NPFL fixture draws rigged? Rivers United signs stir debate

DDM News

The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has officially confirmed that its Annual General Meeting (AGM) for the 2025–2026 season will hold on Monday, July 28, 2025.

Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that the fixture draws for the new NPFL season will also be conducted during the AGM, marking the formal start of preparations for what is expected to be another pulsating season of top-tier Nigerian football.

Although the NPFL board is yet to disclose the specific venue for the event, sources suggest it will take place in Abuja or Lagos, where past AGMs have typically been held.

The league body has already fixed Friday, August 22, 2025, as the official kickoff date for the new campaign, with the season expected to run through to May 2026.

Last season ended in dramatic fashion, with Remo Stars of Ikenne rewriting history by clinching their maiden NPFL title.

The feat ended years of dominance by traditional powerhouses like Enyimba FC, Kano Pillars, and Rangers International.

Remo’s triumph came amid fierce competition and a rollercoaster of surprises that saw clubs like Ikorodu City FC miss out on survival after Matchday 37, while others clung desperately to their NPFL status.

As the new season approaches, clubs are busy reshuffling their squads in a bid to strengthen ahead of another grueling campaign.

Among the most active teams in the transfer window is Rivers United, who have now completed the signing of goalkeeper Obinna Akuchie.

Akuchie joins the Port Harcourt-based club from newly promoted Kun Khalifat FC, where he was instrumental in helping them secure a spot in the elite division.

The shot-stopper had also previously featured for Vandrezzer FC, a now-defunct side formerly based in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

Rivers United, who are set to juggle both NPFL and CAF Champions League engagements this season, are building squad depth, and Akuchie’s arrival adds quality and experience to their goalkeeping department.

The club had earlier signed John Noble, a former Enyimba and Super Eagles goalkeeper, signaling their intent to challenge both locally and continentally.

With just weeks to go before kickoff, football fans across Nigeria and the diaspora are eagerly anticipating another season filled with intense rivalries, stunning goals, and rising talents.

The AGM and fixture release will offer a clearer view of the battles ahead as clubs strategize for glory, survival, or redemption.

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