LMC reveals tentative calendar for NPFL 2021/22 season

The League Management Company has released the calendar for the Nigeria Professional Football League NPFL 2021/22 season after a three-month hiatus for the league following the conclusion of the 2020/21 season in August.

As Akwa United were crowned champions of the NPFL for the first time in their history in August, the NPFL season ended with the quartet of Warri Wolves, Jigawa Golden Stars, FC Ifeanyi Ubah and Adamawa United getting relegated to the NNL ahead of the 2021/22 season. They have been replaced by the promoted quartet of Remo Stars, Gombe United, Shooting Stars and Niger Tornadoes, with the Minna-based Tornadoes coming as champions of the second division.

In another development, the League Management Committee has granted permission to Kano Pillars to return to the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano for the NPFL 2021/22 season, after they played their home matches at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna in the 2020/21 season.

The league is set to commence on November 21st 2021 and end on June 26th 2022, with the 2022/23 season scheduled to kick off on 28th August 2022 and end on 21st May 2023.

In the absence of league action, teams have been involved in numerous preseason tournaments, with newly-promoted Remo Stars claiming the Ogunjobi Gold Cup title after defeating Shooting Stars in the final. Kwara United claimed the Dapo Abiodun preseason tournament at the expense of Shooting Stars, and the Ottasolo Cup is currently ongoing.

Teams that qualified for continental football have seen quite a lot of competitive action, with NPFL champions Akwa United losing out to CR Belouizdad in the CAF Champions League first round and Enyimba and Rivers United through to the final group stage playoff round in the CAF Confederation Cup.

Following the relative success of the 2020/21 season, the League Management Committe (LMC) intends the NPFL 2021/22 season to do better in terms of consistency and continuity of matches during the season.