The latest figures, released for 2025, show the NPFL earned 171.75 points, placing it outside the top 90 leagues globally and signalling a decline in the league’s comparative strength against other domestic competitions worldwide.
The IFFHS ranking methodology combines results from both continental and international club competitions, giving weighted consideration to club performances beyond regional contests. Analysts say the NPFL’s drop reflects inconsistent results by Nigerian clubs in continental tournaments and the growing competitiveness of leagues in other regions of Africa.

In Africa, Egypt’s Premier League maintained its position as the continent’s strongest league for a sixth consecutive year.
Morocco’s Botola followed, retaining a position on the African podium since 2018, while South Africa’s Premiership returned to the top three for the first time in 21 years. Algeria and Tunisia completed the continent’s top five.

Under the Confederation of African Football (CAF) five-year ranking, Nigeria sits 12th with 21 points, still allowing the country to enter two teams in each CAF club competition.
Globally, European leagues continued to dominate the upper ranks, with 12 of the top 20 and 29 of the top 50 leagues hailing from the continent.
South America contributed five leagues to the top 20, while Asia had two, and CONCACAF and Oceania had one league each.

THE Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has imposed heavy sanctions on Kwara United FC following serious breaches of the league’s framework and rules during their re-arranged Match Day 22 fixture against Rivers United.

The Ilorin-based club was found guilty of failing to provide adequate and effective security, which allowed unauthorised persons to gain access to restricted areas.

In line with NPFL regulations, Kwara United has been fined N2 million for failing to provide adequate security and N1 million for failing to control their supporters.

An additional N2 million fine was imposed for assaults on match officials and Rivers United officials, alongside N1 million for unsporting behaviour. The club will also pay N1 million for holding match officials and Rivers United staff hostage for several hours after the game, and N2 million as compensatory costs for treatment and damages.
Beyond financial penalties totalling N10 million, Kwara United will suffer a deduction of three points and three goals from their accrued tally.

The club has also been ordered to play its remaining home fixtures at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Meanwhile, officials of Kwara United FC have condemned the attack on match officials in the encounter that ended 1-1.  Violence erupted off the pitch moments after the final whistle, as unruly elements stormed restricted areas, and allegedly attacked top league officials, including the Chairman of Chairmen of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Chief Okey Kpalukwu, and officials of River United FC.

The incident now casts a dark cloud over the NPFL season, raising fresh concerns about crowd control, stadium security, and the growing tension surrounding high-stakes domestic fixtures.

Eyewitness accounts described the scenes as “serious” as security personnel struggled to contain the situation, with officials and members of the visiting delegation hurriedly escorted out.
What began as frustration over the match result quickly spiralled into a chaotic spectacle that overshadowed the league match itself.

The Ilorin-based side, which distanced itself from what it described as the actions of “irrational elements,” however, pledged to identify and bring the culprits to book.

“We deeply regret the distress caused to all parties involved and extend our sincere and unreserved apologies to Chief Okey Kpalukwu, the Rivers United delegation, match officials, security personnel, and innocent spectators affected by these deplorable events,” the Club said.

As expected, the alleged $130,000 monthly salary demanded by Super Eagles coach, Eric Chelle, has drawn the ire of Nigerian, who feel betrayed that the coach demanded such a colossal amount.

Chelle, on Thursday, tabled new demands from the Federal Government for him to remain with the Super Eagles. Top on his demand is a house, car, 24-hour constant electricity supply, flight tickets for his wife and children and free hand to run the team.

For former Chairman of Gombe State Football Association, Ahmed Shuaibu Gara-Gombe, everything is wrong in Chelle’s new demand.

“I don’t think it is okay,” Gara-Gombe told The Guardian. “This man just came to Nigeria to boost his CV. I said it before that Super Eagles is too big for Chelle.

“The Super Eagles raised Chelle to the global stage not him raising the team, and he now wants to ‘blackmail’ us.

“With the players Nigeria have, we are even the ones to ask a coach like Eric Chelle to pay us ‘privileged fees’.

“It is so obvious now that Chelle just created a phantom story around Olympique Marseilles that they were after his service, and a few days after, his ridiculous demands came. We are not fools. I read the demands, they are ridiculous. While at the AFCON in Morocco, Chelle started his phantom story that Algeria wanted his services and the Olympique Marseilles story followed. If he wants to go, let him go. I have not seen any impact he made on the Super Eagles.”

Gara-Gombe added: “Chelle is just lucky we are tip toeing and winning Games because of the players’ brilliance, not because of his impact.

We have polished him as a Coach. We have turned him into reckoning and now he wants to ‘blackmail us. If we retain this man for this amount, Nigeria will regret it,” he stated.

Former Super Eagles midfielder, Edema Fuludu, agrees with Gara-Gombe.