Girabola, or Campeonato Nacional de Futebol de Séniores Masculinos, is the top division of Angolan football. It is organized by the Angolan Football Federation.
The term "Girabola" () is a creation of the nationalist, radio broadcaster and sports reporter Rui Carvalho, in 1972, at a time when the Angolan championship was still officially called "Campeonato do Estado Ultramarino de Angola". The name "Girabola" differentiated the competition from the other overseas provinces and was a subtle form of anti-colonial protest.
The league winner and runner-up qualify for the CAF Champions League.
History
The competition is the successor to the "Campeonato do Estado Ultramarino de Angola".
Between 1975 and 1979, this competition did not take place.
In 1979, the first post-independence year that the competition was played, the league consisted of 24 teams, divided into groups of four or six teams, in a competition that started on December 8, 1979.
In 1980, the competition was contested by the thirteen teams best classified in the previous season, plus Sagrada Esperança, benefiting from the division of the Lundas into north and south. The last edition to be played by fourteen teams was in 1990.
In 1991 and 1992, sixteen teams participated in the competition. In 1993 and 1994, the number of teams competing was reduced to twelve, because of the civil war that prevented teams from Huambo from participating in the competition.
In 1995 the competition was again contested by fourteen teams. Since that year, the point system has also changed, with the winner of the game earning 3 points instead of the 2 points previously earned.
Since 2010, the championship has been contested by 16 teams.
Girabola ZAP In January 2016, Angolan subscription TV satellite and cable provider ZAP, the Angolan Football Federation and the Girabola clubs, signed a three-year deal in which ZAP will have broadcast rights over all Girabola matches. As part of the deal, the Angolan state-owned TV station TPA will be allowed to broadcast one game per week on its free-view platform. Also as part of the deal, the Girabola changes its denomination to Girabola ZAP for sponsorship reasons.
In September 2025, ZAP through its sports network Z Sports regained exclusive rights to the league after five years.
Qualification for African competitions Association ranking for the 2025–26 CAF club season The association ranking for the 2025–26 CAF Champions League and the 2025–26 CAF Confederation Cup will be based on results from each CAF club competition from 2020–21 to the 2024–25 season.
Legend CL: CAF Champions League CC: CAF Confederation Cup ≥: Associations points might increase on basis of its clubs performance in 2024–25 CAF club competitions
Rank Association 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25 Total 2025 2024 Mvt CL CC CL CC CL CC CL CC CL CC11 —837482.57710422 —469582245534 +182544341.59343 -1657165235556 +130.50234602465 -14351426130.578 +110502031.52287 -1400312402099 —30303020301011 +100010330121110 -100.50500.503001212 —0200020201
List of champions before independence The list of champions includes the national champions in the colonial period.
(Campeonato Provincial de Angola)
