NPFL 2023/24 SEASON GETS KICKOFF DATE
The NPFL 2023/24 season will kick off on August 26, with the winner billed to cart home N150 million, according to the Chairman of the Nigeria Professional Football League, Honourable Gbenga Elegbeleye.
The newly-appointed chief said that all preparations had been made in order to ensure the start of the new season without interruption.
Elegbeleye made this known to newsmen after the inauguration of the newly constituted board of the Nigeria Professional Football League by the NFF President, Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau Wednesday in Abuja.
He said, āThe kick-off date is definite, we have taken steps that will ensure the smooth sailing of the new season with the intention to align with the European season. We hope the season ends on schedule with consideration of other football programs of the Nigeria Football Federation,ā Elegbeleye told Completesports.com.
āLast season, the league winners got N100 million as prize money. This season, we are offering an improved package of N150 million with some of the prize money earmarked for facility improvement and playersā welfare. We want every club to update their stadia and improve their playersā remuneration for better performance
āAll the stadia classified as unfit to host NPFL matches remain banned, subject to inspection while that of the newly promoted clubs will also be inspected before the season starts. Any stadium that doesnāt meet the set standard will not be allowed to host any league game.ā
On officiating, the NPFL Chairman says that he is hoping that referees who did very well last season would do better this season, adding that the success of last season was majorly due to the prompt payment of indemnities and allowances of referees and other match officials.
āAll through last season, we ensured that match officials got their dues two days before a game. We shall continue like that this season and will not hesitate to recommend any referee found wanting to the appropriate authorities for disciplinary actions,ā Elegbeleye concluded.
However, at this point it is uncertain whether the organisation will go with the abridgedĀ league with fewer games like last season or return to the standard season whereĀ each side plays 38 games.