The Nigeria Premier Football League has fixed May 24 as the final day of the 2025-2026 season, with chief operating officer Davidson Owumi insisting the campaign remains on track despite recent fixture tweaks linked to the Federation Cup.
League keeps May 24 in sight
Owumi said the league and the Nigeria Football Federation Competitions Department planned the calendar before the season started. He said they created specific windows for the Federation Cup to avoid the kind of disruption that has damaged previous campaigns.
According to him, the plan has already been active since January. He said the NPFL is following the calendar as designed, not reacting to problems at the last minute.
The updated run-in now places matchday 36 on May 3 and matchday 37 on May 10. The league will then pause again on May 16 and 17 for the Federation Cup before clubs return for the final round of matches on May 24.
Clubs play key role in keeping schedule intact
Owumi said the league has worked hard to protect fixture stability. He also praised the clubs for helping the division stay on course.
That matters because the closing weeks of a season often test a league’s planning. When dates start to shift too often, clubs struggle to prepare properly and the season can lose shape. This time, the NPFL wants to show it can manage both league football and cup football without losing control of either.
The timing of the announcement also fits the current break in league action. Clubs are competing in the Federation Cup’s state stage across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. After that, teams will move into the national phase, where NPFL and Nigeria National League sides will join the competition.
Why this finish date matters
The May 24 target now stands as more than just a date on the calendar. It gives the league a chance to prove it can finish the season with order and discipline. For the NPFL, that matters for credibility as much as competition.
If the league reaches that finish line without fresh disruption, it will count as a quiet but important win for domestic football administration. It will also show that planning ahead for cup breaks can protect the season instead of throwing it off balance.
For now, the message from the league is clear. The calendar remains active, the cup windows remain built in, and May 24 remains the day the 2025-2026 NPFL season should end.
This is IDNN. Independent. Digital. Uncompromising.
