Standings, fixtures, results and everything you need to know about the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), the top tier of Nigerian football, played by 20 clubs from August to May.
Fixtures and results
Upcoming fixtures
vsBENBendel Insurance FC
Rivers United FC
Plateau United
EnyimbavsKWAKwara UnitedvsKUNKun Khalifat FCvsIKOIkorodu CityEnugu Rangers International FCRivers United FCPlateau UnitedEnyimbavsSHOShooting StarsvsNIGNiger Tornadoes FCEnugu Rangers International FCEnugu Rangers International FCvsIKOIkorodu CityvsBARBarau FCRecent results
1 - 1WARWarri Wolves FC1 - 0KUNKun Khalifat FC1 - 1Enugu Rangers International FCEnyimbaRivers United FCPlateau United2 - 3SPOSporting Lagos FC0 - 0WARWarri Wolves FC0 - 0BARBarau FC4 - 0KANKano Pillars FCRivers United FCEnugu Rangers International FCEnyimba2 - 0Plateau UnitedNigeria Premier Football League standings
Computed from full-time results, 2026/27 season. Updated Wed 4 Nov, 08:31 UTC| Pos | Club | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kano Pillars FC | 12 | 4 | 7 | 1 | +3 | 19 |
| 2 | Rivers United FC | 11 | 4 | 6 | 1 | +10 | 18 |
| 3 | Enugu Rangers International FC | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 | +5 | 18 |
| 4 | Bendel Insurance FC | 10 | 6 | 0 | 4 | +3 | 18 |
| 5 | Nasarawa United | 11 | 5 | 2 | 4 | +1 | 17 |
| 6 | Plateau United | 11 | 4 | 4 | 3 | +4 | 16 |
| 7 | Barau FC | 11 | 3 | 7 | 1 | +3 | 16 |
| 8 | Sporting Lagos FC | 11 | 4 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 16 |
| 9 | Niger Tornadoes FC | 11 | 4 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 16 |
| 10 | Katsina United FC | 11 | 4 | 4 | 3 | -1 | 16 |
| 11 | Shooting Stars | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | +1 | 15 |
| 12 | Doma United FC | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 15 |
| 13 | Ikorodu City | 11 | 3 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 14 |
| 14 | Warri Wolves FC | 11 | 3 | 4 | 4 | -1 | 13 |
| 15 | Kwara United | 11 | 3 | 3 | 5 | -1 | 12 |
| 16 | Kun Khalifat FC | 11 | 3 | 3 | 5 | -7 | 12 |
| 17 | Enyimba | 11 | 3 | 2 | 6 | -3 | 11 |
| 18 | Abia Warriors FC | 11 | 2 | 4 | 5 | -7 | 10 |
| 19 | Ranchers Bees | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | -3 | 9 |
| 20 | Inter Lagos FC | 11 | 1 | 3 | 7 | -11 | 6 |
What is Nigeria Premier Football League?
The Nigeria Premier Football League, usually shortened to NPFL, is the top tier of Nigerian football. It is contested by 20 clubs from late August to May and is run by the League Management Company under the Nigeria Football Federation.
The league began in 1972 and has carried several names since, including the Nigerian National League, the Nigerian Professional League and, from 2014 to 2023, the Nigeria Professional Football League. The current name is the Nigeria Premier Football League.
Enugu Rangers won the title in 2025/26, after Remo Stars in 2024/25. Enyimba and Enugu Rangers have won nine titles each, more than any other club.
For 2026/27, Doma United, Inter Lagos, Sporting Lagos and Ranchers Bees have come up from the National League, replacing Wikki Tourists, Bayelsa United, El-Kanemi Warriors and Remo Stars.
How Nigeria Premier Football League works
Season structure
20 clubs play each other home and away, 38 matches each and 380 in total. The 2026/27 season began on 28 August 2026 and finishes on 30 May 2027, with a mid-season break from 23 December to 6 January.
Continental places
The league winner qualifies for the CAF Champions League, and the club in third place qualifies for the CAF Confederation Cup.
Relegation
The bottom four clubs are relegated to the National League, and four clubs come up in their place.
Tiebreakers
Clubs level on points are separated by goal difference, then goals scored.
History and records
Past champions
| Season | Champions |
|---|---|
| 2025/26 | Enugu Rangers |
| 2024/25 | Remo Stars |
| 2023/24 | Enugu Rangers |
| 2022/23 | Enyimba |
| 2021/22 | Rivers United |
| 2020/21 | Akwa United |
| 2019/20 | Season cancelled (COVID-19) |
| 2019 | Enyimba |
| 2018 | Season cancelled |
| 2017 | Plateau United |
The story so far
The league was first played in 1972 as the Nigerian National League. In 1990 the Nigeria Football League organised the competition as a step toward full professionalism, and it later ran under names such as the Nigerian Professional League, the Nigeria Premier League and the Nigerian Premiership.
After the Nigeria Football League collapsed in 2012, an Interim Management Committee led to the creation of the League Management Company, and the league was rebranded as the Nigeria Professional Football League in 2014. The IFFHS ranked it the best league in Africa in 2012, and in July 2016 it became the first in Africa to adopt FIFA’s domestic transfer matching system. The 2018 season was postponed indefinitely during an NFF crisis, and the 2019/20 season was cancelled because of COVID-19.
Nigeria Premier Football League clubs, 2026/27
20 clubsEnugu RangersNnamdi Azikiwe StadiumDefending championsEnyimbaEnyimba International StadiumPlateau UnitedNew Jos StadiumRivers UnitedAdokiye Amiesimaka StadiumNigeria Premier Football League FAQs
How many teams are in the NPFL?
There are 20 clubs in the NPFL in 2026/27. Doma United, Inter Lagos, Sporting Lagos and Ranchers Bees came up from the National League, replacing Wikki Tourists, Bayelsa United, El-Kanemi Warriors and Remo Stars.
How many games does each team play?
Each club plays 38 matches, 19 at home and 19 away, meeting every other club twice. That makes 380 matches per season. A win earns 3 points, a draw 1 point and a defeat none.
How does relegation work?
The bottom four clubs in the final standings are relegated to the National League, and four clubs are promoted in their place.
Which NPFL clubs qualify for Africa?
The league winner qualifies for the CAF Champions League and the club in third place qualifies for the CAF Confederation Cup.
When does the NPFL season start and end?
The 2026/27 season began on 28 August 2026 and finishes on 30 May 2027, with a two-week break from 23 December to 6 January.
Who has won the most NPFL titles?
Enyimba and Enugu Rangers have won nine titles each. Enugu Rangers are the reigning champions after winning in 2025/26.
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Fixtures, results and the standings are pulled from our live match data feed, provided by Sportradar, and refreshed periodically. The standings are calculated from full-time results and may not reflect official adjustments (points deductions, etc). Team crests are hosted on this site; kickoff times follow the timezone selected above the fixtures (your browser’s timezone by default, UTC if JavaScript is off).