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NPFL clubs agree to end season, crown Lobi Stars champions

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The 20 participating clubs of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) have agreed to bring the 2017-18 season to end, and declare table-toppers Lobi Stars as champions.

This was part of the decisions taken at an emergency meeting held by the League Management Company (LMC) in Abuja on Thursday, with club owners and members of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) executive Committee in attendance.

The meeting was held against the background of the adverse circumstances in the administration of football in the country, which resulted in the indefinite postponement of the resumption of the League.

The NPFL went on break on the eve of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia and was supposed to resume after the global showpiece, but could not as a fresh crisis rocked the football federation.

Before the break, 24 matches have been played by all teams, and Lobi Stars, who occupy top spot on the table with 43 points, will represent Nigeria at the Champions League.

CAF had already given October 15 as deadline for the registration of the teams that will participate in the Champions League and Confederation Cup.

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Here are some of the decisions reached by the LMC and club owners, according to a statement released on the LMC website on Friday evening:

1. Upon consideration of different options (5 possible options were presented), it was unanimously agreed by the 20 NPFL Clubs, that the 2017/2018 season of the NPFL is deemed concluded and the team at the top of the standings – Lobi Stars shall be the representative in the CAF Champions League for 2019 Session starting Nov 2018 to May 2019.

2. No team shall be relegated from the NPFL for 2018 Season.

3. Four Teams shall be promoted to the NPFL from the Nigeria National League (NNL) from the ongoing 2018 season to compete in the 2018/2019 NPFL season.

4. The 2018/2019 NPFL season will commence in November 2018 with a total of 24 participating teams, which shall be divided into two groups of 12 teams each. The 2018/2019 Season commencing November 2018 will be played on 22 Match days ending with a Play off to determine the Winner by May 2019.

5. Three teams from each group (a total of six) will be relegated from the NPFL after the conclusion of the 2018/2019 season, while two teams will be promoted to the NPFL from the NNL 2019 Season. This will allow the NPFL to revert to its normal structure of 20 teams as from the 2019/2020 season.

6. The NFF have also endorsed for the 2019 AITEO CUP to commence from September 2018 to end October 14, 2018. The NPFL Teams would be seeded for the CUP competition and the Winner to represent Nigeria in the 2019 CAF Confederation Cup starting November 2019.

 

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