1941: Sporting de Luanda 1942: Sporting de Luanda 1943: Benfica de Benguela 1944: Sporting de Luanda 1945: Sport Clube da Catumbela 1946: Sporting de Luanda 1947: Sporting de Luanda 1948: unknown 1949: unknown 1950: unknown 1951: Ferroviário de Nova Lisboa 1952: Portugal de Benguela 1953: Ferroviário de Luanda 1954: Lobito SC 1955: Sporting de Luanda 1956: Sporting de Luanda 1957: Ferroviário de Nova Lisboa 1958: Sport Clube da Catumbela 1959: Portugal de Benguela 1960: Portugal de Benguela 1961: Portugal de Benguela 1962: Ferroviário de Luanda 1963: Sporting de Luanda 1964: Portugal de Benguela 1965: Atlético Sport Aviação 1966: Atlético Sport Aviação 1967: Atlético Sport Aviação 1968: Atlético Sport Aviação 1969: Independente Sport Clube 1970: Independente Sport Clube 1971: Independente Sport Clube 1972: Benfica de Nova Lisboa 1973: Futebol Clube do Moxico 1974: Ferroviário de Nova Lisboa 1975: Recreativo da Caála
Titles by team P Team Won Years won 1 Sporting de Luanda 8 1941, 1942, 1944, 1946, 1947, 1955, 1956, 1963 2 Portugal de Benguela 5 1952, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1964 3 Atlético Sport Aviação 4 1965, 1966, 1967, 19684 Ferroviário de Nova Lisboa 3 1951, 1957, 1974 Ind. de Porto Alexandre 3 1969, 1970, 19715 Ferroviário de Luanda 2 1953, 1962 Sport Clube da Catumbela 2 1945, 19586 Recreativo da Caála 1 1975 Futebol Clube do Moxico 1 1973 Benfica de Nova Lisboa 1 1972 Lobito SC 1 1954 Benfica de Benguela 1 1943
Since independence (Girabola)
YClubHomeNatCoach*1979:Primeiro de Agosto Luanda Nicola Berardinelli*1980:Primeiro de Agosto Luanda Ivan Ridanović *1981:Primeiro de Agosto LuandaJoaquim Dinis*1982:Petro de Luanda Antônio Clemente*1983:Primeiro de Maio Benguela Petar Knežević *1984:Petro de Luanda Severino Miranda*1985:Primeiro de Maio BenguelaRui Rodrigues*1986:Petro de Luanda Carlos Silva*1987:Petro de Luanda Antônio Clemente*1988:Petro de Luanda Antônio Clemente*1989:Petro de Luanda Carlos Queirós *1990:Petro de Luanda Carlos Queirós*1991:Primeiro de Agosto Luanda Dušan Condić*1992:Primeiro de Agosto Luanda Dušan Condić*1993:Petro de Luanda Gojko Zec*1994:Petro de Luanda Gojko Zec *1995:Petro de Luanda Jesus*1996:Primeiro de Agosto Luanda Mário Calado*1997: Petro de Luanda Jorge Ferreira*1998: Primeiro de Agosto LuandaDaniel Ndunguidi*1999: Primeiro de Agosto LuandaDaniel Ndunguidi*2000: Petro de Luanda Djalma Cavalcante*2001: Petro de Luanda Djalma Cavalcante*2002: ASA Luanda Bernardino Pedroto
YClubHomeNatCoach*2003: ASA LuandaBernardino Pedroto*2004: ASA LuandaBernardino Pedroto*2005 Sagrada Esperança Dundo Mário Calado*2006: Primeiro de Agosto Luanda Jan Brouwer*2007:Interclube LuandaCarlos Mozer*2008:Petro de Luanda Bernardino Pedroto*2009:Petro de Luanda Bernardino Pedroto*2010: Interclube Luanda Álvaro Magalhães*2011: Recreativo do Libolo CaluloZeca Amaral*2012: Recreativo do Libolo Zeca Amaral*2013: Kabuscorp Luanda Eduard Eranosyan*2014: Recreativo do Libolo Miller Gomes*2015: Recreativo do Libolo João Paulo Costa*2016: Primeiro de Agosto Dragan Jović*2017: Primeiro de Agosto Dragan Jović*2018: Primeiro de Agosto Zoran Manojlović*2018–19: Primeiro de Agosto Dragan Jović*2019–20: Cancelled *2020–21: Sagrada Esperança Dundo Roque Sapiri*2021–22: Petro de Luanda Luanda Alexandre Santos*2022–23: Petro de Luanda Luanda Alexandre Santos*2023–24: Petro de Luanda Luanda*2024–25: Petro de Luanda Luanda*2025–26: Petro de Luanda Luanda Flávio Amado
