NPFL Has No Sponsors, Says Elegbeleye

Chairman of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye, has confirmed that the league currently lacks sponsors.

He, however, stated that efforts are underway to secure sponsorship before the commencement of the 2025/26 league season.

He made this announcement yesterday while addressing journalists following the draw for the new season, conducted during the NPFL Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Abuja.

He emphasised that the objective for the upcoming season is to build on the successes of the previous year.

“We were able to meet our aspirations for last season in terms of organisation, management, officiating, and adherence to our planned calendar. Nothing is perfect, but we believe we made significant improvements in officiating.

“Additionally, we have aligned ourselves more closely with international leagues, particularly in Europe. Remember, we concluded our season on the same day as La Liga, the Premier League, and other leagues. This was a goal we set and achieved. In this new season, we aim to enhance what we accomplished last year,” Elegbeleye stated.

He further explained: “Regarding broadcasting, we have Startimes, but we may seek alternative partnerships. Currently, the NPFL does not have sponsors. GTI is not the league’s sponsor.

“When we took charge, the Referee Association, under the late Tade Azeez, informed us that they were owed indemnities for over three years. We clarified that we inherited nothing from the previous administration—no accounts or funds—and thus could not settle the previous debts. Instead, we expressed our intention to start afresh with those we are currently working with. We engaged with various organisations, including GTI, and reached an agreement for them to pay the referees.

“We commenced operations in October 2023, and to date, we do not owe any referees. How did we achieve this? When GTI agreed to assist, the 2023 season was an abridged league, with the referees’ fees totalling N500 million. GTI wanted to transfer the funds to us, but as an experienced administrator—having served as Director-General of the National Sports Commission, Council chairman, and in various authoritative positions—I recognised that money in accounts can sometimes be moved for other uses. Thus, I agreed with my board members that we would prefer not to hold that money in our account; instead, GTI would keep it and pay the referees directly based on the account details we provided. That is why we have no outstanding debts. Although we currently lack sponsors, we are actively working to secure them,” Elegbeleye concluded.

The fixtures for the 2025/26 season, unveiled yesterday, will see champions Remo Stars begin their title defence with a crucial match against former champions Rivers United.

Opening matches for the season include Kano Pillars travelling to Aba to face Abia Warriors, while newcomers Wikki Tourists will host Plateau United. Katsina will welcome Warri Wolves to the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium, and debutants Kun Khalifa FC will visit former champions Rangers International in Enugu.

On the first day of the NPFL’s new season, Federation Cup champions Kwara United are set to take on Ikorodu City in Ilorin, with El Kanemi Warriors hosting Bendel Insurance in Maiduguri, and Shooting Stars clashing with Bayelsa United in Ibadan. Newcomer Barau FC will face a daunting challenge against Enyimba of Aba, while Niger Tornadoes will take on Nasarawa United in a North Central derby.

The new NPFL season will feature each of the 20 clubs playing a total of 38 matches—19 at home and 19 away—across 38 match weeks, with ten fixtures scheduled per round.

To enhance crowd management and ensure safety, the NPFL has meticulously structured the fixture list to prevent clubs from the same state from hosting home games on the same weekend. This arrangement affects pairings such as Abia Warriors and Enyimba FC, as well as Kano Pillars and Barau FC, whose home games will be strategically alternated throughout the season.