New NPFL season to kickoff August 26 with 150m prize money for winner

By Wale Mustapha

The 2023/2024 Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL season has been confirmed to kickoff on the weekend of August 26, 2023 with a return to straight league format.

Chairman of the Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL board, Honorable Gbenga Elegbeleye who disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja also revealed that the eventual champions will be taking a whooping 150 million naira which is 50 percent increase to what Enyimba FC received for winning the previous campaign.

Elegbeleye, whose board has just been inaugurated by President of Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau said that the kick-off date is sacrosanct, adding that all arrangements have been concluded.

kick off-date is definite, we have taken that will ensure the smooth sailing of the new season with the intention to align with the European season. We hope the season ends on schedule with consideration of other football programs of the Nigeria Football Federation.

“Last season, the league winners got N100 million as prize money. This season, we are offering an improved package of N150 million with some of the prize money earmarked for facility improvement and players’ welfare,” Elegbeleye said.

“We want every club to update their stadia and improve their players’ remuneration for better performance. All the stadia classified as unfit to host NPFL matches remain banned, subject to inspection while that of the newly promoted clubs will also be inspected before the season starts. Any stadium that doesn’t meet the set standard will not be allowed to host any league game.”

The NPFL chairman hoped that referees who did very well last season would do better this season, adding that the success of last season was majorly due to the prompt payment of indemnities and allowances of referees and other match officials.

“All through last season, we ensured that match officials got their dues two days before a game,” he added.

“We shall continue like that this season and will not hesitate to recommend any referee found wanting to the appropriate authorities for disciplinary actions.”