Sports
LMC Approves 13 Stadia For NPFL 2020/21 Season
The League Management Company has approved 13 stadia for the 2020/21 Nigeria Professional Football League season.
In a memo sent by the LMC to clubs on Friday, which was seen by our correspondent, the league body said the 13 approved stadiums were the ones okayed to host NPFL games in the new season.
The approved stadia are Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos; Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo; Samuel Ogbemudia Stadia, Benin; Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba; Okigwe Township Stadium; Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt; Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadia, Bauchi and Pantami Stadium, Gombe.
Others are Aper Aku Stadium, Makurdi; Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna; Enyimba Stadium, Aba; Muhammadu Dikko Stadium, Katsina and Ilorin Township Stadia.
The LMC also listed 11 other stadiums as needing various forms of upgrade or repairs, while two stadia were listed for “complete remodelling and reconstruction”.
Those listed by the LMC for upgrade or repairs are Umuahia Township Stadium; Dutse Township Stadium; Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano; Agege Stadium; Akure Stadium; Warri City Stadium; New Jos Stadium; Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu; Lafia Township Stadium; Ifeanyi Ubah Stadium, Nnewi and Fufure Stadium, Yola.
“The stadiums listed for upgrade or repair require relaying of new playing surfaces (pitches), provision of floodlights, TV camera platforms, upgrade of changing rooms, additional exit & entry gates among others,” the LMC said.
Umuahia Township Stadium and Dutse Township Stadium were the two stadiums the LMC should undergo complete remodelling and reconstruction.
The LMC asked clubs who play in the 11 stadia listed for upgrade to complete them before the start of the new season or choose any of the approved 13 stadia for their home games.
The PUNCH had reported that the Nigeria Football Federation approved that the new NPFL season “can resume anytime from November 15.”
This came after the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 approved the resumption of contact sports at its press briefing October 15.
Iwobi spoke to Tidesports source ahead of Nigeria’s crunch playoff semi-final against Gabon on Thursday, November 13, in Rabat, Morocco.
The 28-year-old was reacting to Nigeria’s shaky World Cup qualifying campaign that saw the Eagles finish second in Group C behind South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.
“We’ve managed to rescue ourselves from the dead,” Iwobi told Tidesports source.
We know we have the players and the abilities to compete against any other country in the world.”
The Fulham star pointed to Nigeria’s star power, highlighting African Footballer of the Year winners Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen as proof of the squad’s quality.
“We have last year’s African best player (Ademola Lookman), the year before that (Victor Osimhen),” he said.
“It’ll be a shame if we don’t make it, but we have a lot of confidence. We just have to prove it to ourselves.”
Nigeria’s path to the United States, Canada and Mexico has been turbulent, with two coaches departing during the early stages of qualifying before Éric Chelle steadied the ship to steer the Super Eagles into November’s CAF playoffs.
Four nations from the continent – Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo and Gabon – will vie for a solitary spot to compete in next March’s inter-confederation playoffs, with a view to joining the already nine qualified African nations at the Finals.
It would mark Iwobi’s second appearance at the World Cup Finals and the Super Eagles’ first since the 2018 edition of the competition.
Back then, Iwobi featured in all three games as Nigeria was knocked out in the group stage.
The Chief Executive Officer(CEO) and Publisher of the Atlantic Bell Online medium, Mr. Celestine Ogolo has advised sports writers in Nigeria to diversify in sports writing and not to concentrate on football reporting alone.
The Deputy National President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Mr. Bonny Nyong has expressed commitment to support sports development and move SWAN forward.