Nigeria Leagues
Ibrahim Gusau insists NPFL season will kickoff August 22, hails alignment with CAF
By Dayo Awoniyi
President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, has reaffirmed that the 2025/26 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season will begin on August 22 as scheduled, ruling out any possibility of postponement.
Speaking on Friday in Lafia at the opening of the NPFL 2025/26 pre-season seminar, Gusau described the league’s alignment with the European football calendar as a “landmark achievement,” and credited the NPFL board, led by Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye, for making it possible.
“When we came on board, we had no choice but to opt for an abridged league. That step paved the way for achieving uniformity, as our league ended in May last season,” Gusau stated.
“This season, too, we will start on August 22 as scheduled.”
The NFF President also commended the NPFL leadership for adopting global best practices and working to enhance the league’s international credibility.
Earlier, NPFL Chairman Gbenga Elegbeleye assured that the board would continue collaborating with stakeholders to sustain momentum, attract sponsors, and maintain the high standards recorded over the past two seasons.
The Nasarawa State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, representing Governor Abdullahi Sule at the event, thanked the NPFL for choosing Nasarawa as host of the seminar and pledged continued support for football development.
The seminar brought together all 20 club media officers, the league’s Chief Security Officer, and the Chairman of the NPFL Supporters Club for intensive training sessions and strategy meetings ahead of the upcoming campaign.
