Five months after the last season ended on 17th July 2022, the 2022/23 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) kicks off in Uyo this evening with hosts Akwa United welcoming promoted Bendel Insurance.
Having commenced the season so late, the Interim Management Committee (IMC) in charge of the league have agreed with the stakeholders to have an abridged version, in which case the 20 teams are divided into two groups. The top three teams in each section will enter into the Super Six to determined the top positions.
For “logistics reasons”, the remaining fixtures have been postponed by a week.
While the delay lasted, the League Management Company that organised the NPFL got de-recognised by the Federal Government, which declared it “illegal” and outside the purview of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). In its stead came the IMC, headed by Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye.
With the enforced changes, the IMC proposed an abridged league to catch up with loss time and enable Nigeria complete the season on time and meet club registration for next season’s continental competitions. A return to the 2019 season when 24 teams played in two groups became imperative.
The decision, accroding to NFF president, Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau, is to encourage sponsorship of the league.
He explained: “People that are going to bring money into the league demanded that the NPFL must adjust its calendar to fit the rest of the world.
“The issue of playing an abridged league is a child of necessity. We are talking with people that are going to bring money into the league and they want us to make sure that at least we take back our league to the way it is being run in other parts of the world.
“Therefore, we need to take certain actions before we can get there. Ending our league in May does not mean it stops there. That is not the only issue. The issue here is that we must start next season by August. There is no going back about it”.
The clamour to have the league returned to television also featured in the consideration for the new season. Elegbeleye said TV sponsorship has been secured.
Weeks ago, he said: “Once the issue of club licensing and all the participating clubs present standard pitches good enough to be shown on television, the league will kick off.
“We have a number of sponsors already that will enable the league to be shown on TV. However, we still need to brief the NFF on sponsorship. What I can assure everyone is that this season’s league will be better than what we are used to”.
Another icing on the cake is the N100 million prize to be won by the league champions, which is twice that of last season. The reigning champions, Rivers United have not even been paid the N50 million yet. But Elegbeleye said the IMC is not promising what it cannot deliver. “We are ready to give Nigerians the best gift”, he assured.
For a start, the 20 clubs have been given take0ff grant of N10 million each. The money was presented to them by the IMC in partnership with GTI Group, an investment bank.
Week 1 matches
Today
Group A: Akwa United v Bendel Insurance (4 pm Sunday)
Sunday, 15th January
Nasarawa United v Enyimba, Plateau United v Shooting Stars, Kwara United v Gombe United, Remo Stars v El-Kanemi Warriors
Group B: Bayelsa United v Dakkada, Wikki Tourists v Niger Tornadoes, Doma United v Sunsine Stars, Rivers United v Lobi Stars, Rangers v Abia Warriors
