NPFL Can Be Africa’s Best Football League — Elegbeleye

Chairman, Interim Management Committee of the Nigeria Professional Football League, Gbenga Elegbeleye, says the upcoming Super 6 playoffs of the abridged 2022/23 NPFL season will bring out the best from the participating clubs and organisers,  adding that the ciountry’s topflight league had potential to become Africa’s best.

The IMC boss made this known while featuring on a radio programme on Kennis FM on Wednesday.

The top three teams from both groups in the regular season will converge on Lagos as hostilities begin for the ultimate prize as well as two continental spots on Saturday June 3 at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan. The playoffs will run till Sunday June 11.

Bendel Insurance, Remo Stars and Enyimba qualified for the playoffs from Group A, while reigning champions, Rivers United, Lobi Stars and Sunshine Stars complete the set from Group B.

“The Super 6 is going to be a football fiesta that will showcase Nigerian football because throughout the season, we have enjoyed fair officiating and we hope to step up on that as the best six teams play in Lagos,” Elegbeleye said.

“All our matches will be live on SuperSport and streaming platforms. We want to give Nigerians the best because we have the capacity to do it. Our league should be the best in Africa because we have the market and in the period that we have been there, we have shown that it is not difficult to do. All it takes is ideas, resilience, determination to get the best.

“We don’t want a situation that the league will be won by money. But we want them to fight for this title and have the best represent us well on the continent. We have done it before in the past and we can do it again.”

He maintained that the prize money of N100m has been set aside for the winner of the league this season, while he also expressed confidence in the officials appointed for the playoffs.

“Anything we promise, we do it. Remember the Super 4 pre-season tournament, we promised N100m as prize money and we gave it, while all the teams got N10m each. This time around, the price is N100m and the cheque will be given the same day we finish the league”.