Monday, 20 January 2025

2024-2025 Rwandan Second Division

 

2024-2025 Rwandan Second Division

 

Season

2024-2025

Dates

21 September 2024 – May 2025

Champions

 

Promoted

 

Relegated

 

Matches played

 

Goals scored

 

Biggest home win

Intare – Nyagatare 7-0 (round 9, 16 November 2024)

Biggest away win

Alpha FC – Etoile de l’Est 1-8 (round 1, 21 September 2024)

Highest scoring

Alpha FC – Etoile de l’Est 1-8 (round 1, 21 September 2024)

Longest winning run

La Jeunesse – 8 matches (rounds 4-11)

Longest unbeaten run

Etoile de l’Est (unbeaten)

Longest winless run

Impeesa (has not won yet)

Longest losing run

Impeesa – 9 matches (rounds 6, 1, and 8-14)

 

Competition details and format

 

The Rwandan Second Division represents the second tier in the Rwandan football system and is organized by the Federation Rwandaise de Football Association (FERWAFA).

The 2024-2025 season involves 26 teams (compared to 28 teams in 2023-2024), which were divided into two groups of 13 teams each, Group A and Group B. Most of the teams had participated in the 2023-2024 season as well, or in previous editions of the Second Division, but there were also two teams relegated from the 2023-2024 National League, as well as a few teams promoted from the Third Division or otherwise accepted. The groups were largely made up taking into account a balanced distribution of the teams in terms of value, and the geographical location, as much as possible. The competition started on 21 September 2024 and will probably end in May 2025.

In each group, every team play every other team twice, once at home, and once away, in a double round robin championship, a total of 26 rounds. Because there is an odd number of teams in each group, in each round one team receives a bye. The first half of the season started on 21 September 2024 and ended on 15 December 2024. After a break, the second half of the season started on 11 January 2025 and is expected to end in April 2025. Matches in the second half of the season are played in reverse order compared to the first half, so that the last opponents in the first half will be the first opponents in the second half. The winners and the runners-up in each group qualify for the promotion play-offs. The promotion play-offs will be played in a Final Four format, each team playing every other team twice, once at home and once away, a total of 6 rounds.

The two teams that were relegated from the National League, Sunrise FC and Etoile de l’Est, were initially considered the main favorites for promotion. They were distributed in two different groups. However, they were both outperformed by other teams in their groups in the first half of the season. In Group A, La Jeunesse were leaders after the first half of the season, 5 points ahead of Etoile de l’Est. Esperance and Ivoire Olympic were not far from the second place and have some chances to get to the play-offs. In Group B, Gicumbi finished on top after the first half of the season, 2 points ahead of Sunrise and AS Muhanga, while newly-promoted Sina Gerard were also close to the top of the table. These four teams are far above all the others in the table and will fight for the two places leading to the play-offs.

The teams classified 13th (last) in each group might be involved in a play-out championship, to avoid relegation, and they might be relegated to the 2025-2026 Third Division. However, in recent years, there were no teams relegated to the Third Division, mainly because some teams withdrew from the competition. After the first half of the season, in Group A, Impeesa was classified last, obtaining just one point. Akagera, Aspor, and Nyagatare are way in front of Impeesa. In Group B, the situation is more balanced. After the first half of the season, Miroplast were last, but only a little behind Motar FC, Interforce or United Stars.

 

Team changes from the 2023-2024

 

To the Second Division

 

Relegated from the National League

 

Sunrise FC

Etoile de l’Est

 

Promoted from the Third Division or otherwise accepted to the Second Division

 

Alpha FC

Motar FC

Sina Gerard SC

 

From the Second Division

 

Promoted to the National League

 

Rutsiro FC

Vision FC

 

Relegated

 

None

 

Withdrawn

 

Espoir FC

Gasabo United

Sorwathe FC

Spring Hope Academy

The Winners

 

Teams

 

Group A

 

Team

Home town

Stadium

2023-2024

Etoile de l’Est

Kibungo

Ngoma

16th in the National League (relegated)

Intare FC

Shyorongi

Shyorongi

2nd in Group A (third in play-off)

