The telecommunications operator Mobilis officially ended its sponsorship contract with professional football clubs in Algeria at the end of the 2018-2019 season. This withdrawal creates a significant financial gap in a league whose teams are already struggling to balance their budgets. This decision is seen as a major blow, especially in Ligue 1 and Ligue 2, where several clubs relied on this support to ensure their daily operations.
Mobilis, which until now had exclusive control over marketing and advertising rights linked to the Algerian Football Federation (FAF), including covering more than 5,000 referees as well as sponsoring national competitions, training camps, and friendly matches of the “Greens,” did not renew its commitment. The president of the Professional Football League (LFP), Abdelkrim Medouar, expressed his surprise at Mobilis’ lack of response, describing the situation as “disdainful.”
In a difficult economic context, several clubs have announced cash flow problems, some, like USM Alger, mentioning the possibility of withdrawing from continental competitions due to insufficient funds. To address this funding shortfall, a reform is underway to involve public enterprises more in sponsoring clubs. By 2025, four Ligue 1 Mobilis clubs are expected to benefit from support from public companies as part of an effort to ensure financial stability and a sustainable economic model for these teams.
Moreover, the Ooredoo group recently signed a sponsorship contract with the prestigious CS Constantine club, marking a new private-public partnership in Algerian football. This engagement is hoped to strengthen club competitiveness while helping to professionalize the Algerian championship, whose continental influence remains a major goal. This new dynamic appears to compensate for the end of the Mobilis partnership by bringing new resources to Algerian clubs.