The draws for the 2022/23 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season was conducted on Tuesday evening with current champions Enyimba paired against the Federation Cup champions Bendel Insurance in a mouthwatering opening day fixture, www.aclsports.com reports.
The new season – which is going to be a full campaign as against the abridged format played last season during which Enyimba and Insurance were in the same group – will kick off on September 9 after it was confirmed at the meeting held between the new league body and the Club Owners Association in Abuja to herald the start of the new season.
NPFL OPENER
— Fisayo Dairo (@FisayoDairo) August 29, 2023
Reigning champions Enyimba will face abridge kings Bendel Insurance in the opening day of the 2023/2024 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) according to the fixtures released this evening.
Other MD1 fixtures#NPFL24 pic.twitter.com/lmyVMOe0iK
During the meeting, apart from the kick-off date that was confirmed, clarifications as per the streaming of games were also made. The chairman of the league board, Gbenga Elegbeleye said; “It gladens my heart to again harp on the Broadcast Streaming deal with Propel Sports Africa which has as of today, deployed cameras to ten venues as a start-up. They plan to have a camera in each Stadium in the long run while we work out modalities to move cameras from one location to the nearest.
“So far the AI Cameras have been deployed, installed, and tested in Lagos, Ibadan, Benin, Uyo, and Aba. Other locations are Ilorin, Jos, Gombe, Katsina, and Kano. The distribution covers the geographical zones. In the days ahead, there will be a big announcement coming on the Broadcast Streaming deal.
“Let me also use this very opportune occasion to appeal to our club leaders here to offer all required support to the Propel Sports Africa team as they start. Firstly, all individual club streaming activity is no longer allowed as clubs will be offered the data of all their matches including individual analytics for each player,” the league supremo concluded.
Apart from the clash of champions between Enyimba and Insurance in Aba, the tie between two former champions Shooting Stars and Plateau United – a repeat of last season’s opener – will go down in Ibadan. 2022 league champions Rivers United will host last season’s runner-ups Remo Stars in one of the star games of the opening weekend in Port-Harcourt.
Newly promoted Sporting Lagos will begin their topflight journey against Gombe United in Lagos, while 2023 Nigeria National League (NNL) champions Heartland and Lobi Stars of Makurdi will lock horns in Owerri. In Awka, Fidelis Ilechukwu and Rangers will play host to Doma United.
Matchday 1 fixtures
Sporting Lagos v Gombe United
Bayelsa United v Akwa United
Shooting Stars v Plateau United
Abia Warriors v Niger Tornadoes
Enyimba Int’l v Bendel Insurance
Rivers United v Remo Stars
Katsina United v Kwara United
Sunshine Stars v Kano Pillars
Heartland FC v Lobi Stars
Rangers Int’l v Doma United