Addax SC

Rugende

Mumena

3rd in Group A

La Jeunesse FC

Nyamirambo

Mumena

4th in Group A

Esperance FC

Kigali

Tapis Rouge

7th in Group B

Akagera FC

Rwinkwavu

Rwinkwavu

9th in Group B

City Boys FC

Kigali

Tapis Rouge

10th in Group A

Ivoire Olympic

Kigali

Ruyenzi

11th in Group B

Aspor FC

Kigali

EACC Masaka

12th in Group A

Nyagatare FC

Nyagatare

Kiramuruzi

12th in Group B

Impeesa FC

Kigali

Camp Kigali

13th in Group B

Unity FC

Kigali

Bugesera

14th in Group A

Alpha FC

Kigali

Mumena

Promoted from the Third Division or otherwise accepted

 

Group B

 

Team

Home town

Stadium

2023-2024

Sunrise FC

Rwamagana

Nyagatare

15th in the Premier League (relegated)

AS Muhanga

Muhanga

Muhanga

2nd in Group B (fourth in play-off)

Interforce FC

Nyamata

Bugesera

4th in Group B

Nyanza FC

Nyanza

Nyanza

5th in Group A

Miroplast FC

Kigali

Mironko

5th in Group B

Tsinda Batsinde

Gasiza

Gasiza

7th in Group A

Vision Jeunesse Nouvelle FC

Gisenyi

Stade Umuganda

8th in Group A

Gicumbi FC

Byumba

Tapis Rouge

8th in Group B

Kamonyi FC

Kamonyi

Ruyenzi

9th in Group A

United Stars FC

Ruhango

Kabagari

10th in Group B

UR FC

Huye

Mironko

11th in Group A

Sina Gerard FC

Nyirangarama

Nyirangarama

Promoted from the Third Division or otherwise accepted

Motar FC

Kigali

Tapis Rouge

Promoted from the Third Division or otherwise accepted

 

Geographical distribution of the teams

 

Almost half of the teams (11 out of 26) are from the capital city of Kigali or the province of Kigali. They are mostly distributed in Group A (9 out of 11). The 5 teams of the Southern Province and the 2 teams of the Western Province are exclusively distributed in Group B. Teams from the Eastern Province are distributed in both groups, most likely because the two teams relegated from the National League had to be placed in two different groups, and both relegated teams were from the Eastern Province; therefore, one of them (Etoile de l’Est) is in Group A with two other teams of the Eastern Province, while the other one (Sunrise FC) is in Group B with one other team from the Eastern Province. The three teams of the Northern Province are also to be found in both groups, but two of them are in Group B and only one (Intare FC, actually on the outskirts of Kigali) is in Group A.

 

Group A

 

Province

Number

Name of the teams

Kigali

9

Addax SC, La Jeunesse FC, Esperance FC, City Boys FC, Ivoire Olympic, Aspor FC, Impeesa FC, Unity FC, Alpha FC

Eastern

3

Etoile de l’Est, Akagera FC, Nyagatare FC

Northern

1

Intare FC

 

Group B

 

Province

Number

Name of the teams

Southern

5

AS Muhanga, Nyanza FC, Kamonyi FC, United Stars FC, UR Huye FC

Kigali

2

Miroplast FC, Motar FC

Eastern

2

Sunrise FC, Interforce FC

Northern

2

Gicumbi FC, Sina Gerard FC

Western

2

Tsinda Batsinde, Vision Jeunesse Nouvelle

 

Group A

 

Round 1 (21-22 September 2024)

 

Nyagatare – Aspor FC 1-2

La Jeunesse – Akagera 4-1

Intare – Addax 0-0

Impeesa – Unity FC 0-2 – played on 30 October 2024

Ivoire Olympic – Esperance 1-1

Alpha FC – Etoile de l’Est 1-8

City Boys bye

 

Round 2 (28-29 September 2024)

 

Akagera – Nyagatare 1-2

Unity FC – City Boys 0-0 – played on 6 November 2024

Etoile de l’Est – La Jeunesse 2-2

Aspor FC – Ivoire Olympic 0-3

Esperance – Intare 2-2

Addax – Impeesa 2-1

Alpha FC bye

 

Round 3 (5-6 October 2024)

 

Unity FC – Addax 0-0

Ivoire Olympic – Akagera 3-0

Nyagatare – Etoile de l’Est 1-1

Impeesa – Esperance 0-4

Intare – Aspor FC 3-3

City Boys – Alpha FC 0-1

La Jeunesse bye

 

Round 4 (12-13 October 2024)

 

