw set for Aug. 28
The LNFP also provided the first firm date for the upcoming campaign.
The 2026-27 Botola Pro INWI draw will take place Friday, Aug. 28, at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Maâmora, near Rabat.
The match schedule and other organizational details will be announced later.
