… as IMC announces new name, logo for Nigerian League
The NPFL Super Six draws, the fixtures for the season-ending competition, were unveiled by the Interim Management Committee (IMC) on Friday in Lagos.
The NPFL Super Six playoff will commence in Lagos on Saturday, June 3. It will run from June 3 to June 11.
All six qualified teams from Groups A and B had their match scheduled, with Group A qualifiers, Enyimba and Remo Stars taking the opening game slot of the Nigeria Premier League Super Six playoffs.
The first match is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Saturday, 3 June, at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos, Premium Times reports.
The draws, which also doubled as the unveiling of the new NPFL logo, had in attendance top dignitaries of the IMC, NFF, and partners GTI.
The Super Six
The Super Six playoffs will conclude the abridged version of the Nigeria Professional Football League. Three teams each qualified from Groups A and B after 18 matches.
The other scheduled games for Saturday are Sunshine Stars versus Rivers United at 4 p.m., while the night game, scheduled for 6 p.m., will be between Bendel Insurance and Lobi Stars.
In his welcome speech, Sunday Elegbeleye, the IMC chairman, appreciated the 20 teams that took part in the abridged season, saying it wasn’t a straightforward task.
He stated that the just-concluded 2022/23 season recorded the least violent upheavals compared to the past seasons under the defunct League Management Company.
Paul Bassey, the IOC chairman, stated that the games would kick off at 2 p.m., 4 p.m., and 6 p.m., respectively, at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena with strict adherence to the championship guidelines.
In conclusion, the IMC’s Head of Operations, Davidson Owumi, just like Mr. Elegebeye, applauded the clubs for making a success of the league in its abridged version.
He then added that the IMC and clubs would work to get the new season calendar by “11th June” to sync it with other leagues worldwide.
“Come the 11th of June, the IMC, the clubs would have succeeded in harmonizing the calendar of our domestic football with that of the world, and I sincerely hope and pray that it becomes a permanent phenomenon going forward so that it can enhance development, enhance strategic planning.
Eight referees will take charge of the games, and these are Ogabor Joseph from Cross River, Kassimm Abdulsalam from Zamfara, Bashir Salihu from Kano, Abubakar Abdullahi from Niger, Abdulmalik Madaki from Abuja, Ridwan Ayeni from Lagos, Babayanju Saheed from Ondo, and Mrs. Ndidi Patience Madu from Enugu.
Assisting these eight centre referees will be Samuel Pwadwatukam, Hope Igho, Usman Abdulmajid, Ahmad Mustapha, Muhammed Mahmud, Digbori Tejiri, Abibat Yusuf, and Moses Alayemola.
The first and second-placed teams at the end of the playoffs will represent Nigeria in the CAF Champions League, while the third-placed team will get a ticket to the Confederations Cup.
The team with the highest points tally will go home with the league trophy and N100m cash prize.
Super Six Fixtures
Day 1 – Saturday, 3 June
Enyimba vs Remo Stars at 2 pm
Sunshine v Rivers United at 4 pm
Bendel Insurance v Lobi Stars at 6 pm
Day 2 – Monday, 5 June
Lobi stars vs Enyimba at 2 pm
Rivers United vs Remo Stars at 4 pm
Bendel Insurance vs Sunshine Stars at 6 pm
Day 3 – Wednesday, 7 June
Bendel Insurance vs Enyimba at 2 pm
Remo Stars vs Sunshine Stars at 4 pm
Day 4 – Friday, 9 June
Rivers United vs Bendel Insurance at 2 pm
Lobi Stars vs Remo Stars at 4 pm
Sunshine Stars vs Enyimba at 6 pm
Day 5 – Sunday, 11 June
Sunshine Stars vs Lobi Stars at 2 pm
Remo vs Bendel Insurance at 4 pm
Enyimba vs Rivers United at 6 pm
Meanwhile, the Interim Management Committee (IMC) has announced a new name and logo for the Nigerian top flight, Daily Post reports.
The top flight will now be called the Nigeria Premier League (NPL).
The new name and logo were unveiled during the draw ceremony for the 2022-23 NPL Super Six playoff.
It would be recalled that the IMC changed the name from Nigeria Professional Football League to Nigeria Premier Football League at the start of the current season.