Akagera – Intare 1-1

Alpha FC – La Jeunesse 0-1

Etoile de l’Est – Ivoire Olympic 4-0

Aspor FC – Impeesa 2-1

Esperance – Unity FC 1-3

Addax – City Boys 2-1

Nyagatare bye

 

Round 5 (19-20 October 2024)

 

Nyagatare – Alpha FC 1-0

Impeesa – Akagera 2-2

Addax – Esperance 0-1

Unity FC – Aspor FC 1-0

Intare – Etoile de l’Est 0-3

City Boys – La Jeunesse 0-1

Ivoire Olympic bye

 

Round 6 (26-27 October 2024)

 

La Jeunesse – Nyagatare 4-2

Akagera – Unity FC 0-2

Alpha FC – Ivoire Olympic 2-3

Etoile de l’Est – Impeesa 5-2

Aspor FC – Addax 0-3 (awarded)

Esperance – City Boys 3-0

Intare bye

 

Round 7 (2-3 November 2024)

 

City Boys – Nyagatare 4-0

Addax – Akagera 5-0

Unity FC – Etoile de l’Est 0-0

Intare – Alpha FC 4-1

Ivoire Olympic – La Jeunesse 1-3

Esperance – Aspor FC 2-1

Impeesa bye

 

Round 8 (9-10 November 2024)

 

Nyagatare – Ivoire Olympic 0-3 (awarded)

Akagera – Esperance 0-2

La Jeunesse – Intare 4-2

Alpha FC – Impeesa 2-1

Etoile de l’Est – Addax 1-0

Aspor FC – City Boys 0-1

Unity FC bye

 

Round 9 (16-17 November 2024)

 

Aspor FC – Akagera 1-1

Esperance – Etoile de l’Est 0-0

Unity FC – Alpha FC 4-0

Impeesa – La Jeunesse 0-5

Intare – Nyagatare 7-0

City Boys – Ivoire Olympic 0-2

Addax bye

 

Round 10 (22-24 November 2024)

 

Etoile de l’Est – Aspor FC 2-1

La Jeunesse – Unity FC 2-1

Alpha FC – Addax 0-3

Ivoire Olympic – Intare 1-1

Nyagatare – Impeesa 3-0

Akagera – City Boys 1-0

Esperance bye

 

Round 11 (30 November – 1 December 2024)

 

City Boys – Intare 0-1

Esperance – Alpha FC 1-1

Addax – La Jeunesse 0-1

Impeesa – Ivoire Olympic 0-3

Akagera – Etoile de l’Est 0-3 (awarded)

Unity FC – Nyagatare 2-1

Aspor FC bye

 

Round 12 (7-8 December 2024)

 

Ivoire Olympic – Unity FC 2-1

Intare – Impeesa 7-1

La Jeunesse – Esperance 0-2

Alpha FC – Aspor FC 1-0

Etoile de l’Est – City Boys 1-1

Nyagatare – Addax 1-2

Akagera bye

 

Round 13 (14-15 December 2024)

 

Aspor FC – La Jeunesse 1-2

Addax – Ivoire Olympic 0-0

Unity FC – Intare 1-2

City Boys – Impeesa 2-1

Akagera – Alpha FC 0-0

Esperance – Nyagatare 6-0

Etoile de l’Est bye

 

Table at half-season

 

1

La Jeunesse

12

10

1

1

29-12

31

Promotion play-offs

2

Etoile de l’Est

12

7

5

0

30-8

26

Promotion play-offs

3

Esperance

12

7

4

1

25-8

25

 

4

Ivoire Olympic

12

7

3

2

22-12

24

 

5

Addax SC

12

6

3

3

17-6

21

 

6

Unity FC

12

6

3

3

17-8

21

 

7

Intare FC

12

5

5

2

30-17

20

 

8

City Boys FC

12

3

2

7

9-13

11

 

9

Alpha FC

12

3

2

7

9-26

11

 

10

Nyagatare FC

12

3

1

8

12-32

10

 

11

Aspor FC

12

2

2

8

11-21

8

 

12

Akagera FC

12

1

4

7

7-25

7

 

13

Impeesa FC

12

0

1

11

9-39

1

Relegation play-out

 

Round 14 (11-12 January 2025)

 

Impeesa – City Boys 1-2

La Jeunesse – Aspor FC 0-1

Nyagatare – Esperance 0-2

Alpha FC – Akagera 4-2

Ivoire Olympic – Addax 1-1

Intare – Unity FC 4-2

Etoile de l’Est bye

 

