2020–21 Nigeria Professional Football League

The 2020–21 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) is the 50th season of the top flight league in the Nigeria football league system and the 31st since its rebranding. The league started on 27 December 2020 after much delay.[1]

Enyimba are the defending champions from the 2019 season as the 2019–20 season could not be completed and was cancelled.[2]

Nigeria Professional Football League
Season2020–2021
PromotedNone
RelegatedNone
Matches played90
Goals scored171 (1.9 per match)
Top goalscorerSad'eeq Yusuf Ahmat (7 goals)
Biggest away winPlateau United 0–2 Kwara United (27 December 2020)

Abia Warriors 1–3 Jigawa Golden Stars (13 January 2021)
Highest scoringAbia Warriors 4–1 Sunshine Stars (3 February 2021)

Katsina United 3–2 Heartland (28 December 2020)
Longest winning runEnyimba (4 matches)
Longest unbeaten runKwara United (7 matches)
Longest winless runAdamawa United (9 matches)
Longest losing runAdamawa United (5 matches)
2021–22 →
All statistics correct as of 8 February 2021.

The season was initially scheduled to commence on 6 December 2020 but after much delay, the League Management Company announced that the league would start on 27 December 2020 with all matches played behind closed doors.[3]

This season features the 20 teams from the 2019–20 season as no clubs were promoted nor relegated as the season was cancelled due to the COVID-196 pandemic[2]

The League Management Company announced that only 13 stadiums across the country were eligible to host league matches as part of a broader club licensing regime, they were certified to have met minimum requirements to host games. Another 11 were recommended for varying degrees of upgrade and repair works before they can be certified[4]

This season will see a return of live NPFL matches. Selected matches can be viewed live on NPFL TV and on NTA.

Teams' information
Locations of the 2020-21 Nigerian Professional Football League Teams

Clubs

The league consisted of 20 teams from the previous season.

Note: Table lists in alphabetical order.
Team Location Stadium Head Coach
Abia Warriors Umuahia Okigwe Stadium[lower-alpha 1] Imama Amapakabo
Adamawa United Yola Pantami Stadium Ibrahim Bello
Akwa United F.C. Uyo Godswill Akpabio International Stadium Kennedy Boboye
Dakkada Uyo Godswill Akpabio International Stadium Caleb Esu
Enugu Rangers Enugu Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium Salisu Yusuf
Enyimba Aba Enyimba International Stadium Fatai Osho
Heartland F.C. Owerri Dan Anyiam Stadium Fidelis Ilechukwu
Ifeanyi Ubah F.C. Nnewi Ifeanyi Ubah FC International Stadium Uche Okagbue
Jigawa Golden Stars Dutse Ahmadu Bello Stadium Dodo Isah
Kano Pillars Kano Ahmadu Bello Stadium Lionel Emmanuel Soccoia
Katsina United Katsina Muhammadu Dikko Stadium Henry Makinwa
Kwara United Ilorin Kwara State Stadium Abdullahi Biffo
Lobi Stars Makurdi Aper Aku Stadium Kabiru Dogo
MFM F.C. Lagos Agege Stadium Tony Bolus
Nasarawa United Lafia Lafia Township Stadium Bala Nikyu
Plateau United Jos New Jos Stadium Abdu Maikaba
Rivers United Port Harcourt Yakubu Gowon Stadium Stanley Eguma
Sunshine Stars Akure Akure Township Stadium Gbenga Ogunbote
Warri Wolves Warri Delta State Polytechnic Stadium, Ozoro Evans Ogenyi
Wikki Tourists F.C. Bauchi Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium Usman Abd'Allah
  1. Abia Warriors played their first two home games at the Enyimba International Stadium.


Summary

Prize money
Final
position		Prize money
Champions₦75,000,000[5]
Runners-up₦50,000,000
Third-place₦35,000,000

