DR Congo’s Ligue 1 championship is scheduled to start on Tuesday 20 October 2026. In reports published on 6 October, Radio Okapi and Actualite.cd both say Linafoot released its calendar for the 2026/27 season the previous day. The date gives clubs their next competition milestone following September’s announcement of a new format.
The competition remains divided into two groups this season. In its 10 September statement, FECOFA set the field at 25 clubs, with 13 in Group A and 12 in Group B. The move to a 20-team direct championship concerns 2027/28, not the season due to begin this month.
The restructuring also affects the second division. The federation announced 58 Ligue 2 participants for 2026/27 and three promotions to Ligue 1, one from each development zone. The stakes therefore extend beyond restarting matches: movement between divisions is intended to prepare the reduction of the top flight.
Linafoot’s original calendar has not been recovered to check each fixture. Individual matches and postponements are therefore not detailed here; the opening date is the one on which the two reports agree.
Sources and references
Radio Okapi | Calendrier Ligue 1, 6 octobre 2026Actualite.cd | Ouverture Ligue 1, 6 octobre 2026FECOFA | Format 2026/27, 10 septembre 2026Written with AI assistance from the cited sources and subject to editorial verification. Reported facts are distinguished from analysis; no original interviews are claimed.