Round 15 (18-19 January 2025)

 

Unity FC – Ivoire Olympic 2-1

Impeesa – Intare 1-1

Esperance – La Jeunesse 2-3

Aspor FC – Alpha FC 2-2

City Boys – Etoile de l’Est 0-2

Addax – Nyagatare 5-1

Akagera bye

 

                                                   Table

 

1

La Jeunesse

14

11

1

2

32-15

34

Promotion play-offs

2

Etoile de l’Est

13

8

5

0

32-8

29

Promotion play-offs

3

Esperance

14

8

4

2

29-11

28

 

4

Addax SC

14

7

4

3

23-8

25

 

5

Ivoire Olympic

14

7

4

3

24-15

25

 

6

Intare FC

14

6

6

2

35-20

24

 

7

Unity FC

14

7

3

4

21-13

24

 

8

Alpha FC

14

4

3

7

15-30

15

 

9

City Boys FC

14

4

2

8

11-16

14

 

10

Aspor FC

14

3

3

8

14-23

12

 

11

Nyagatare FC

14

3

1

10

13-39

10

 

12

Akagera FC

13

1

4

8

9-29

7

 

13

Impeesa FC

14

0

2

12

11-42

2

Relegation play-out

 

Round 16 (25-26 January 2025)

 

Intare – City Boys

Alpha FC – Esperance

La Jeunesse – Addax

Ivoire Olympic – Impeesa

Etoile de l’Est – Akagera

Nyagatare – Unity FC

Aspor FC bye

 

 

Group B

 

Round 1 (21-22 September 2024)

 

United Stars – Miroplast 0-0

Kamonyi – Nyanza 2-1

Tsinda Batsinde – Gicumbi 1-0

Vision JN – AS Muhanga 0-2

Interforce – Sunrise 0-0

Sina Gerard – UR Huye 0-0

Motar FC bye

 

Round 2 (28-29 September 2024)

 

Gicumbi – United Stars 4-1

UR Huye – Interforce 1-1

Sunrise – Vision JN 4-2

AS Muhanga – Tsinda Batsinde 2-0

Miroplast – Kamonyi 2-0

Nyanza – Motar FC 2-1

Sina Gerard bye

 

Round 3 (5-6 October 2024)

 

United Stars – AS Muhanga 0-0

Kamonyi – Gicumbi 0-0

Nyanza – Miroplast 0-0

Tsinda Batsinde – Sunrise 0-0

Vision JN – UR Huye 2-0

Motar FC – Sina Gerard 0-1

Interforce bye

 

Round 4 (12-13 October 2024)

 

Sunrise – United Stars 6-1

UR Huye – Tsinda Batsinde 1-0

Sina Gerard – Interforce 1-1

AS Muhanga – Kamonyi 2-0

Gicumbi – Nyanza 2-1

Miroplast – Motar FC 1-2

Vision JN bye

 

Round 5 (19-20 October 2024)

 

United Stars – UR Huye 1-2

Nyanza – AS Muhanga 0-1

Kamonyi – Sunrise 0-2

Miroplast – Gicumbi 0-3

Vision JN – Sina Gerard 0-2

Motar FC – Interforce 3-3

Tsinda Batsinde bye

 

Round 6 (26-27 October 2024)

 

Sina Gerard – Tsinda Batsinde 0-0

Interforce – Vision JN 0-2

UR Huye – Kamonyi 2-1

Sunrise – Nyanza 2-0

AS Muhanga – Miroplast 1-0

Gicumbi – Motar FC 1-1

United Stars bye

 

Round 7 (2-3 November 2024)

 

Gicumbi – AS Muhanga 1-0

United Stars – Sina Gerard 1-1

Miroplast – Sunrise 0-1

Nyanza – UR Huye 1-0

Tsinda Batsinde – Interforce 1-0

Motar FC – Vision JN 2-0

Kamonyi bye

 

Round 8 (9-10 November 2024)

 

UR Huye – Miroplast 0-1

Interforce – United Stars 1-1

Vision JN – Tsinda Batsinde 3-3

Sina Gerard – Kamonyi 2-0

Sunrise – Gicumbi 0-1

AS Muhanga – Motar FC 4-1

Nyanza bye

 

Round 9 (16-17 November 2024)

 

Motar FC – Tsinda Batsinde 1-1

United Stars – Vision JN 3-0 (awarded)

