New NPFL season ‘ll start January 14 ―LMC

The 2017/18 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season will kick off on January 14 according to the League Management Company (LMC).

According to the programme released on Thursday by LMC, the annual NPFL pre-season tournament will hold in Kano from December 11 to 17 to usher in the grand season.

Also, the induction and orientation workshop for the four newly- admitted NPFL clubs will hold on December 14 while the LMC Pre-Annual General Meeting (AGM)/Consultative Meeting with NPFL participating Clubs holds on December 16 also in Kano.

According to Salihu Abubakar, the LMC Chief Operating Officer, other activities scheduled for December include “the draws for the new season, pre-season seminar and spot checking on clubs compliance with licensing regulations, payment of players and officials salaries, status of facilities, etc.”

The LMC have also fixed January 5, 2018 as the final date for submission of Club Licensing documentation by clubs participating in the league ahead of the kick off on January 14.

There will be three midweek matches on match days 2, 4 and 5 while the mid-season break will be from April 30 to May 5 and a longer break for the FIFA World Cup from June 14 to July 15.

The LMC stated that it took into consideration all scheduled fixtures of the AITEO Cup, CAF Club competitions and the FIFA World Cup in planning the calendar adding that “this is part of the reasons we delayed the release of the fixtures and barring any unforeseen events, we definitely will conclude the season on September 30, 2018.”