Osun Babes and Pacesetter Queens have secured their places in the Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) Premiership ahead of the 2025/26 season, www.aclsports.com reports.
Osun Babes, who narrowly missed promotion from the 2025 NWFL Championship after finishing third in Group B2, will return to the top flight following their acquisition of Imo Striker Queens’ Premiership slot.
Imo Striker Queens, who topped the same group to earn promotion, have ceded their place to the Osogbo side under an arrangement approved by the Osun State Government. Plans are already underway to rejuvenate the team, a move that underscores the state’s renewed commitment to the growth of women’s football.
In a statement issued in Osogbo, Kehinde Johnson, Senior Special Assistant to Governor Ademola Adeleke on Football Matters, said the government’s approval reflects its ongoing efforts to promote sports participation and create more opportunities for women to compete at the highest level.
“This decision highlights the government’s commitment to supporting female athletes and ensuring Osun’s representation in national football competitions,” Johnson said.
Similarly, Oyo State’s women’s football team, Pacesetter Queens FC, a newly established club that held open trials in August 2025 , will make their Premiership debut after completing the takeover of Benue Queens’ slot.
Based in Ibadan, the club will serve as the women’s arm of Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC), fulfilling CAF’s club licensing regulation that requires men’s teams to operate an active women’s side in order to qualify for continental competitions.
The NWFL Annual General Assembly, scheduled to hold in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on 29 October 2025, will officially confirm the kick-off date and fixtures for the new season.
