2021–22 Nigeria Professional Football League
- Niger Tornadoes
- Shooting Stars
- Remo Stars
- Gombe United
- MFM
- Kano Pillars
- Heartland
- Katsina United
- Remo Stars
- Kwara United
Akwa United 6–1 Nasarawa United (22 April 2022)
Rivers United 5–0 MFM (8 May 2022)
Akwa United 0–3 Enugu Rangers (13 March 2022)
The 2021–22 Nigeria Professional Football League was the 51st season of Nigeria's top-flight association football league and the 32nd since attaining professionalism. The season started on 17 December 2021 and was concluded on 17 July 2022.[1]
This season saw Shooting Stars returning to the top-flight after a four-year hiatus, likewise Niger Tornadoes who won the National League play-offs. They were also joined by Remo Stars and Gombe United after securing promotion from the second division.[2] Akwa United were the defending champions.
On 25 June 2022, Rivers United won their first league title with 4 matches to spare.[3]
Kano Pillars were relegated for the first time in 20 years[4].This occurred as a result of the team suffering a six point deduction from the league committee and the club's poor form during the season,[5][6] they were joined by MFM, Heartland and Katsina United. Remo Stars secured a continental ticket for the first time in the club's history.[7]
Teams information
Clubs
- Note: Several clubs played home matches at other stadiums due to their regular stadia not meeting the league requirements or being banished by the LMC.
Managerial changes
Not including interim management.
Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of departure | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Heartland | ![]() | Resignation | 2 February | ![]() | 5 February[8] |
Akwa United | ![]() | Resignation | 13 February[9] | ![]() | 23 March |
Lobi Stars | ![]() | Sacked | 14 March | ![]() | 24 March |
Sunshine Stars | ![]() | Left for Akwa United | 23 March | ![]() | 2 April |
MFM | ![]() | Sacked | 11 May | ![]() | 11 May[10] |
League table
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Rivers United | 38 | 23 | 8 | 7 | 58 | 24 | +34 | 77 | Qualification for the Champions League |
2 | Plateau United | 38 | 21 | 4 | 13 | 50 | 29 | +21 | 67 | |
3 | Remo Stars | 38 | 18 | 8 | 12 | 43 | 26 | +17 | 62 | Qualification for the Confederation Cup |
4 | Kwara United[a] | 38 | 17 | 7 | 14 | 43 | 45 | −2 | 58 | |
5 | Enugu Rangers | 38 | 15 | 11 | 12 | 41 | 30 | +11 | 56 | |
6 | Nasarawa United | 38 | 15 | 8 | 15 | 42 | 48 | −6 | 53 | |
7 | Enyimba | 38 | 15 | 7 | 16 | 39 | 36 | +3 | 52 | |
8 | Gombe United | 38 | 14 | 10 | 14 | 39 | 39 | 0 | 52 | |
9 | Akwa United | 38 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 35 | 36 | −1 | 52 | |
10 | Wikki Tourists | 38 | 15 | 7 | 16 | 34 | 35 | −1 | 52 | |
11 | Sunshine Stars | 38 | 14 | 9 | 15 | 30 | 30 | 0 | 51 | |
12 | Niger Tornadoes[b] | 38 | 15 | 6 | 17 | 32 | 38 | −6 | 51 | |
13 | Abia Warriors | 38 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 50 | 44 | +6 | 50 | |
14 | Dakkada | 38 | 15 | 4 | 19 | 42 | 49 | −7 | 49 | |
15 | Lobi Stars | 38 | 14 | 7 | 17 | 36 | 48 | −12 | 49 | |
16 | Shooting Stars | 38 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 41 | 45 | −4 | 48 | |
17 | Katsina United | 38 | 15 | 3 | 20 | 34 | 42 | −8 | 48 | Relegation to the National League |
18 | Heartland | 38 | 13 | 8 | 17 | 32 | 48 | −16 | 47 | |
19 | Kano Pillars[c] | 38 | 15 | 6 | 17 | 32 | 36 | −4 | 45 | |
20 | MFM | 38 | 9 | 9 | 20 | 26 | 51 | −25 | 36 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
Notes:
- ^ Kwara United qualified for the Confederation Cup as the 2022 Aiteo Cup could not be completed.[11]
- ^ Niger Tornadoes initially had 2 points deducted by the LMC but were restored by the NFF.[12][5]
- ^ Kano Pillars had 3 points deducted by the LMC and a further 3 points by the NFF.[5][6]
Results
