Remo Stars will begin their defence of their Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL) title at home to 2024/25 runners up, Rivers United, on the weekend of August 22 to 24, 2025.
At the draws held at the Abuja Continental Hotel, yesterday, the two teams who battled for the crown to the end of last season, will lock horns at the Remo Stars Stadium, Ikenne, on the opening day of the 2025/26 edition.
The draw for the fixtures featured some ex-international players, who picked the ballots.
Speaking prior to the draw, the NPFL Chairman, Gbenga Elegbeleye, said that the league recorded significant growth in followership in the concluded season and attributed it to partly the return of some Super Eagles players from European clubs.
“There was a significant increase in numbers at our games as our league grew in popularity with the notable return of ex-internationals such as Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa and Shehu Abdullahi to Kano Pillars, Brown Ideye to Enyimba and Godwin Obaje to Rangers amongst a number of other returning players”, the chairman stated.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Secretary General, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, who represented NFF President, Ibrahim Gusau, said the federation was pleased with developments in the league, particularly in the last season when the schedule was strictly adhered to.
The NFF assured the gathering of NPFL club chairmen, general managers and the media that plans are in the offing to introduce Video Assistant Referees (VAR) in the league, noting that some referees were recently sponsored to Morocco for training.
In other fixtures of the opening week, Abia Warriors will Kano Pillars, Wikki Tourists will battle with Plateau United, while Rangers will host newcomers, Khun Khalifat.
Other fixtures are Niger Tornadoes vs Nasarawa United, while another newly promoted side, Barau FC will host former champions, Enyimba, just as Shooting Stars are home to Bayelsa United. The other two fixtures of the day are El-Kanemi Warriors vs Bendel Insurance and Kwara United vs Ikorodu City.
