NPFL Restores Licenses Of Newly Registered Players For Seven Clubs

The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has restored the licenses of newly registered players for seven clubs that had previously faced sanctions.

This decision affects some of the nine NPFL clubs that were cited for not complying with league regulations regarding outstanding debts.

The NPFL clubs that have received their player licenses back are Enyimba, Plateau United, El-Kanemi Warriors, Bayelsa United, Lobi Stars, Akwa United, and Heartland.

This development was disclosed by Davidson Owumi, the Chief Operating Officer of the NPFL, in an official statement sent to the affected clubs, highlighting the prompt compliance demonstrated by these organizations.

Owumi praised the clubs for their swift actions in meeting the necessary requirements, emphasizing that this compliance would allow them to field their full squad in upcoming matches and enhance the competitiveness of the league.

He also mentioned that the licenses for players from Akwa United have been reinstated under the directive of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), as their case is still under review and further investigations are ongoing.

Conversely, three clubs—Abia Warriors, Katsina United, and Kwara United—have not yet met the stipulated requirements, which means their players remain without licenses until issues are resolved. This situation initially arose due to the non-fulfilment of financial obligations to players, leading to the withdrawal of player licenses for the nine clubs involved.

In another development ahead of matchday 10, Ikorodu City have ramped up their preparations for an important clash against Rivers United. The Oga Boys are meticulously fine-tuning their strategies as they gear up to host the former NPFL champions at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Onikan on Sunday.

In a post on social media platform X, Ikorodu City expressed their commitment by saying, “Work… more work ahead of the weekend clash with Rivers United.”

This matchup will mark the first encounter between Ikorodu City and Rivers United, adding an extra layer of excitement to the fixture. Currently, Ikorodu City occupy the 19th position in the NPFL standings, having amassed nine points from eight matches this season.