Home \ Away | ABI | AKW | DAK | ENU | ENY | GOM | HEA | KAN | KAT | KWA | LOB | MFM | NAS | NIG | PLA | REM | RIV | 3SC | SUN | WIK |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Abia Warriors | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 | |
Akwa United | 2–2 | 3–2 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 6–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | |
Dakkada | 2–1 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 0–1 | |
Enugu Rangers | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 5–3 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 2–1 | |
Enyimba | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | |
Gombe United | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 4–2 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | |
Heartland | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 3–3 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | |
Kano Pillars | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | |
Katsina United | 2–1 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | |
Kwara United | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | |
Lobi Stars | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 3–2 | |
MFM | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | |
Nasarawa United | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | |
Niger Tornadoes | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | |
Plateau United | 1–0 | 3–0 | 5–0 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | |
Remo Stars | 1–0 | 0–1 | 4–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | |
Rivers United | 2–1 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 5–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | |
Shooting Stars | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 0–0 | |
Sunshine Stars | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | |
Wikki Tourists | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 |
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Positions by round
Results by matches played
Team ╲ Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Abia Warriors | L | W | D | D | L | W | L | D | L | W | D | L | D | L | W | L | D | W | D | W | L | D | D | L | L | W | W | W | L | L | W | L | L | W | D | W | D | W |
Akwa United | W | D | W | L | L | W | D | L | W | D | D | D | W | W | L | W | D | L | L | D | D | W | D | W | W | L | D | D | W | L | D | L | W | L | W | L | D | L |
Dakkada | L | W | L | D | W | L | L | D | D | L | W | L | L | L | W | L | W | L | W | L | W | L | W | L | L | W | L | L | L | W | W | D | W | L | L | W | W | W |
Enugu Rangers | W | L | D | W | D | W | W | D | D | L | D | W | W | L | D | D | W | W | W | L | W | L | D | L | W | D | W | L | W | L | W | L | L | D | L | D | L | W |
Enyimba | W | W | L | L | W | D | L | W | W | L | W | D | L | D | L | W | L | D | D | W | L | W | L | W | L | W | D | W | L | W | W | L | W | L | D | L | L | L |
Gombe United | D | D | L | W | L | D | L | W | L | W | D | W | W | D | L | W | L | D | L | W | D | W | D | L | W | L | W | L | W | L | W | L | D | D | W | L | W | L |
Heartland | D | L | W | L | W | L | L | L | L | L | D | D | W | D | W | L | W | L | D | L | L | D | L | W | D | W | L | W | L | W | L | W | L | W | D | W | L | W |
Kano Pillars | L | D | L | W | L | W | L | W | W | D | L | L | L | W | D | L | W | L | W | L | D | D | L | W | L | W | L | W | W | W | L | D | L | W | W | L | L | W |
Katsina United | L | L | W | L | W | L | D | L | L | W | L | W | L | D | L | W | L | W | D | L | L | W | L | W | W | L | W | W | L | L | W | L | W | L | L | L | W | L |
Kwara United | W | L | W | D | D | L | W | L | W | D | W | L | W | L | W | D | W | W | L | W | L | D | D | D | L | W | L | W | L | W | L | W | L | W | L | W | W | L |
Lobi Stars | D | D | W | L | W | L | D | W | L | D | L | W | L | W | L | L | L | L | L | W | L | D | L | W | L | W | W | L | D | W | D | W | L | W | W | L | W | L |
