Wolves, Akwa United flag off Glo Premier League Super 4 in Kaduna

Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) 2014/15 season runners-up, Warri Wolves and Akwa United, the 2015 Federation Cup champions have been drawn to kick-off the quest for honours in the first round of the 2016 NPFL Super 4 Tournament. The Ahmadu Bello, Stadium in Kaduna is the venue of the first leg of the Super 4 tournament starting on Wednesday, January 20 and billed to end on Sunday, January 24. A second leg of the Super 4 will be played at the Akwa Ibom International Stadium, nicknamed Nest of Champions in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital from February 1 to February 5.

In the draws for the first leg released by the Office of the Chief Operating Officer of the League Management Company, (LMC), NPFL champions, Enyimba International of Aba will take on the NPFL second runners-up, Nasarawa United for the second fixture of the first day. The clubs will observe a rest day on Thursday, January 21 and return to action again on Friday, with late kick-off by 5pm when Akwa United will tackle Enyimba International in the first game while Warri Wolves and Nasarawa United slug it out in a night game from 7pm.

“We have scheduled the late kick-off on that Friday to enable Nigerians watch the Super Eagles play their Tunisian counterparts in the African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Rwanda. We consider it as part of the development of the league for players in the NPFL to watch their team mates represent the country in international competitions. Seeing their mates will fire up their own aspiration to up their game and also be in a position to make the national team”; remarked Salihu Abubakar, the LMC COO.

2015 Federation Cup Winners Akwa United FC, football, Nigeria. photo credit Alonge Akinlolu

On the last day of the tournament, Nasarawa United and Akwa United will play in the first game at 2pm while the closing fixture will be between Enyimba International and Warri Wolves play the last game of the tournament.
The LMC is organising the two rounds of the Super 4 this season to provide the four teams representing the country in continental club competitions sufficient competitive games to gain match fitness before their respective international fixtures commencing on the weekend of February 12-14

Suspended Grounds: Seven Clubs Settle For New Homes LMC Awaits Nasarawa, Giwa

In compliance with the recent directive by the League Management Company (LMC) on the state of their playing turf, Abia Warriors of Umuahia and Heartland FC of Owerri have elected to play their home games at the Enyimba International Stadium in Aba while they carry out necessary rehabilitation work on at their respective grounds. Five other clubs, Akwa United, FC Taraba, Wikki Tourists, El-Kanemi Warriors and FC IfeanyiUbah have also communicated their alternative venues to the LMC as at close of business on Monday, June 15.

For Akwa United, their home games henceforth will be played at the new Akwa Ibom International Stadium christened the Nest of Champions. The club wrote to inform the LMC that they have now secured approval from the state government to use the facility.

FC IfeanyiUbah also wrote to request the LMC approval to play their home fixtures for the next three months at the Rojenny Stadium in Oba, near Onitsha while extensive renovation is carried out at their Beverly Hotels Stadium in Nnewi. The LMC has promptly inspected the stadium to confirm its suitability since it was not among the alternative venues initially inspected and listed.

SOGBESO SEUN OF NASARAWA AND ALEBIOSU SEGUN photo credit LMC Media

FC Taraba are now to play at the Aper Aku Stadium pending the completion of repairs at the Jolly Nyame Stadium in Jalingo while El-Kanemi wrote to inform the LMC that they have decided on either of Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano or the Karkanda Stadium in Katsina State and are awaiting the state government’s nod to settle on any of the two. Wikki Tourists also communicated their decision to play at the Pantami Stadium in Gombe and have commenced repair works on the issues with their artificial turf failure.

Chief Operating Officer of the LMC, Salihu Abubakar said while the other affected clubs, Nasarawa FC and Giwa FC are expected to turn in their preferred alternative ground by Wednesday, some of the Match Day 12 fixtures has been rescheduled for Thursday, June 18. He warned that clubs that fail to provide alternative venues within deadline stand the risk of being allocated a new venue by the LMC.

The rescheduled games are in Kano between Pillars and Giwa FC, Sunshine Stars versus Warri Wolves in Akure and FC Taraba versus Wikki Tourists in Makurdi.

CAF Inspector Rates Akwa Ibom Stadium High

It is now official. The 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying cracker between the Super Eagles and the Bafana Bafana of South Africa will take place at the Akwa Ibom International Stadium, Uyo.

Vice President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Mr. Fred Crentsil, who was mandated by the Confederation of African Football to inspect the facility, has given the infrastructure very high marks.

“You guys have a wonderful facility here. It is one of the best I have seen anywhere around Africa and elsewhere. It is of the same standard and mould as Soccercity (the main stadium in Johannesburg that hosted the final match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals) with a lower capacity.

Akwa Ibom Stadium, photo internationaltradenes.com

“I am particularly amazed that there are provisions for the physically –challenged persons. Everything is taken care of here. I am hugely impressed,” Crentsil said in Uyo on Thursday.

The CAF official inspected the stadium as well as hotel facilities in the Akwa Ibom State capital, in company with the NFF’s Assistant Director of Competitions, Mr. Bola Oyeyode.

NFF President, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick had, after inspecting the magnificent facility three weeks ago, announced that the venue would host the Super Eagles, Bafana Bafana clash.