The league was founded in 1966 as an attempt by the BFA to stimulate grassroots football development and evenly spread the sport across the country.

Although First Division teams are directly promoted to the top tier of Botswana football and also participate in the FA Challenge Cup, the winner of which qualifies to compete in the CAF Confederation Cup, an African continental competition equivalent to the UEFA Europa League, critics have claimed the league is not taken seriously enough.

However, the government refused as constituency tournaments were seen as amateur competitions and not professional, and BFA appealed to FIFA to resolve the issue.

Following months of discussions the constituency tournament format and rules were amended to meet FIFA standards and it was agreed that BFA would have a say in its running.

Since the northern parts of Botswana generally lack proper stadium facilities as compared to the south and there are therefore next to no stadiums set aside for lower league use, First Division matches are played on dusty school grounds and other community spaces, resulting in the First Division being nicknamed 'ko leroleng' or 'at the dust'.

The top eight teams in the First Division North automatically qualify to play in the FA Challenge Cup.