Burkina Faso athletes promised minimum 200,000 FCFA monthly pay in new Sovereignty League

Every athlete selected for Burkina Faso’s new Ligue de la Souverainete will receive a minimum monthly payment of 200,000 FCFA, President Ibrahim Traore has announced.

The competition was presented in Ouagadougou on Monday, 12 October 2026, during a meeting between the president, the country’s regional governors and several sports officials. According to the Direction de la communication de la Presidence du Faso, the initiative is also expected to create nearly 1,000 jobs.

Mr Traore said the project was designed to strengthen participation in sport across the whole of Burkina Faso. The Ligue de la Souverainete will be organised through a system involving the country’s regions, with governors given responsibility for overseeing key parts of its development.

Their duties will include coordinating the recruitment of coaches and arranging regional championships. Those competitions will be used to identify young athletes who can be selected for the regional teams.

The plans are intended to provide a structured route for young sportspeople to compete and develop within their regions. However, the authorities have not yet announced which sports will be included in the league.

The competition will also include arrangements for media coverage, while the private sector is expected to make a contribution to help support its operation.

During the meeting, Ibrahim Traore highlighted the role he believes sport can play in protecting young people from social problems. He specifically referred to drug and alcohol use, calling for stronger sporting participation as part of efforts to shield the youth from those dangers.

The president’s announcement sets a minimum level of financial support for athletes selected under the new competition, but the practical details of the scheme have yet to be completed.

The implementation arrangements, timetable and disciplines involved in the Ligue de la Souverainete all remain to be confirmed.