2023–24 Nigeria Premier Football League
Season | 2023–24 |
---|---|
Dates | 30 September 2023 – 23 June 2024 |
Champions | Enugu Rangers (8th title) |
Relegated | |
Champions League |
|
Confederation Cup | |
Matches played | 380 |
Goals scored | 848 (2.23 per match) |
Top goalscorer | Chijioke Mbaoma (17 goals) |
Biggest home win | Rivers United 6–0 Gombe United (15 June 2024) |
Biggest away win | Heartland 1–5 Plateau United (28 February 2024) |
Highest scoring | Bayelsa United 5–3 Akwa United (30 September 2023) |
Longest winning run | Enugu Rangers (5 matches) |
Longest unbeaten run | Enugu Rangers (10 matches) |
Longest winless run | Heartland (11 matches) |
Longest losing run | Gombe United (6 matches) |
← 2022–23 2024–25 →
All statistics correct as of 23 June 2024. |
The 2023–24 Nigeria Premier Football League was the 53rd season of Nigeria's top-flight association football league, the 34th since attaining professionalism and the first under the current name.[1] The season commenced on 30 September 2023 after initial delays.[2][3]
Enyimba were the defending champions, after finishing top of the Championship round at the previous season.[4] On 17 June 2024, Enugu Rangers won their eighth NPFL title with a game to spare.[5]
This season sees the Interim Management Committee (IMC) entering into a partnership with technology firm GTI Investment, Propel Sports Africa and MTN to sponsor the league, with an exclusive broadcast right that shall cover eight live games every weekend and 300 throughout the season.[6] Thus, this makes the NPFL the first African football league to deploy artificial intelligence at games.[7]
This season also sees an increase of N50 million in prize money for the champions.[3] Also, The NPFL secured $1 Billion Broadcast sponsorship deal with Chinese satellite provider StarTimes, for five years.[8]
Teams
[edit]Twenty teams are competing in the league – the top sixteen teams from the previous season and the four teams promoted from the Nigeria National League. The promoted teams are Heartland, Sporting Lagos, Kano Pillars and Katsina United. This is Sporting Lagos's first season in the Nigeria Professional Football League. With their promotion, Sporting Lagos became the first team to have been promoted after the first season of their creation. Heartland, Katsina United and Kano Pillars also returned to the top-flight after getting relegated two seasons ago. They replaced Wikki Tourists, Nasarawa United, El-Kanemi Warriors and Dakkada, who were relegated to the Nigeria National League.
Teams information
[edit]- ^ Abia Warriors played some of their games at Aba as their original stadium failed to meet the requirements.
- ^ Heartland played their second round games at Awka.[9]
- ^ Lobi Stars home stadium was not approved, so they play in their adopted home in Lafia.
- ^ Niger Tornadoes home stadium was not approved, so they play in their adopted home in Kaduna.
League table
[edit]Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Enugu Rangers (C) | 38 | 21 | 7 | 10 | 56 | 33 | +23 | 70 | Qualification for the Champions League |
2 | Remo Stars | 38 | 20 | 5 | 13 | 53 | 39 | +14 | 65 | |
3 | Enyimba | 38 | 19 | 6 | 13 | 46 | 33 | +13 | 63 | Qualification for the Confederation Cup |
4 | Shooting Stars | 38 | 18 | 8 | 12 | 48 | 34 | +14 | 62 | |
5 | Plateau United | 38 | 18 | 4 | 16 | 53 | 40 | +13 | 58 | |
6 | Lobi Stars | 38 | 17 | 7 | 14 | 48 | 45 | +3 | 58 | |
7 | Katsina United | 38 | 15 | 10 | 13 | 42 | 39 | +3 | 55 | |
8 | Rivers United | 38 | 15 | 8 | 15 | 51 | 42 | +9 | 53 | |
9 | Bendel Insurance | 38 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 32 | 30 | +2 | 53 | |
10 | Sunshine Stars | 38 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 37 | 37 | 0 | 52 | |
11 | Kano Pillars | 38 | 15 | 7 | 16 | 49 | 50 | −1 | 52 | |
12 | Abia Warriors | 38 | 15 | 7 | 16 | 42 | 45 | −3 | 52 | |
13 | Kwara United | 38 | 12 | 15 | 11 | 38 | 37 | +1 | 51 | |
14 | Niger Tornadoes | 38 | 14 | 9 | 15 | 38 | 41 | −3 | 51 | |
15 | Bayelsa United | 38 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 46 | 50 | −4 | 50 | |
16 | Akwa United | 38 | 14 | 7 | 17 | 44 | 42 | +2 | 49 | |
17 | Sporting Lagos (R) | 38 | 12 | 10 | 16 | 39 | 44 | −5 | 46 | Relegation to the National League |
18 | Doma United (R) | 38 | 11 | 11 | 16 | 26 | 42 | −16 | 44 | |
19 | Heartland (R) | 38 | 9 | 11 | 18 | 36 | 50 | −14 | 38 | |
20 | Gombe United[a] (R) | 38 | 8 | 7 | 23 | 21 | 78 | −57 | 25 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Notes:
Results
[edit]Positions by round
[edit]To preserve chronological evolvements, any postponed matches are not included to the round at which they were originally scheduled, but added to the full round they were played immediately afterwards. For example, if a match is scheduled for round 7, but then played between rounds 8 and 9, it will be added to the standings for round 8.
