Tunisia

Pre-independence (1904–1956)

Football was born in Tunisia in 1904 with the unofficial creation of the Racing Club de Tunis, formalized in 1905 but which had to wait for the creation of other clubs in Tunis and Bizerte to participate in an official competition. Then the government is obliged to take an active interest in it. It distributed a few grants, though very small. A committee of the Union des Sociétés Françaises de Sports Athlétiques, responsible for the management of all sports in Tunisia, was then created. In 1910, a first series championship was organized with the participation of the Racing Club, Sporting Club de Tunis, Lycée Carnot de Tunis, the Colonial School of Agriculture, the Football Club of Tunis and the Red Star Club de l'Ariana, and a second series made up of the second teams of Racing Club de Tunis, Sporting and Gallia Club. The national title is awarded after a final between Racing and Stade maritime de Bizerte (champion of the Mediterranean squadrons) with a score of 2–0.

There are then very few Tunisian player. But, surprisingly, La Dépêche tunisienne published on 12 June 1910 the list of players of the Khereddine Club team, called to play against the Ariana Club and who are all Tunisians. It is the first fully Tunisian team but which we have not heard from later and which precedes the Comète Club team, created in 1914 but which did not survive the First World War. The Racing Club won the championship in 1909–10, 1910–11 and 1913–14, then in 1919–20 and 1920–21, while Sporting de Ferryville was crowned in 1911–12 and 1912–13. The championship became official with the creation of the Tunisian Football Association League in 1921 was established, which is the Tunisian branch of the French Football Federation. Until 1939, the title of champion was awarded following play-offs between regional champions. From 1946 to 1947, a championship of "excellence" (national division) is created and is contested at the national level. In 1944–45, 1945–46 and 1952–53, the championship was not contested and replaced by a criterium (a sort of group tournament where participation was not compulsory). These years saw the creation of the Stade Tunisien in 1948.

Post-independence (1956–present)

Following Tunisia's independence on 20 March 1956, a profound reorganization of national football took place. The main clubs associated with French colonialism, such as Racing Club de Tunis, Sporting Club de Tunis, Stade gaulois, and Avant-garde, were dissolved. On 29 March 1957, the Tunisian Football Federation was founded, which has administered Tunisian football ever since, and the championship began to be played under its auspices. The first season after independence saw CS Hammam-Lif crowned champion, followed by Étoile Sportive du Sahel, Club Africain, and Espérance Sportive de Tunis. In the 1956–57 season, Stade Tunisien won its first title, while in 1957–58, Étoile du Sahel secured its second championship. Espérance won its first post-independence titles in the 1958–59 and 1959–60 seasons, quickly establishing itself as one of the dominant teams. In 1960, the Tunisian Super Cup was created. Stade Tunisien continued its winning streak, becoming champions in 1960–61 and 1961–62, and the first team to achieve the double (league and Tunisian Cup) after independence. However, a dramatic event marked this period: on 20 March 1961, President Habib Bourguiba ordered the dissolution of Étoile Sportive du Sahel due to riots instigated by its fans. After a year's absence, the club returned triumphantly in the 1962–63 season, winning both the league and the cup, thus achieving its second double of the independent era.

During the 1960s, Club Africain won its first post-independence titles in 1963–64 and 1966–67. Stade Tunisien added another championship in 1964–65, consolidating its dominance in this decade with four titles. Étoile du Sahel was crowned champion again in 1965–66, while Sfax Railway Sport achieved its first post-independence title in 1967–68, following its victories in 1933–34 and 1952–53. The 1968–69 season marked the first championship for CS Sfaxien, securing the second consecutive title for the city of Sfax. The 1970s began with Espérance's fourth title in 1969–70. CS Sfaxien won its second post-independence championship in 1970–71, while Étoile du Sahel won in 1971–72. Club Africain secured two consecutive titles in 1972–73 and 1973–74, and Espérance added three more championships in 1974–75, 1975–76, and 1981–82. A notable event was the 1976–77 coronation of JS Kairouan, breaking the dominance of the larger clubs. CS Sfaxien won in 1977–78, a season in which the Tunisian Cup could not be completed due to the national team's participation in the 1978 FIFA World Cup. Club Africain closed out the decade with two consecutive titles in 1978–79 and 1979–80 seasons.