By Awambeng Fuh
Journalist,kick442.com-Cameroon
Cameroon’s MTN Elite Two championship finally gets underway on Saturday, October 24, with newcomers Elecsport of Limbe and Mintack FC of the Haute-Sanaga set to headline the opening day as the second-tier competition returns to action after a long wait. The 2026/27 campaign will feature 12 clubs competing in a single pool, marking a return to the one-pool format for the first time in five years.
Elecsport and Mintack will have the honour of opening the season against each other at the Centenary Stadium in Limbe, with kick-off scheduled for 3:30 p.m. The meeting brings together two promoted sides who will be eager to make an immediate impression in their first Elite Two campaign. Both clubs arrive with ambitions of establishing themselves at national level, but Saturday’s encounter offers only the first test in a long race for promotion.
The return to a single pool represents a major change in the organisation of Elite Two after several seasons of competition divided into two groups. Under the new format, all 12 clubs will compete in a home-and-away championship, placing greater importance on consistency throughout the season. The two highest-ranked teams at the end of the campaign will earn promotion to Elite One, while the clubs finishing 11th and 12th will be relegated to the Super League Régionale.
Saturday’s opening programme also features Astres of Douala against Kumba City at the Japoma Annex Stadium at 3:00 p.m. At the Odza Technical Centre in Yaoundé, Tonnerre Kalara Club will face Sable FC of Batié at 2:00 p.m., before Fauve Azur Elite take on Bamboutos FC of Mbouda at 4:00 p.m. The first matchday continues on Sunday with Avion Academy against Atlantic of Kribi, before AS FAP and AS Fortuna bring the opening round to a close on Monday.
With established clubs such as Bamboutos, Tonnerre, Astres and Sable sharing the division with ambitious newcomers, the new Elite Two season promises an intense battle for the two promotion places. The single-pool format leaves little room for prolonged inconsistency, with every point potentially decisive in both the race to Elite One and the fight to avoid relegation. For Elecsport and Mintack, the opening fixture offers an opportunity to announce their arrival and begin their historic campaign on a positive note.
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