Titles by team P Team Won Years won1 Petro de Luanda 20 1982, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2008, 2009, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 20262 Primeiro de Agosto 13 1979, 1980, 1981, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2006, 2016, 2017, 2018, 20193 Recreativo do Libolo 4 2011, 2012, 2014, 20154 AS Aviação 3 2002, 2003, 20045 Primeiro de Maio 2 1983, 1985 Interclube 2 2007, 2010 Sagrada Esperança 2 2005, 20216 Kabuscorp 1 2013
Top goalscorers
SeasonPlayerClubGoals1979 João Machado Diabos Verdes 181980 Alves Primeiro de Agosto 291981 Maluka Primeiro de Maio 201982 Jesus Petro de Luanda 211983 Maluka Primeiro de Maio 171984 Jesus Petro de Luanda 221985 Jesus Petro de Luanda 191986 Túbia Inter Luanda 201987 Mavó Ferroviário da Huíla 201988 Manuel Primeiro de Agosto 161989 André Desportivo da Cuca 181990 Mona Petro de Luanda 171991 Amaral Aleixo Sagrada Esperança 231992 Amaral Aleixo Petro de Luanda 201993 Serginho Desportivo da EKA 141994Kabongó Sonangol do Namibe 161995 Serginho Desportivo da EKA 191996 César Caná Académica do Lobito 151997 Zé Neli Petro do Huambo 121998 Betinho Petro de Luanda 141999 Isaac Primeiro de Agosto 162000 Blanchard Benfica de Luanda 192001 Flávio Amado Petro de Luanda 232002 Flávio Amado Petro de Luanda 162003 Mateus André Interclube 122004 Love Kabungula ASA 172005 Love Kabungula ASA 132006 Manucho Gonçalves Petro de Luanda 162007 Manucho Gonçalves Petro de Luanda 142008 Santana Carlos Petro de Luanda 202009 David Magalhães Petro de Luanda 192010 Daniel Mpele Mpele Kabuscorp 142011 Love Kabungula Petro de Luanda 202012 Yano Progresso 142013 Albert Meyong Kabuscorp 202014 Albert Meyong Kabuscorp 172015 Yano Progresso 132016 Gelson Primeiro de Agosto 232017 Azulão Petro de Luanda 162018 Azulão Petro de Luanda 202018–19 Mabululu Primeiro de Agosto 142019–20 Tony RibeiroPetro de Luanda152020–21 Azulão Petro de Luanda 162021–22 Azulão Petro de Luanda 212022–23 Azulão Petro de Luanda202023–24 BenarfaKabuscorp152024–25 KaporalWiliete de Benguela222025–26 Dago TshibambaPrimeiro de Agosto18 Most time goalscorer 5 times. Azulão (2017, 2018, 2020–21, 2021–22 and 2022–23.). Most goals by a player in a single season 29 goals. Alves (1980) Most goals by a player in a single game 6 goals. Vieira Dias (Primeiro Agosto) 7–0 against Sassamba, (1989) All-time goalscorers RankPlayer Country GoalsYears1Love Cabungula1352001–20172Tiago Azulão1312016–3Jesus1111981–1988
Multiple hat-tricks RankCountry Player Hat-tricks 1Jesus72Alves5Azulão4Túbia Ribeiro45Ndisso3LoveVieira Dias8Abel Campos2AndreBebetoDavid MagalhãesFlávio AmadoJoão MachadoJuliãoJulinhoRascaRivaldoSantana CarlosYano20Several players 1 Most hat-tricks in a single season 10 hat-tricks (2020-21) Most hat-tricks by a player in a single season 3 hat-tricks Jesus (1984) 3 hat-tricks Túbia Ribeiro (1986)
Rádio 5 Awards Season Best Player Top Scorer Best Goal-keeper Best coach 2013 Amaro Meyong Abulá 2012 Yano Yano Landu Zeca Amaral 2011 Aguinaldo Love Hugo Zeca Amaral 2010 Minguito Mpele Mpele Álvaro Magalhães 2009 Job David Ângelo Bernardino Pedroto 2008 Love Santana Capoco Bernardino Pedroto 2007 Minguito Manucho Mário Carlos Mozer 2006 Gazeta Manucho Lamá Jan Brouwer 2005 Jamba Love Oliveira Gonçalves 2004 Yamba Asha Love 2003 Love André 2001 Flávio Flávio Marito Djalma Cavalcante 2000 Mbiyavanga Blanchard Djalma Cavalcante 1999 Mendonça Isaac Ndunguidi
See also List of Girabola seasons Girabola Clubs Participation Details Angola Cup Angola Super Cup Angola 2nd Division
References
External links Claque magazine League at fifa.com Angolan Girabola, standings, results & fixtures at Live2Sport