The 2025/26 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season is set to begin on Friday, August 22, 2025, according to an official announcement by the league board.
Chairman of the NPFL board, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye, disclosed the kickoff date during a briefing at the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) headquarters in Abuja on Friday.
Elegbeleye noted that the early kickoff is part of a strategic plan to align Nigeria’s domestic football calendar with international and continental football schedules, particularly those set by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
“This will be the third straight season the league starts in August,” he said, recalling that the calendar realignment began with the 2023 abridged season, which concluded with a Super 6 playoff. This was followed by the 2023/24 and 2024/25 seasons, which kicked off in September and August, respectively.
The NPFL boss added that the move reflects the federation’s commitment to consistency and improved competitiveness on the African stage.
While the full fixture list for the new season is yet to be released, the league organisers are awaiting the confirmation of the four promoted teams from the Nigeria National League (NNL), the country’s second-tier division.
Key details such as match schedules, registration deadlines, and broadcast plans are expected to be unveiled in the coming weeks.
The 2025/26 campaign will also mark the third year of the NPFL’s five-year broadcast deal with StarTimes, a partnership reportedly valued at ₦6 billion. The deal has been instrumental in enhancing the league’s visibility across the continent.
Remo Stars, who amassed 71 points in the 2024/25 season, will enter the new campaign as defending champions, having clinched their first-ever NPFL title.
