NNL 2025/2026 season gets November 8 kick off date, as Makurdi hosts season’s opener

The 2025/2026 football season of the Nigeria National League will kick off from November, 8, 2025 in Markurdi with newcomers Lobi Stars taking on City FC of Abuja in the opening game of the league.

This was part of the decisions reached at the Annual General Meeting of the second tier League held in Kaduna, the Kaduna State Capital on Tuesday.

Apart from deciding on date for the commencement of the league, the club owners at the meeting also unanimously abolished the Super 8 playoff replacing it with Super 4 that will be played among the best four teams in the conferences to determine the overall winner of the league.

In order to further strengthen the league, it was also agreed that for the 2025/2026 season, three teams will be relegated from Group A and B which have 10 teams each while two teams will be relegated from Group C and D that boasts of 8 teams each,making it a total of 36 teams, two less than that of last season

It’s expected that with top teams like Sunshine Stars, Heartland, Lobi Stars, and Akwa United aiming to return to the NPFL, and ambitious rising teams like Sporting Lagos, Inter Lagos, and Beyond Limits FA eager to make a statement, fans can expect thrilling matches in the new season.

2025/2026 NIGERIA NATIONAL LEAGUE GROUPING

CONFERENCE A
1. Abia Comets
2. Beyond Limits
3. Crown
4. Edel
5. E-World United
6. Inter Lagos
7. Sunshine Stars
8. Heartland
9. Godswill Akpabio United
10. Smart City

CONFERENCE B
1. Akwa United
2. Abakaliki
3. Ekiti United
4. Dakkada
5. Sporting Lagos
6. Osun United
7. First Bank
8. Stormers
9. Rovers
10. Solution

CONFERENCE C
1. ABS
2. FC Basira
3. Doma United
4. Lobi Stars
5. City FC
6. Kada City
7. Mighty Jets
8. Sokoto United

CONFERENCE D
1. Bichi First
2. Jigawa GS
3. Ranchers Bees
4. Adamawa United
5. Sporting Supreme
6. Gombe United
7. Kebbi United
8. Yobe Desert Stars