The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has instructed all participating clubs to upgrade key facilities at their home stadiums before the 2025/26 season kicks off.
The directive comes just weeks after the conclusion of the 2024/25 campaign, which saw Remo Stars crowned champions for the first time in their history.
With the new season set to begin in August, the NPFL has emphasized that clubs must comply with the required stadium improvements—including the installation of standard LED floodlights and backup power generators—or risk losing their hosting rights.
Failure to meet these infrastructure standards could result in sanctions, including the revocation of home match privileges.
In an official statement from the NPFL to the clubs, signed by the Chief Operating Officer, Davidson Owumi, the NPFL said, “Clubs must install and maintain LED floodlights that meet the required illuminance levels to facilitate night matches.
“A reliable backup power source is mandatory to guarantee uninterrupted lighting during games, even if the main electricity supply fails.
“These facilities and other grade A infrastructure criteria must be in place and fully functional before our routine stadium inspection. Failure to meet these requirements may affect your club’s usage of your primary home ground in the upcoming season,” the letter read.
Several Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) clubs, including Abia Warriors, Shooting Stars, Kwara United, Niger Tornadoes, Plateau United, and newly promoted El-Kanemi Warriors, have been directed to address deficiencies in their stadium facilities before the 2024/25 season begins.
Clubs that fail to meet the required standards risk losing home advantage and may be forced to use alternative venues for their matches.
The NPFL has set the 2024/25 season kickoff for August 31, 2024, with the Annual General Meeting (AGM) scheduled for July 15–16 in Lagos, where key decisions about the upcoming campaign will be finalized.
In past seasons, the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has barred several clubs from hosting home matches due to substandard facilities. With Heartland, Akwa United, Sunshine Stars, and Lobi Stars relegated, champions Remo Stars and 15 other top-flight teams await the four promoted sides from the Nigeria National League (NNL) ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
