Rangers to face El-Kanemi in 2024/25 NPFL opener

Reigning Nigeria Premier Football League champions Enugu Rangers will begin their quest in the 2024/25 season against newly-promoted side and President Federation Cup champions El-Kanemi Warriors in the first game of the season on Saturday, August 31, According Sports Extra reports.

Match-day one fixtures for the incoming season were made on Tuesday during the Annual General Meeting of the NPFL board and club owners in Abuja, where the clubs also agreed on the August 31 proposed date for the start of a new season as well as a 38-game format for the league.

Chairman of the NPFL board, Gbenga Elegbeleye also announced that the prize money of the league has been increased to N200m ahead of next season.

After the curtain raiser in Enugu, the nine other match-day one fixtures will be played the following weekend.

Those fixtures will see last season’s runners-up Remo Stars make a trip to Abia Warriors, Lobi Stars welcome Akwa United, Bendel Insurance take on Rivers United and Sunshine Stars play host to Bayelsa United.

Newly promoted side Ikorodu City will begin life in the NPFL with an away fixture against Kano Pillars in Kano just as Beyond Limits were handed a home debut in the league against nine-time champions Enyimba. Nasarawa United will also mark their return with a date against Shooting Stars in Lafia.

Other fixtures will see Kwara United welcome Niger Tornadoes in a north central derby while Plateau United will host Katsina United at the New Jos Stadium, where Enugu Rangers were crowned last season.

As the clubs await the full fixtures of the league, chairman of NPFL club owners and general manager of Rivers United Okey Kpalukwu stressed the importance of starting the league on August 31 to forestall cases of fixtures congestion as four teams will be engaged on the continent.

“There is no way we will not have such conflicts but all we need is to start earlier. We have agreed to start this league on August 31. That is quite early enough believing that the matches that will be rescheduled will be played in the midweek. Considering the President Federation Cup, if we start that early too, we won’t have any problem of fixtures congestion,” Kpalukwu told journalists in Abuja.

Champions Enugu Rangers and Remo Stars will be seeking places in the group stages of the CAF Champions League while Enyimba and El-Kanemi Warriors are the country’s representatives In the CAF Confederation Cup.