Heartland FC of Owerri and Crown FC of Ogbomoso are set for the 2026/27 Nigeria National League (NNL) season opener at the Dan Anyiam Stadium in Owerri on Sunday, reports www.aclsports.com.
Heartland, multiple champions of the Nigerian topflight, begin their quest against the Ajilete Warriors, who themselves have previously played in the topflight before now. However, both teams are fast becoming landlords in the lower tier, and they go head-to-head in the season’s curtain raiser.
“I also want us to be back in the NPFL as quickly as possible,” Heartland’s Technical Manager, Emmanuel Amuneke, said ahead of the start of the new season.
“But over the years, with my experience, I have learned to understand that in life, nothing happens without a process. Those processes began when I arrived here, and I am happy that today, we are in a position to compete,” he added.
Amuneke believes his players must develop the resilience and winning mentality to deliver results on the road instead of depending primarily on their home form in Owerri.
“We have to compete and, to do that, you can’t only depend on your home form. We must prepare ourselves to be ready for that,” he concluded.
Heartland and Crown will face off in the opener on Sunday, while other matches of match day one will be played across the four conferences next weekend.
