NPFL Suspended 2 Weeks For Federation Cup

The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has been temporarily suspended for two weeks to allow clubs to participate in the ongoing President Federation Cup at the state level.

This short break is designed to enable teams to fulfil their commitments in Nigeria’s oldest domestic competition. League fixtures are set to resume after the conclusion of the state Federation Cup ties.

The 2026 edition of the tournament is currently underway across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, where clubs are competing for qualification to the national stage. The preliminary rounds, which commenced in March, are expected to conclude with state finals scheduled for 26th April, after which representatives will be confirmed.

Under the revised league calendar, Matchday 36 fixtures will now take place on 3rd May, while Matchday 37 games are slated for 10th May as the season enters its decisive phase.

This decision aligns with directives from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), which has emphasised the importance of compliance with Federation Cup fixtures. The federation had earlier warned that clubs failing to honour matches at the national preliminary stage would face a fine of ₦1 million, while those withdrawing after completing state registration risk a penalty of ₦500,000.

The Federation Cup, widely regarded as Nigeria’s oldest football competition, adopts an open-entry format at the state level, allowing participation from grassroots teams to top-flight sides. Each state produces two representatives – a winner and a runner-up – resulting in 74 teams advancing to the national competition.

At the national stage, lower-ranked teams compete in preliminary play-offs before being joined by seeded clubs from the NPFL and the Nigeria National League in the round of 64. From that point, the tournament proceeds in a straight knockout format, with most matches played at neutral venues and tied fixtures decided via penalty shootouts to ease scheduling demands.