Burundian Basketball Championship


The Burundian Basketball Championship, also known as the Viva Basketball League for sponsorship reasons, is a semi-professional basketball league that is the highest level of the sport in Burundi. The league is organised by the Fédération de Basketball du Burundi.
In 2022, the league signed a 4-year sponsorship contract with malt drink producer Viva; the winners of the league win a prize money of 10 million FBu.

Current teams

The following 12 teams played in the 2025 season.
TeamCityFounded
Aigle NoirMakamba2009
DynamoBujumbura1968
GymkhanaBujumbura1982
KernBujumbura
Les HipposBujumbura
Lion TeamBujumbura
MuzingaBujumbura
New StarBujumbura2002
RemeshaBujumbura
Tigers
UrunaniBujumbura1979
Young EaglesGitega

List of winners

  • 2012: Urunani
  • 2013: Urunani
  • 2014: Urunani
  • 2015:
  • 2016: Dynamo
  • 2017:
  • 2018: New Star
  • 2019: Dynamo
  • 2021: New Star
  • 2022: Urunani
  • 2023: Dynamo
  • 2024: Urunani
  • 2025: Dynamo

    Finals

National Championship

Viva Basketball League (2022–present)

In international competitions

FIBA Africa Clubs Champions Cup

is the only Burundian team to have played in the FIBA Africa Club Champions Cup, the top-tier competition on the African continent. They played in the 2011 tournament, and in the 2013 tournament.

BAL

qualified successfully for the 2024 season of the Basketball Africa League. Dynamo defeated the Malagasy team COSPN 79–78 in the third place game, became the first team from Burundi to play in the league, and the first Elite 16 wild card to advance to the main tournament.
In the opening day game between Dynamo and South Africa's Cape Town Tigers, the Burundian side taped off the logo of league sponsor Visit Rwanda. Political tensions between the two border nations Burundi and Rwanda had been rising, as Burundi has accused Rwanda of supporting the RED-Tabara rebel militia in the country. Dynamo forfeited their second game against FUS Rabat on 10 March, with the BAL citing "refusing to comply with the league’s rules governing jersey and uniform requirements" as the reason why. Following Dynamo's second forfeit on 12 March, the team was automatically withdrawn from the group as per FIBA rules. Dynamo players Bryton Hobbs and Makhtar Gueye stated that the Burundian government had prohibited the team to wear the logo and ordered the club to forfeit its games if necessary.

Heroes Cup

The Heroes Cup is a cup competition that is held to celebrate the Independence of Burundi and to commemorate its national heroes. It was established in 2017, and is organised by the non-profit organization Fondation Pax-Burundi. Teams from the first championship participate, as well as teams from the B Division.
EditionSeasonChampionsRunners-upScoreMVP
12017DynamoMuzinga53–48
22018Dynamo Urunani71–34
32019UrunaniGymkana60–55
42020Dynamo Muzinga Ngozi72–62Amani Rushoza
52021Urunani Dynamo
62022Urunani Dynamo82–81
72023Dynamo Urunani52–45