The interim management committee (IMC) conducted a draw for the new NPFL abridged season on Wednesday afternoon in Abuja. The new season is slated to start on January 8 and end in May. All 20 clubs are drawn into two groups — A and B — with ten sides in each.
Defending champions, Rivers United are in group B alongside Wikki Tourists, Abia Warriors, Dakkada, Rangers, Sunshine stars, Niger Tornadoes, Doma United, Lobi stars, and Bayelsa. While group A has Plateau United, Gombe, Enyimba, Akwa United, 3SC, Remo stars, Kwara, Nasarawa, well as newly promoted El Kanemi warriors and Bendel insurance to tango among themselves.
The IMC also announced that a super six tournament will be played to determine the eventual winner of the campaign. The super six will consist of the top three teams from both groups at the conclusion of the abridged format for the season.
Speaking at the event, Chairman of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) Gbenga Elegbeleye revealed that any club which engages in violent conduct in the upcoming Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season will forfeit three points. Elegbeleye warned the clubs to shun every act of violence in the upcoming season, stating that stiffer measure will be put in place to bring sanity back to the league.
“Any club that engages in violent conduct will not be sanctioned with N500,000.00 as was the case in the past, but three points will be deducted as punishment”, Elegbeleye told reporters in Abuja.
He also told reporters that the prize money for the NPFL season champion is 100 million naira.