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Enyimba 9 7 0 2 11 7 +4 21 Leader/ 2021–22 CAF CL
2 Rivers United 9 6 0 3 12 5 +7 18 2021–22 CAF CL
3 Kwara United 9 5 3 1 9 6 +3 18 2021–22 CAF CC
4 Kano Pillars 9 5 2 2 10 5 +5 17
5 Enugu Rangers 9 5 2 2 10 6 +4 17
6 Akwa United F.C. 9 4 3 2 10 6 +4 15
7 Dakkada 9 4 2 3 10 10 0 14
8 Nasarawa United 9 4 2 3 9 9 0 14
9 Lobi Stars 9 3 4 2 9 6 +3 13
10 Sunshine Stars 9 4 1 4 11 12 −1 13
11 Jigawa Golden Stars 9 4 1 4 8 9 −1 13
12 Wikki Tourists F.C. 9 3 3 3 7 5 +2 12
13 Plateau United 9 3 2 4 8 6 +2 11
14 MFM F.C. 9 2 4 3 6 8 −2 10
15 Heartland F.C. 9 3 1 5 12 16 −4 10
16 Katsina United 9 3 1 5 7 13 −6 10
17 Warri Wolves 9 3 0 6 7 11 −4 9 Relegation to the National League
18 Ifeanyi Ubah F.C. 9 2 2 5 5 8 −3 8
19 Abia Warriors 9 1 3 5 8 11 −3 6
20 Adamawa United 9 0 2 7 2 12 −10 2
Updated to match(es) played on 8 February 2021. Source: NPFL
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal 6difference; 3) number of goals scored

Results
Home \ Away ABW ADA AKW DAK ENU ENY HEA IFU JGS KAN KAT KWA LOB MFM NAS PLA RIV SUN WWV WIK
Abia Warriors 1–3 0–0 0–1 4–1
Adamawa United 0–1 1–2 1–1 0–0
Akwa United 2–1 0–0 1–0 3–0 1–1
Dakkada 2–1 2–1 1–1 1–2 2–0
Enugu Rangers 1–0 3–0 2–1 0–0 1–0
Enyimba 1–0 2–1 1–0 2–1 1–0
Heartland 2–1 2–0 1–1 1–2
Ifeanyi Ubah 1–1 0–1 0–1 1–0 1–0
Jigawa GS 1–0 0–1 2–1 0–0 1–0
Kano Pillars 2–0 2–0 1–0 1–0
Katsina United 2–0 3–2 0–0 2–1
Kwara United 1–1 1–0 1–0 2–1
Lobi Stars 0–0 2–1 1–0 6 3–0 0–0
MFM 1–1 1–2 0–0 1–0 2–1
Nasarawa United 1–2 1–1 1–0 2–1
Plateau United 3–0 3–0 0–2 1–0
Rivers United 1–0 1–0 3–1 3–0 2–0
Sunshine Stars 3–1 1–0 1–2 2–2 1–0
Warri Wolves 1–0 3–0 1–2 1–0
Wikki Tourists 2–0 2–0 0–0 1–0
Updated to match(es) played on 8 February 2021. Source: NPFL
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Positions by round

To preserve chronological evolvements, any postponed matches are not included to the round at which they were originally scheduled, but added to the full round they were played immediately afterwards. For example, if a match is scheduled for round 7, but then played between rounds 8 and 9, it will be added to the standings for round 8.

Team ╲ Round1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738
Abia Warriors162019202019191919
Adamawa United91518191920202020
Akwa United1117111213151396
Dakkada124357128127
Enugu Rangers171082461055
Enyimba5651053211
Heartland131920181817181815
Ifeanyi Ubah61114171718151718
Jigawa GS771281114121411
Kano Pillars1039365944
Kwara United15131497633
Lobi Stars18124634589
MFM387789111314
Nasarawa United412421368
Plateau United20181013101071013
Rivers United821112122
Sunshine Stars191315151284710
Warri Wolves1491691416171617
Wikki Tourists151617161611141112
Leader
2021–22 CAF Champions League
2021–22 CAF Confederation Cup
Relegation to Nigeria National League
Updated to match(es) played on 8 February 2021. Source: World Football

Statistics

Top scorers

Updated to matches played on 8 February 2021.

Rank Player Club Goals
1 Sad'eeq Yusuf Ahmat Sunshine Stars 7
2 Ndifreke Effiong Akwa United 6
3 Israel Abia Enugu Rangers 4
Aniekan Ekpe Okon Dakkada
Samuel Stone Jigawa Golden Stars
5
10 players
3

References
  1. "LMC affirms December 27 date for league kickoff". Guardian.ng. 20 December 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  2. "2019–20 NPFL season cancelled without promotion or relegation". Goal.com. 10 July 2020.
  3. "NPFL 2020/21 season to start on December 6". aclsports. 9 November 2020.
  4. "LMC certifies 13 stadiums ahead of 2020–21 NPFL season". vanguardngr. com. 1 November 2020.
  5. Busari, Niyi (19 December 2020). "2020/2021 NPFL - LMC proposes prize money for clubs". bsnsports.com.ng. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
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