The National Soccer League is a men’s football league in Rwanda, formed in 1975. On Xtra-Stats, visitors can follow live scores, upcoming fixtures, completed results, standings, and player and team statistics across the competition’s recorded seasons. Use the page to compare season-by-season results and standings while reviewing individual and team performance statistics in detail.
Upcoming matches, National Soccer League
Regular Season - 2
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- Regular Season - 2Etoile de l'Est
AS Kigali
Regular Season - 3
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- Regular Season - 3
Gasogi United
Gorilla
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- Regular Season - 3
Mukura
Police
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- Regular Season - 3Rayon Sports
Sunrise
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- Regular Season - 3
Amagaju
Al Merreikh
Stade Huye
Regular Season - 4
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- Regular Season - 4
AS Kigali
Gicumbi
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- Regular Season - 4
Gorilla
Rayon Sports
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- Regular Season - 4
Al Merreikh
No H2HEtoile de l'Est
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- Regular Season - 4
Marines
Kiyovu Sports
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- Regular Season - 4
Bugesera
Etincelles
Latest played matches, National Soccer League
Regular Season - 3
Regular Season - 2
Regular Season - 1
National Soccer League Standings
Regular Season
| Rank | Club | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Last 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Gicumbi | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 9 | WWW |
| 2 | Etincelles | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | WWD | |
| 3 | Al Hilal Omdurman | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | W | |
| 4 |
|
Marines | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | W |
| 5 |
|
Mukura | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | W |
| 6 |
|
Amagaju | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | LW |
| 7 |
|
Gorilla | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | LW |
| 8 |
|
Musanze | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | LW |
| 9 |
|
Kiyovu Sports | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 3 | WLL |
| 10 | Sunrise | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | D | |
| 11 | Etoile de l'Est | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | -3 | 1 | LDL | |
| 12 |
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AS Kigali | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | -4 | 1 | LDL |
| 13 |
|
Police | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 | L |
| 14 |
|
Bugesera | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 | L |
| 15 |
|
Gasogi United | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 0 | L |
National Soccer League Statistics
Top scorers 2026
| # | Player | Goals |
|---|
Top assists 2026
| # | Player | Assists |
|---|
Top key passes
Top tackles
Top yellow cards
Top red cards
National Soccer League teams participation since 2018
History
| Team | Nb participations |
|---|---|
| APR | 8 |
| AS Kigali | 8 |
| Bugesera | 8 |
| Etincelles | 8 |
| Kiyovu Sports | 8 |
| Marines | 8 |
| Mukura | 8 |
| Musanze | 8 |
| Police | 8 |
| Rayon Sports | 8 |
| Gasogi United | 7 |
| Gorilla | 6 |
| Espoir | 5 |
| Sunrise | 5 |
| Rutsiro | 5 |
| Amagaju | 4 |
| Gicumbi | 4 |
| Muhanga | 4 |
| Rwamagana City | 3 |
| Etoile de l'Est | 2 |
| Al Hilal Omdurman | 1 |
| Al Merreikh | 1 |
| Kirehe | 1 |
| Heroes | 1 |
| Vision | 1 |
National Soccer League top scorer teams
National Soccer League About
National Soccer League, now known as the Rwanda Premier League and also recorded as the Rwandan National Soccer League, is Rwanda’s top-flight men’s football league. Organised under the authority of the Rwanda Football Federation (FERWAFA), it determines the national champion, develops elite domestic talent and provides Rwanda’s principal route into senior continental club football.
Role in Rwandan football
The competition occupies the highest level of Rwanda’s football pyramid. Clubs reach it primarily through sporting merit: established top-flight sides defend their status while leading teams from the Rwandan Second Division seek promotion. At the other end of the table, the lowest-ranked clubs normally face relegation, with the precise number determined by the regulations for the relevant season. This movement between divisions keeps the league connected to the wider domestic game and gives clubs across Rwanda a clear competitive pathway.
The league was founded in 1975 and has developed into the country’s principal stage for domestic football. Its history includes enduring rivalries and powerful clubs such as APR FC and Rayon Sports FC, whose meetings have helped shape the competition’s public profile. The modern Rwanda Premier League identity reflects the league’s position as a professional national championship, while the National Soccer League name remains important when tracing its earlier history and recorded competition identity.
Governance and purpose
FERWAFA is responsible for the competition’s regulations, club participation, player licensing, match administration and disciplinary framework. Its rules operate within the wider standards of FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF). Before entering the league, clubs must satisfy the applicable licensing requirements, which can cover financial administration, stadium and infrastructure standards, sporting organisation and youth development.
The league’s purpose extends beyond selecting a champion. It offers Rwandan players a high-level domestic environment in which to develop, supports the professional pathway from youth football to senior competition and acts as an important talent pool for the Rwanda national team. Strong performances can also bring players and clubs to the attention of teams and competitions outside the country.
Competition format
The standard structure is a double round-robin league. Each club plays every other participating club twice, once at home and once away. The resulting table rewards sustained performance across the season rather than success in a single knockout tie. Fixture sequencing and pre-season arrangements may vary, with seeding commonly informed by the previous campaign’s standings.
As a league competition, matches are normally settled through the points table rather than extra time or penalty kicks. A win earns three points, a draw earns one point for each team and a defeat earns no points. Teams are ranked first by total points. When clubs are level, the applicable ranking hierarchy includes goal difference, goals scored and head-to-head performance, although the precise order should be read alongside the regulations for the relevant edition.
The double round-robin model is the usual framework, but Rwanda’s top division has adapted its format in exceptional circumstances. Previous seasons affected by difficult scheduling conditions have used modified or hybrid arrangements, including later-stage championship structures. Such exceptions should not be treated as the permanent format of the Rwanda Premier League.
Season calendar and progression
The competition generally follows an annual cycle that begins in the late summer or early autumn and concludes in the following spring or early summer. This calendar allows domestic fixtures to be arranged around international windows, national-team commitments and African club competitions. The campaign progresses from the opening matchdays through a long sequence of league fixtures before the final table confirms the champion, continental places and relegated clubs.
The available competition record covers seasons from 2018 through 2025, providing a substantial period for comparing standings, results, club performance and individual match statistics. Historical context remains important, however, because the number of participants, fixture structure and relegation arrangements can change between editions.
Championship and continental stakes
The team finishing first is crowned Rwanda’s national champion. That title carries significance beyond domestic prestige: the champion represents Rwanda in the qualifying pathway for the CAF Champions League, subject to the applicable continental entry rules. Other high-ranking clubs, and in some circumstances domestic cup winners, may gain access to the CAF Confederation Cup or another continental route according to the allocation and regulations for that season.
At the bottom of the table, relegation places create a second defining contest. Clubs must balance the pursuit of the title and continental qualification with the need to protect their top-flight status, while ambitious Second Division teams compete for promotion. This combination of long-term consistency, local rivalry, player development and continental opportunity makes the Rwanda Premier League the central competition in Rwandan men’s domestic football.