Benin Football Federation Initiates Restructuring of Professional Football
The Benin Football Federation (FBF) is embarking on a reorganization of its professional football sector. A new Transitional Committee for the Management of Professional Football was established and officially put in place on Monday, September 29th, by the FBF’s Executive Committee.
This action follows Decision No. 003-B/2025/FBF/CE/PT, dated September 26th. This decision effectively dissolves the former leadership and demonstrates a strong desire to expedite reforms in how elite football is governed in Benin.
The newly formed committee is headed by Wilfrido Ayibatin from Loto-Popo FC, who will serve as Coordinator. Joël Debally from Coton FC will take on the role of Deputy Coordinator. In his initial statement, Ayibatin highlighted the importance and urgency of the committee’s work.
“We have been given a clear task, but we have very little time to complete it,” Ayibatin stated. “We have three weeks to finalize the basic rules for our future League.”
The committee’s main focus is to create and submit the foundational documents for the future Benin Professional Football League (LFPB). This is in addition to managing the day-to-day operations and overseeing the 2025-2026 championship. The committee has stated its intention to build upon previous work to deliver a strong, clear, and well-organized legal and organizational framework by mid-October. This framework is intended to meet international standards.
The establishment of this new committee comes as the 2025-2026 Benin championship has already begun, with the first matches played on September 27th and 28th. Beninese football is now facing a race against time to provide its elite players with a stable and up-to-date professional structure. The FBF hopes that the restructuring will create a more sustainable and competitive environment for football in Benin. This includes improving the quality of play, increasing fan engagement, and attracting more investment into the sport.
The Transitional Committee’s work will be closely monitored by football stakeholders in Benin and beyond. The success of this reorganization could serve as a model for other African nations looking to improve their own professional football leagues. The next few weeks will be critical as the committee works to meet its deadline and lay the foundation for a new era of Beninese football. The focus remains on ensuring that the future Benin Professional Football League is built on a foundation of transparency, good governance, and a commitment to the development of the sport.
