Warri Wolves sign 14 players as Hassan Abdallah targets improved NPFL campaign

Warri Wolves have added 14 new players to their squad ahead of the 2026/2027 Nigeria Premier Football League season, with head coach Hassan Abdallah confident the club can avoid the difficulties they experienced last term.

The Seasiders have retained 19 members of last season’s squad, giving them a registered group of 33 players for the new campaign, which begins this weekend.

Abdallah revealed the size of the club’s recruitment programme on Tuesday while discussing Warri Wolves’ preparations for the new season with Completesports.com. He said the changes were designed to address the problems that affected the team during much of the previous campaign.

“We signed 14 new players. We also retained 19 players from the team we had last season. Altogether, we’ve registered a total of 33 players for the new season,” Abdallah told Completesports.com when asked about his team’s readiness for the 2026/2027 NPFL season.

Warri Wolves endured a difficult period last season, and Abdallah said that experience had shaped both the club’s transfer activity and its pre-season planning.

“It has been a very meticulous but tough pre-season for us because we know where we’re coming from. Last season, we struggled for much of the season, and that played a prominent role in our preparation for this season.

“We’re not going to struggle again this time around because we’ve strengthened the team, hoping to have a good run in the league.

The club will begin its campaign away from home against Bendel Insurance in a South-South derby at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City.

Although Abdallah expects a demanding opening fixture because of the local rivalry, he believes Warri Wolves’ work in the transfer market and during pre-season has given them a strong foundation before their first match.

“It’s going to be tough, no doubt, given the fact that it’s a local derby. But then, I believe we can get a good result in the game because we’ve done quite a lot during the off-season – recruitment and pre-season work,” Abdallah said.

The coach said the squad was now ready for the season and identified the meeting with Bendel Insurance as the first test of the team’s rebuilding efforts.

“But generally, I must say that Warri Wolves are ready for the season, beginning with our first match against Bendel Insurance in Benin,” he concluded.

Warri Wolves’ preparations follow a busy period of squad restructuring. Abdallah had previously indicated that the club was rebuilding after last season’s struggles, while six players were dropped following a pre-season defeat by Rangers.

The 2026/2027 Nigeria Premier Football League season kicks off this weekend, with Warri Wolves hoping their 14 new signings and 19 returning players can help produce a more successful campaign.