Leader | |
Champions League | |
Confederation Cup | |
Relegation to Nigeria National League |
Statistics
[edit]Top scorers
[edit]- As of 23 June 2024
Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
Enyimba | 17 |
2 | ![]() |
Remo Stars | 15 |
3 | ![]() |
Plateau United | 12 |
![]() |
Sporting Lagos | ||
![]() |
Enugu Rangers | ||
![]() |
Niger Tornadoes | ||
7 | ![]() |
Kano Pillars | 11 |
![]() |
Akwa United | ||
![]() | |||
11 | ![]() |
Bayelsa United | 10 |
![]() |
Kano Pillars | ||
![]() |
Katsina United | ||
![]() |
Shooting Stars |
Hat-tricks
[edit]Player | For | Against | Score | Date | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
Bayelsa United | Akwa United | 5–3 (H) | 30 September 2023 | [12] |
![]() |
Kano Pillars | Gombe United | 5–2 (A) | 3 December 2023 | [13] |
![]() |
Plateau United | Bayelsa United | 5–1 (H) | 17 December 2023 | [14] |
![]() |
Rivers United | Doma United | 3–2 (H) | 18 February 2024 | [15] |
- Notes
5 Player scored 5 goals
(H) – Home team
(A) – Away team
Monthly awards
[edit]Month | Player of the Month | Manager of the Month | Ref. | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player | Club | Manager | Club | ||
September/October | ![]() |
Bayelsa United | ![]() |
Remo Stars | |
November | ![]() |
Doma United | ![]() |
Doma United | |
December | ![]() |
Plateau United | ![]() |
Plateau United | |
February | ![]() |
Kano Pillars | ![]() |
Bayelsa United | |
March | ![]() |
Akwa United | ![]() |
Enugu Rangers | |
April | ![]() |
Niger Tornadoes | ![]() |
Shooting Stars |
References
[edit]- ^ "NFF approves NPFL name change". Dailypost.ng. 10 September 2023.
- ^ "2023–24 NPFL season finally set to begin on September 30 after delays". National Trial Online. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
- ^ a b "NPFL announces September 30 kick off date, N150 million prize money for champions". Prime Business Africa. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
- ^ "NPFL: Enyimba Draw With Rivers Utd To Win Record Ninth Title – Channels Television".
- ^ "Enugu Rangers won eighth NPFL title". The Punch. 16 June 2024.
- ^ "MTN to co-sponsor Nigerian football league with GTI, Propel Sports Africa". Premium Times Nigeria. 20 September 2023.
- ^ "GTI unveils AI cameras for NPFL coverage". The Punch. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
- ^ "NPFL, StarTimes sign N1.6bn 5-year television sponsorship deal". The Sun. 3 November 2023.
- ^ Adesanya, Taiwo (1 February 2024). "Heartland adopt Awka City Stadium as new home ground". dailypost.ng.
- ^ "Gombe docked three points, fined N2.5M". punchng.com. 9 January 2024.
- ^ "NPFL:Gombe United docked 3 points for assault on match officials". leadership.ng. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
- ^ "Mizo hat-trick as goals rain flood Yenagoa". Punchng.com. 1 October 2023.
- ^ "Kano Pillars Yusuf nets 5 goals, secures win against Gombe United". leadership.ng. 3 December 2023.
- ^ "NPFL: Plateau's Hilary bags hat-trick in Bayelsa rout". Punchng.com. 18 December 2023.
- ^ "Nwagua bags hattrick in thrilling Rivers win". The Punch. 19 February 2024.
- ^ "Ogunmodede, Mizo scoop NPFL awards". Punchng.com. 12 November 2023.
- ^ "NPFL 24:Doma United duo Onigbinde, Osayi scoop monthly awards". Royaltimes. 8 December 2023. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
- ^ "Plateau United's Hilary,Mangut win NPFL Player, Coach of the month award". dailypost.ng. 16 January 2024.
- ^ "Mustapha,Okara win NPFL player,coach of the month award". dailypost.ng. 13 March 2024.
- ^ Taiwo, Adesanya (7 April 2024). "Suleiman, Ilechukwu win NPFL Player, Coach of the Month award for March". dailypost.ng.
- ^ Adesanya, Taiwo (11 May 2024). "Clinton Jephta, Ogunbote win NPFL Player, Coach of the Month award". dailypost.ng.