NNL Abolishes Super 8, Confirms November 8 Kick-Off Date For New Season

Nigeria National League (NNL) has abolished the traditional end-of-season Super 8 competition, with promotion to the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) now based on the top-performing clubs from each of the four conferences.

This was contained in a communique issued at the conclusion of its 16th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Kaduna on Tuesday, where several significant resolutions were adopted to enhance the league’s operations and overall structure.

One of the key announcements from the AGM was the approval of Saturday, 8th November 2025, as the kick-off date for the 2025/2026 NNL season, commencing with a star match, while additional fixtures for Week One of the league are scheduled for the 14th, 15th, and 16th of November at various venues.

To streamline the league format, the AGM adopted an Abridged League structure, dividing teams into four conferences: Conference A, Conference B, Conference C, and Conference D.

To foster competitive spirit, a Super 4 competition will be introduced at the season’s end to determine the overall league winner. Clubs failing to participate in this competition risk losing their promotion status to the next club in their conference standings.

The AGM also confirmed that only stadiums meeting the NNL’s facility criteria will be approved for the upcoming season. In terms of registration, clubs are now required to submit proof of insurance coverage for their players and officials to the NNL Secretariat.

Additionally, the financial report and the audited accounts for the 2024/2025 season were approved, alongside the budget for the 2025/2026 season, which will serve as a guiding document. The meeting stipulated that only Prostar/NNL branded match balls will be used, with penalties imposed on home teams for non-compliance.

The NNL Board’s efforts in securing sponsorship were appreciated, and the AGM passed a vote of confidence in the George Aluo-led board for their achievements and commitment to improving the standards of the league.

The AGM also praised the president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau for the extraordinary ability he has employed to pilot the affairs of the Nigeria Football Federation, and the entire NFF Board for their support and continuous guidance to make NNL the Most Important League in Nigeria.

The NNL Annual General Meeting thanked the Kaduna State governor, Senator Uba Sani, the commissioner for local government and Chieftaincy Affairs, and the good people of Kaduna State for the successful hosting of the AGM.

The decisions taken during this AGM are expected to significantly shape the future of the Nigeria National League, enhancing competitiveness and operational effectiveness in the coming season.