As the 2025/2026 Nigeria Premier Football League season heads into a decisive final day, concerns over the integrity of crucial fixtures have intensified, with stakeholders calling for close monitoring of matches that could determine the league title, continental qualification and relegation battle.
The title race remains delicately poised between Rangers International and Rivers United, setting up one of the most dramatic conclusions in recent NPFL history.
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Rangers must secure victory away to Ikorodu City in Lagos to keep their championship hopes alive, while Rivers United, who host Katsina United in Port Harcourt, need a win and favourable results elsewhere to emerge champions.
At the bottom of the table, the relegation battle is equally tense. Following Matchday 37, only Wikki Tourists and Bayelsa United have been officially relegated, while two additional teams are still expected to drop.
With clubs placed between ninth and 18th position still mathematically unsafe, several final-day fixtures have now come under intense scrutiny due to their potential impact on the outcome of the season.
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The situation has been further complicated by controversies surrounding some Matchday 37 encounters, particularly the fixtures involving Abia Warriors against Kun Khalifat and Wikki Tourists versus Rivers United.
In Umuahia, the fallout from Abia Warriors’ home defeat reportedly led to the suspension of Technical Adviser Imama Amapakabo and his assistant.
Meanwhile, Rivers United’s away victory over Wikki Tourists in Bauchi also sparked widespread debate among football supporters and stakeholders, with allegations and suspicions dominating post-match didiscussions.
League observers equally questioned Abia Warriors’ two-goal home loss to Kun Khalifat, noting the long-established trend of home advantage within the NPFL.
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Amid growing concerns, calls have intensified for the Nigeria Football Federation, the Nigeria Premier Football League board, the Referees Association of Nigeria and the National Sports Commission to closely supervise the final round of matches to ensure fairness, transparency and credibility.
Stakeholders have identified several fixtures as “fixtures of particular concern” because of their possible influence on the title race, continental ticket qualification and relegation survival.
The fixtures include:
Ikorodu City vs Rangers International
Bendel Insurance vs Remo Stars
Bayelsa United vs Kwara United
Enyimba vs El-Kanemi Warriors
Niger Tornadoes vs Shooting Stars
Plateau United vs Kano Pillars
Warri Wolves vs Abia Warriors
Kun Khalifat vs Wikki Tourists
Rivers United vs Katsina United
As fans prepare for the climax of another exciting NPFL campaign, attention will now shift to the relevant football authorities to ensure that the final outcomes are decided fairly on the pitch and not influenced by external factors.
