A total of 17 teams contested the league, with MC Alger as the defending champions.
On May 29, 2009, ES Sétif were crowned champions with two games remaining after beating USM El Harrach 2-1.
[1] On August 20, 2008, the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne forced the club's integration into the Algerian first division championship for the 2008-09 season while investigating the conflict between the Algerian Football Federation (FAF) and the club.
[2][3] The sanction carries a match lost automatically against USM El Harrach and three points penalty for having played a player under a false identity during the RC Kouba & USM El Harrach match counting for the 37th and penultimate day of the Algerian Division 2 season 2007–08 (ended 0-0).
The change was ratified by the FAF on October 26, 20087, and the 2008–09 Algerian Championnat National was played with 17 clubs.