The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has ordered two top clubs to immediately vacate their home stadiums. Shooting Stars and Niger Tornadoes must relocate due to critically poor pitch conditions. Both clubs face a deadline of February 2, 2026, to choose new approved venues.
Shooting Stars received a formal letter from NPFL chief operating officer Davidson Owumi. The directive mandates a move from Ibadan’s Lekan Salami Stadium. Consequently, the club must select between the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta or Lagos’s Mobolaji Johnson Arena. The league cited the pitch’s unsuitability for television broadcast and player safety.
Similarly, Niger Tornadoes have been advised to leave the Bako Kontagora Stadium in Minna. League authorities instructed the club to choose Ilorin or Jos as an alternative venue. This follows a previous NPFL directive in 2025 over the same pitch issues.
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The main cause
NPFL Chairman Gbenga Elegbeleye confirmed the decisions. He stressed that player safety and league integrity were paramount. Furthermore, these moves show a persistent infrastructure crisis in Nigerian football.
The crackdown directly links to the NPFL’s broadcast rights agreements. The league insists venues must meet specific quality standards for television. This enforcement also follows the Nigeria Football Federation’s recent relocation of a FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup qualifier from Ibadan.
The actions demonstrate the NPFL’s operational authority over league logistics and standards. Elegbeleye, who is also an NFF Vice President, embodies the overlapping governance. However, the NFF retains overarching disciplinary and regulatory powers.
Clubs must now navigate urgent logistical challenges. Their responses will test the NPFL’s resolve to modernize the league’s presentation and safeguard its players.
