The number of matches has increased. The Malagasy Football Federation has revised the format of the national second division championship, which is now applicable starting this season.
Teams reaching the final phase will now play seventeen matches, compared to about fifteen previously. The kickoff for the first stage took place on Wednesday and will run until August 15.
Twenty-four teams—the champions of the twenty-two regional leagues plus two representatives from the top-performing leagues of the previous edition, Atsinanana and Atsimo-Andrefana—are competing in the inaugural phase. No club from the Pure Play Football League was relegated this time to join the National D2 Champions League.
Divided into six pools, the four teams in each group will face each other in a home-and-away format. Six sites are hosting the first stage: Mahajanga, Antalaha, Ambatondrazaka, Ihosy, Antsirabe, and Tsiroanomandidy. The top two from each group, totaling twelve teams, will continue the journey to the second phase in a single pool. This phase will be played in three stages. Each club will play four matches in the first stage in Ambanja from September 13 to 20, followed by four additional matches in Fianarantsoa from October 10 to 18. Finally, these same teams will play three matches during the last stage from November 17 to 22 in the capital.
At the end of this phase, the top two in the standings will be promoted to the National D2 Elite championship next season. The national women’s championship is also taking place alongside the D2 tournament.
Captured & Published at: 2026-08-07 06:38:33 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/08/football-d2-national-vingt-quatre-clubs.html