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Heartland start preparations for 2026-27 NNL promotion push
Heartland have begun preparations for the 2026/2027 Nigeria National League (NNL) season, Technical Manager Emmanuel Amuneke has confirmed.
The Naze Millionaires returned to training last Monday as they prepare for a second successive campaign in Nigeria’s second tier, following their relegation from the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) at the end of the 2024/2025 season.
“Yes, we’ve resumed for the new season. That was last Monday,” Amuneke, the former Super Eagles winger and FC Barcelona player, told Completesports.com on Tuesday.
Heartland were unable to secure an immediate return to the top flight after finishing third in the 2025/2026 NNL season with 27 points.
Inter Lagos topped Conference A with 29 points, while Beyond Limits finished second on 28. Inter Lagos claimed the division’s only promotion place, leaving Heartland to begin another attempt to regain their status among Nigeria’s elite clubs.
“We’ve started out on a new journey, hoping that by trusting the process, we’ll get to our desired destination,” Amuneke said.
The former Julius Berger of Lagos and Zamalek winger previously acknowledged that Heartland had missed an opportunity to win promotion after struggling during the first stanza of the previous campaign.
Heartland are four-time NPFL champions, but their latest relegation extended the club’s stay outside the top flight. Their immediate objective is now to put together a stronger challenge in the 2026/2027 NNL season and secure a return to the NPFL.
Amuneke brings considerable experience from a distinguished playing career. He helped Nigeria win the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations, scoring twice in the final against Zambia. Those goals came in his only appearance at that tournament, and he was subsequently named African Player of the Year for 1994.
Two years later, Amuneke was part of the Nigeria side that won the men’s football gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. Nigeria defeated Argentina 3-2 in the final to become the first African nation to win the Olympic men’s football event.
Cameroon later became the second African country to claim the men’s Olympic football title. At the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, the Indomitable Lions recovered from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Spain before winning the final 5-3 in a penalty shootout.
Heartland’s preparations will now continue as the club seeks to turn last season’s near miss into promotion at the next opportunity.
