NPFL2024/2025 Opening Season Begins August 31
Gusau: NFF to train Nigerian referees on use of VAR
Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja
The 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League, season will commence on August 31 2024 with the defending champions, Rangers of Enugu hosting President Federation Cup Champions, El Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri in the Charity Cup.
On September 7, the match day 1 fixture will see Nasarawa United play host 3SC of Ibadan in Lafia. Lobi Stars will square up against Akwa United in Makurdi, while Abia Warriors host Remo Stars.
The season campaign was disclosed yesterday in Abuja at the end of the draw following the conclusion of the league’s Annual General Meeting.
The NPFL said the league would also have a roaster of 20 clubs playing 38 matches.
“I can confidently tell you that the 2024/25 season will be a full format and not an abridged one,” said the chairman of the NPFL, Gbenga Elegbeleye.
While declaring the Annual General Assembly (AGM) open, the President of Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau, warned the NPFL to desist from usual practice of rescheduling matches henceforth, saying there would be no such things again.
He also disclosed plans by the federation to train Nigerian referees on the application Video Assistant Referee (VAR).
Gusau said the federation had already secured the communication gadget that the referees will use during matches.
“We have to train the personnel that will manage the VAR now. As I said we have already secured the communication gadget that our referees will use during matches. We have selected some of the referees that we are to start training.
“It is not a training of one day, one month or two months; it is a training that will take a little bit of time. After the training they have to go on practical training on the VAR system by going out while some matches are ongoing to see how they can manage it. But when we are sure we have the personnel that can manage it in the next one or two years, we will start to see how we can use VAR in our system,” Gusau said.
He also said that the federation intends to make the league attractive by discouraging Nigerian players from joining other lesser glamourous African clubs without established football pedigree in Benin Republic, Gabon, Tanzania, Togo among others.