MFM | L | L | W | L | W | L | L | L | L | L | D | L | W | D | W | D | L | D | D | W | L | W | L | L | D | L | L | W | D | W | D | D | L | W | L | L | L | L |
Nasarawa United | D | D | D | W | L | W | L | W | L | W | D | D | L | W | L | D | L | D | L | W | W | L | D | L | W | L | W | L | W | L | W | L | W | L | W | L | W | W |
Niger Tornadoes | W | L | D | L | D | L | W | L | L | D | W | D | W | L | L | D | L | W | L | W | L | W | D | W | L | W | L | W | L | L | W | L | W | L | W | W | W | L |
Plateau United | L | W | L | W | L | W | W | L | W | W | W | W | W | D | W | W | W | D | W | L | W | D | W | L | W | L | L | W | L | W | L | W | L | D | L | W | L | W |
Remo Stars | W | W | D | D | W | W | W | D | D | D | W | L | L | L | W | L | W | L | W | L | W | D | D | W | L | W | L | W | L | L | D | W | L | W | L | W | W | W |
Rivers United | D | W | W | D | D | W | W | W | D | W | L | W | D | W | W | W | W | D | W | D | W | W | W | L | W | L | W | L | W | W | W | L | W | D | L | W | L | W |
Shooting Stars | D | D | L | W | L | D | L | W | W | W | L | W | L | D | L | D | L | W | W | L | D | L | W | L | W | D | W | L | D | L | D | L | W | D | D | D | W | L |
Sunshine Stars | L | D | D | W | D | W | D | W | L | L | D | L | W | W | L | W | L | W | L | W | L | W | D | W | L | D | L | D | D | W | L | W | W | L | W | L | L | L |
Wikki Tourists | W | L | W | L | L | W | W | W | L | D | L | W | D | L | W | L | W | L | D | L | W | L | D | W | D | L | W | L | L | W | L | W | D | D | L | W | L | W |
W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss
Statistics
Scoring
Top scorers
- As of 17 July 2022
Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() | Rivers United | 19 |
1 | ![]() | Gombe United | 16 |
![]() | Enyimba | ||
4 | ![]() | Abia Warriors | 15 |
5 | ![]() | Rivers United | 14 |
6 | ![]() | Remo Stars | 13 |
7 | ![]() | Abia Warriors | 12 |
8 | ![]() | Plateau United | 11 |
![]() | Nasarawa United | ||
10 | ![]() | Kwara United | 10 |
![]() | Enugu Rangers | ||
![]() | Sunshine Stars |
Hat-tricks
Player | For | Against | Score | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Rivers United | Akwa United | 4–1 (H) | 20 March 2022[13] |
![]() | Enyimba | Kwara United | 3–0 (H) | 12 June 2022[14] |
![]() | Remo Stars | Niger Tornadoes | 3–0 (H) | 17 July 2022[7] |
- Notes
(H) – Home team
References
- ^ "NPFL 2021–22 season starts December 17". The Nation. 25 November 2021.
- ^ Oludare, Shina (12 September 2021). "3SC, Remo Stars, Niger Tornadoes and Gombe United promoted to NPFL". Goal. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
- ^ "Rivers United NPFL title win thrills Wike". The Punch. 27 June 2022.
- ^ "Kano Pillars four time NPFL kings relegated after losing appeal against Dakkada". Goal.com. 16 July 2022.
- ^ a b c "DECISION OF THE NFF DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON JULY 8, 2022". Sportsration. 9 July 2022.
- ^ a b "Kano Pillars hit with hefty fine, points deduction". brila.net. 17 April 2022.
- ^ a b "NPFL round up:Remo Stars punch continental ticket as Andy Okpe scores hattrick". Premium Times. 17 July 2022.
- ^ "Onuh replaces Abdallah as Heartland coach". Dailypost.ng. 6 February 2022.
- ^ "NPFL:Kennedy Boboye quits Akwa United". Premiumtimesng.com. 14 February 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ^ "MFM set to announce Festus Allen as technical adviser". Exclusive News. 11 May 2022.
- ^ "Kwara United pick Confederation Cup slot ahead of Aiteo Cup finals". Premium Times Nigeria. 8 August 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
- ^ "Niger Tornadoes fined 2 million with two points deduction for breach of NPFL framework and rules". The News Chronicle. 9 June 2022.
- ^ "NPFL Review:Akuneto scores hattrick as Rivers United finish midseason champions". 20 March 2022.
- ^ "Mbaoma breaks Enyimba 9-year record with hattrick". blueprint.ng. 12 June 2022.