Definition
The 2015–16 Botola, also referred to as the 2015–16 Botola Pro, was the 59th season of the top‑division football league in Morocco. It constituted the premier professional football competition organized by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) for the 2015–2016 calendar year.
Overview
The season commenced in August 2015 and concluded in May 2016. Sixteen clubs contested the league in a double‑round‑robin format, each team playing 30 matches (one home and one away against every other club). Standard point allocation applied: three points for a win, one point for a draw, and none for a loss.
Wydad Athletic Club (Wydad Casablanca) finished the campaign as champions, securing their 19th league title. Their victory granted qualification for the 2016 CAF Champions League. The runners‑up position was occupied by Fath Union Sport (FUS Rabat). Relegation to Botola 2 was imposed on the bottom‑placed teams, which were KAC Marrakech and Chabab Rif Al Hoceima.
The season featured notable individual performances, with the league’s top scorer being [Accurate information is not confirmed]. The competition was broadcast domestically and attracted significant spectator attendance across participating venues.
Etymology / Origin
“Botola” (Arabic: البطولة) translates to “the championship” or “the tournament.” The term has been used since the establishment of the Moroccan national league in the 1950s to denote the country’s highest football division.
Characteristics
- Governance: Administered by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation under the regulations of FIFA and CAF.
- Professional Status: Operates as a fully professional league, with clubs required to meet licensing criteria concerning finances, infrastructure, and youth development.
- Competition Format: Double round‑robin; the team with the most points at season’s end is crowned champion. In the case of equal points, goal difference and goals scored serve as tiebreakers.
- Continental Qualification: The league champion and runner‑up qualify for the CAF Champions League; the third‑placed team and the Moroccan Cup winner qualify for the CAF Confederation Cup.
- Relegation / Promotion: The two lowest‑ranked clubs are relegated to Botola 2, while the top two teams from Botola 2 are promoted for the following season.
Related Topics
- Botola (Moroccan top‑flight football league)
- 2015–16 CAF Champions League
- Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF)
- Moroccan football clubs (e.g., Wydad Casablanca, Raja Casablanca, FUS Rabat)
- 2015–16 football season (global overview)