Gicumbi – UR Huye 1-1

Nyanza – Sina Gerard 1-2

Kamonyi – Interforce 2-0

AS Muhanga – Sunrise 0-0

Miroplast bye

 

Round 10 (23-24 November 2024)

 

Tsinda Batsinde – United Stars 1-3

Interforce – Nyanza 2-1

Vision JN – Kamonyi 1-1

Sina Gerard – Miroplast 2-0

UR Huye – AS Muhanga 1-1

Sunrise – Motar FC 1-0

Gicumbi bye

 

Round 11 (30 November – 1 December 2024)

 

Gicumbi – Sina Gerard 2-0

Sunrise – UR Huye 2-0

Miroplast – Interforce 0-1

Nyanza – Vision JN 0-1

Kamonyi – Tsinda Batsinde 1-0

Motar FC – United Stars 0-2

AS Muhanga bye

 

Round 12 (7-8 December 2024)

 

Tsinda Batsinde – Nyanza 2-3

UR Huye – Motar FC 1-0

Sina Gerard – AS Muhanga 0-0

United Stars – Kamonyi 0-1

Interforce – Gicumbi 0-1

Vision JN – Miroplast 1-0

Sunrise bye

 

Round 13 (14-15 December 2024)

 

Miroplast – Tsinda Batsinde 0-3

AS Muhanga – Interforce 2-0

Gicumbi – Vision JN 2-0

Nyanza – United Stars 2-1

Motar FC – Kamonyi 1-1

Sunrise – Sina Gerard 2-2

UR Huye bye

 

Table at half-season

 

1

Gicumbi FC

12

8

3

1

18-5

27

Promotion play-offs

2

Sunrise FC

12

7

4

1

20-6

25

Promotion play-offs

3

AS Muhanga

12

7

4

1

15-3

25

 

4

Sina Gerard FC

12

5

6

1

13-7

21

 

5

UR Huye FC

12

4

4

4

9-11

16

 

6

Kamonyi FC

12

4

3

5

9-13

15

 

7

Vision JN

12

4

2

6

12-19

14

 

8

Tsinda Batsinde

12

3

4

5

12-14

13

 

9

United Stars

12

3

4

5

14-18

13

 

10

Nyanza FC

12

4

1

7

12-16

13

 

11

Interforce FC

12

2

5

5

9-15

11

 

12

Motar FC

12

2

4

6

12-18

10

 

13

Miroplast FC

12

2

2

8

4-14

8

Relegation play-out

 

Round 14 (11-12 January 2025)

 

Tsinda Batsinde – Miroplast 3-1

Interforce – AS Muhanga 0-2

Vision JN – Gicumbi 1-1

United Stars – Nyanza 1-3

Kamonyi – Motar FC 0-1

Sina Gerard – Sunrise 2-0

UR Huye bye

 

Round 15 (18-19 January 2025)

 

Nyanza – Tsinda Batsinde 3-2

Motar FC – UR Huye 2-0

AS Muhanga – Sina Gerard 3-0

Kamonyi – United Stars 3-0

Gicumbi – Interforce 1-2

Miroplast – Vision JN 1-1

Sunrise bye

 

                                                 Table

 

1

AS Muhanga

14

9

4

1

20-3

31

Promotion play-offs

2

Gicumbi FC

14

8

4

2

20-8

28

Promotion play-offs

3

Sunrise FC

13

7

4

2

20-8

25

 

4

Sina Gerard FC

14

6

6

2

15-10

24

 

5

Nyanza FC

14

6

1

7

18-19

19

 

6

Kamonyi FC

14

5

3

6

12-14

18

 

7

Tsinda Batsinde

14

4

4

6

17-18

16

 

8

Motar FC

14

4

4

6

15-18

16

 

9

UR Huye FC

13

4

4

5

9-13

16

 

10

Vision JN

14

4

4

6

14-21

16

 

11

Interforce FC

14

3

5

6

11-18

14

 

12

United Stars

14

3

4

7

15-24

13

 

13

Miroplast FC

14

2

3

9

6-18

9

Relegation play-out

 

Round 16 (25-26 January 2025)

 

Sina Gerard – Gicumbi

UR Huye – Sunrise

Interforce – Miroplast

Vision JN – Nyanza

Tsinda Batsinde – Kamonyi

United Stars – Motar FC

AS Muhanga bye