The 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season is in full swing, with the campaign now entering Matchweek 34.
As the title race intensifies, clubs across the country are battling for supremacy, European qualification spots, and survival in the top flight.
Remo Stars remain in pursuit of their first-ever NPFL title but face stiff competition from defending champions Enugu Rangers, Rivers United, and a resurgent Shooting Stars. Meanwhile, newly promoted sides are fighting to secure their status in the league, adding further intrigue to the season’s final stretch.
With fierce rivalries producing dramatic encounters and emerging talents continuing to make their mark, fans can expect a thrilling run-in to the business end of the season across Nigeria’s most iconic stadiums.
When did the NPFL season start?
The Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) 2024/25 season officially kicked off on Saturday, 31 August, with defending champions Enugu Rangers beginning their title defence against El Kanemi Warriors in a goalless stalemate at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium.
However, the rest of the first round of fixtures kicked off on Sunday, September 8.
NPFL Fixtures & Schedule
Matchday 35 of the Nigeria Premier Football League delivered a compelling mix of history, heartbreak, and heated rivalries, none more significant than in Ikenne, where Remo Stars clinched their first-ever NPFL title in dramatic fashion.
It took Olamilekan Adedayo’s 84th-minute winner to settle a nervy encounter against Niger Tornadoes, sparking wild celebrations at the Remo Stars Stadium. With 68 points, they are now uncatchable at the summit, and Daniel Ogunmodede’s men will be playing Champions League football next season.
At the other end of the table, Akwa United kept their survival hopes alive with a spirited comeback against Ikorodu City. Goals from Uche Sebastine and Osoba Kabir overturned a first-half deficit in Uyo, lifting the Promise Keepers to 41 points, two adrift of safety.
Elsewhere, Enyimba took the bragging rights in the Oriental Derby with a 2-1 win over Rangers, moving the champions up to fifth. Goals from Innocent Gabriel and Ekenne Awazie did the damage early, and although Chiedozie Okorie halved the deficit, Rangers couldn’t find a way back.
Kwara United produced the performance of the round, hammering relegated Lobi Stars 4-0, while Plateau United edged Bendel Insurance, and Bayelsa United snatched a late win against El-Kanemi Warriors. Anas Yusuf remained in the spotlight, scoring again for Nasarawa United to bolster his top scorer bid in a narrow win over Heartland.
With just three matchdays remaining, the battle lines are drawn from continental chases to relegation scraps, and the NPFL is setting up for a grandstand finish.
Here are the results of NPFL Matchday 35
| Date | Home team | Score | Away team |
| 25/04/25 | Kano Pillars | 2-0 | Rivers United |
| 27/04/25 | Nasarawa United | 1-0 | Heartland FC |
| 27/04/25 | Abia Warriors | 3-1 | Shooting Stars |
| 27/04/25 | Akwa United | 2-1 | Ikorodu City |
| 27/04/25 | Bayelsa United | 2-1 | El-Kanemi Warriors |
| 27/04/25 | Enugu Rangers | 1-2 | Enyimba |
| 27/04/25 | Kwara United | 4-0 | Lobi Stars |
| 27/04/25 | Plateau United | 2-1 | Bendel Insurance |
| 27/04/25 | Sunshine Stars | 2-0 | Katsina United |
| 27/04/25 | Remo Stars | 1-0 | Niger Tornadoes |
With just three rounds left in the Nigeria Premier Football League season, the storylines are sharpening. Champions-elect Remo Stars head to Maiduguri to face El-Kanemi Warriors, with the title already in the bag but pride and momentum still very much on the line. El-Kanemi, meanwhile, remain entangled in the survival fight and must summon something special against the league leaders.
The race for the continent intensifies in Port Harcourt, where Rivers United host Enugu Rangers in a heavyweight clash. Rivers need the win to hold off the chasing pack, while Rangers wounded by an Oriental Derby defeat have little room for error. In Minna, Abia Warriors, now third, visit Niger Tornadoes with continental ambitions still alive. A win could edge them closer to a historic finish.
Down at the bottom, Akwa United’s trip to Benin to face Bendel Insurance could prove decisive. The Promise Keepers are just two points from safety and need a result against an Insurance side that’s hard to beat at home. Sunshine Stars and Shooting Stars go head-to-head in a Southwest showdown in Ibadan with the visitors seeking separation from the drop. In Owerri, Heartland welcome Plateau United in what could be their last real shot at redemption.
Elsewhere, Enyimba will fancy their chances at home to Kwara United as they push for a late top-three surge, while Ikorodu City face a stern test in Bayelsa United, the league’s most in-form team with 10 unbeaten. Katsina United and Kano Pillars meet in a northern derby that could reshape the mid-table, and relegated Lobi Stars host Nasarawa United in a clash with meaning only for the visitors.
Here are the fixtures of NPFL Matchday 36
| Date | Match | Time |
| 07/05/25 | El-Kanemi Warriors vs Remo Stars | 15:00 |
| 07/05/25 | Shooting Stars vs Sunshine Stars | 15:30 |
| 07/05/25 | Niger Tornadoes vs Abia Warriors | 16:00 |
| 07/05/25 | Rivers United vs Enugu Rangers | 16:00 |
| 07/05/25 | Bendel Insurance vs Akwa United | 16:00 |
| 07/05/25 | Ikorodu City vs Bayelsa United | 16:00 |
| 07/05/25 | Katsina United vs Kano Pillars | 16:00 |
| 07/05/25 | Enyimba vs Kwara United | 16:00 |
| 07/05/25 | Heartland vs Plateau United | 16:00 |
| 07/05/25 | Lobi Stars vs Nasarawa United | 16:00 |
Where to watch NPFL matches
Fans will be able to catch the action live as Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) broadcast partners, StarTimes and Propel Sports Africa, have made provisions to stream games for viewers globally.
GTI Asset Management & Trust Limited, a key partner, has assured that live-streaming arrangements are fully in place for the 2024/2025 season, ensuring fans don’t miss any of the action.
