The Nigeria Football Federation has resolved to adopt Points Per Game format for the 2019/2020 league season.
The football body in a statement on Friday stated that the adoption of PPG was after a holistic consideration of all the issues affecting the leagues, including the status of the leagues before the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The statement said: “The impact of the pandemic-induced disruptions, the health, safety and movement restrictive measures in the country, the potential protocols for football resumption, the costs, the financial status of the leagues and clubs, CAF calendar and resolutions of the various leagues were taking into consideration.
“The NPFL ends at current Matchday 25 and the Points Per Game (PPG) table will be used to rank the teams in order to ensure sporting merit and sporting fairness.
“The names of the Top 3 (three) clubs on the NPFL final PPG table as at Matchday 25 shall be submitted to CAF to represent Nigeria in the 2020/2021 CAF Inter-Club competitions (2 slots for CAF Champions League and 1 Slot for CAF Confederation Cup).
“There will be no promotion to, or relegation from, NPFL for the 2019/2020 season.”
Meanwhile, the NPFL 2020/2021 season is slated to kick off from September/October 2020 and end May 2021 subject to the full reopening of the country and the approval of the health authorities.
The Nigeria Football Federation has also declared the Nigeria National League 2019/2020 season, which is at Match day 3 to 5, and has been on break since December 17, 2019 null and void, saying there will be no promotion to or relegation from NNL.
The NNL 2020/2021 season will start from September/October 2020 and end May 2021 subject to the full reopening of the country and the approval of the health authorities.
The NFF also promised to work with the NNL, participating clubs and other stakeholders to ensure a successful fresh start from September/October 2020.
The Nigeria Women Football League, the NationWide League 2019/2020 season and the Aiteo Cup have also been aborted.
The 2019 AITEO Cup Winners will be presented to CAF for the 2020/2021 CAF Inter-Club competition, while Nigeria’s second slot in the CAF Confederation Cup is reserved for Federation Cup winners.
The AITEO Cup 2020/2021 season is to start from September/October 2020 and end May 2021 subject to the full reopening of the country and the approval of the health authorities.
All dates for the 2020/2021season to start are subject to the directives of the Federal Government in line with COVID-19 protocols.
In addition, the full enforcement of licensing regulations and financial controls for the NPFL will commence from the 2020/2021 season.
All clubs are required to comply, failing which they will be barred from participating.
The Nigeria Football Federation will formally take the resolutions to the next General Meeting of its Congress for ratification.
In the meantime, these resolutions have been formally communicated to the Federal Ministry of Youth and Social Development.
