You can find basic information about the Banijan soccer pyramid here.
Banija League Soccer is the entity that makes up Banija's national second tier. This consists of 18 teams. There is only one promotion/relegation slot to the S-FPL from this league, so the league champion will get promoted, while the last place finisher gets relegated to the regional leagues. The second to last place finisher plays the 2nd place regional league champion for the final spot in this competition.
Qualification for the Liga B Champions Trophy shall go like this. Formerly, the champion did not participate in the LBCT, but due to the entry format going against IFCF guidelines, the qualification has changed. The top two teams in the league will earn direct qualification to the LBCT. The 3rd through 6th place squads will enter the LBCT Qualification Playoff. It will be a double round robin group stage, with each team playing six games, home and away. The top team in that playoff group will qualify for Banija's last spot to the LBCT. Furthermore, the first tiebreaker for the LBCT Qualification Playoff shall be standing in league play during the regular season.
As for relegation, there is the potential for two teams to be relegated. The last place team shall be automatically relegated to the regional leagues. The second worst team will play in a two legged tie, called the BLS Qualifier, with the team that lost the regional league Promotion Playoff Final. The winner of that qualifier will play in this league next season, while the loser shall go to the regional leagues.
Roster Key-
Underlined players are Banijan internationals.
Nationality is listed if they are not Banijan.
Italicized players are internationals for a foreign country.
All players are male unless otherwise specified.
Teams in Banija League Soccer-
1. Aissa United Football Club. AUFC. Location: Aissa, Hangaza. Colors: Blue & white.
2. Askatasuna Football Club. AFC. Location: Askatasuna, Aksum. Colors: Green & White.
3. Bunyoro Regional Sporting Club. BRSC. Location: Dodomo, Bunyoro. Colors: Blue.
4. Herzegovina Phoenix. BKF. Location: Vdizi, Moravica.
5. The Lwanga Lions. LWG. Location: Lwanga, Buganda. Colors: Orange.
6. Corizova United FC. CUFC. Location: Corizova, Moravica. Color: Gold.
7. Dukuma Sporting Club. DSC. Location: Dukuma, North Island, Busoga Islands. Colors: Purple & white.
8. Duntho Sporting Club. DSC. Loction: Duntho, Hangaza. Colors: Green.
9. Igulu City Football Club. ICFC. Location: Igulu, Hangaza. Colors: Blue.
10. Isipongo Flash. IF. Location: Isipongo, Buganda. Colors: Black & white.
11. Kabakono City. KBC. Location: Kabakona, Kitara. Colors: Blue.
12. Lakiska Sporting Club. LSC. Location: Lakiska, South Island, Busoga Islands. Colors: Red.
13. Jaribga Soccer Club. JSC. Location: Jaribga, North Island, Busoga Islands. Color: Blue.
14. Rukunbi Football Club. RFC. Location: Istria, Moravica. Located in Eastern Istria, the largest of the 5 districts of Istria with 38% of the city's population and generally considered to be culturally distinct from the rest of the city. Colors: Light Green & White.
15. Sororo City. SOR. Location: Sororo, Bunyoro. Colors: Blue.
16. Suwawa FC. SFC. Location: Suwawa, Moravica. Color: Green.
17. Umbazi Metropolitan Sporting Club. Location: Umbazi, Buganda. Nickname: Flamingo. Deragotory Nickname: Flightless Birds
18. Zakuta City. ZKC. Location: Zakuta, Ankole. Colors: Green.
All-Banija Sports Magazine Projected Order of Finish
- Aissa United
- Lakiska SC
- Herzegovina Phoenix
- Rukunbi FC
- Kabakono City
- Duntho Sporting Club
- Bunyoro RSC
- Umbazi Metropolitan Sporting Club
- Dukuma SC
- Zakuta City
- Sororo City
- Isipongo Flash
- Igulu City FC
- Askatasuna FC
- Lwanga Lions
- Jaribga Soccer Club
- Corizova United
- Suwawa FC
Banija League Soccer is preparing for a slightly less competitive division, as fewer teams are seen as contenders- although this race could be wide open regardless. What's at stake? None other than a berth in one of the wealthiest and best leagues in the world, the Shango-Fogoa Premier League. There is only one promotion spot available on this side, which means the competition amongst the top can be extremely competitive. Aissa United open again as the betting favorites, with a freer than normal spending Lakiska SC making a few signings as well to make this really a three-horse race. Joined by who? Herzegovina Phoenix, who spent four consecutive seasons in the top flight before being relegated. Can they hop right back into the top flight?
Aissa United once again open the league season as the slight favorites to win the title. It's really interesting to see this team, likely the biggest team in the country that is not in the S-FPL, struggling so hard to mkae it into the S-FPL. Many thought they'd be able to make it to the S-FPL pretty easily. But the Hawabark Boulders have been a much better lower league team than them, and they haven't used their advantages as a big club well enough. Do they have the talent and depth? Once again, yes. But Xavier-Marc Lévy, their Quebecois manager now entering his seventh season, is entering the hot seat. It's promotion or bust expectations at Aissa United. And if it's bust... Well, expect them to clean out their roster, as they've got quite a few veterans on the team who wouldn't be around if they decide to invest the cash in a serious rebuild.
And next, we will take a nice long look at Lakiska SC. They've brought back club legend, Winad-Lenpi Xlo, into the fold, as the Qusmo national has returned to the club that made them famous in the first place. They had gone to the national team, and led them on a spirited, stunning run to the AOCAF Quarterfinals, before they were eliminated by none other than Banija, on an 117th minute counter-attacking goal from Idai Uster. But Winad-Lenpi Xlo did not just come back for nothing. This will mark the fourth consecutive season that the Busoga Islands are missing a team, entirely, from the Shango-Fogoa Premier League. "I want to get this club back to the top flight, for Lakiska, and for all of Busoga!" They said at their introductory press conference. And they've spent the money to turbocharge their chase. First, a very controversial signing, grabbing Odede Angonga from Nyowani Kitara as their front man. This would have been impossible for a Banijan team- but the NYK Civil War did not generate nearly as much toxicity in the Busoga Islands, where Nafuna Akongo was quite popular. Angonga is a loud and proud supporter of Nafuna Akongo. He's already going to be the league's villain from that aspect alone, as Banijan fans will declare him public enemy #1. They've also signed Parker Mathis, from Hapilopper's national team. The son of Hapilopper President William Mathis, he plays with what some call 'reckless abandon', but what Winad-Lenpi calls 'limitless energy'. "Formed in the right mold, he can be at the center of the park for a S-FPL team. And that is exactly what we will be- next season."
Next, we're going to talk about the Herzegovina Phoenix. Getting promoted in the first season of this league, they spent four seasons in the top flight before being cast down into the lower leagues. Despite their relegation, Reinhard Drake has hung onto his post as manager, drawing criticism from Phoenix supporters. He's done it before, performed in the big time- why can't he do it again, they say? These are players that almost all have S-FPL experience, even if that experience is relegation experience. But historically, the Phoenix have always been a club that has punched above their weight. Before Kitara Athletic Association stunned the multiverse by winning the S-FPL, and then the G-d damn Champions League in back to back seasons, the Phoenix have had the biggest heights of any club not considered a historically big club(Istria City, Jinja City, Herzegovina City, Busukuma AC, and Hoima). They should be able to have enough talent to get back up. But where are the improvements? They are a serious threat to go back up, even if they are not a favorite.
And there you have it. Which team will win the race to get to the S-FPL, and which two other teams will join that one in next year's Liga B Champions Trophy?