NPFL: Tough fights to win the title and escape relegation on the final day
By this time last season, Remo Stars were cruising to their maiden title with unassailable optimism. They dusted all comers to win the title, becoming the first South West side to emerge victorious in many years.
However, heading into this weekend’s last round of matches, the cup holders, Remo Stars, as well as serial winners, Enyimba International of Aba, are on the wrong side of the table as their fates of survival and remaining in the topflight would depend on how games pan out in the various centres.
The collapse of two among Nigeria’s biggest clubs is a reflection of the relative competitiveness of the league, where nothing is taken for granted.
Put differently, analysts believe both clubs are victims of how brutally competitive this season’s NPFL relegation battle became. With only a few points separating several teams from 13th place downward, every dropped point proved costly.
However, while some eyes will be on who joins Wikki Tourists and Bayelsa United for places in the second tier Nigeria Nationwide League (NNL), greater attention will be focused on what happens at the summit of the log as league leaders, Rangers International, and Rivers United leave their fate of emerging champions and succeeding Remo Stars as Nigerian champions in the hands of their opponents as the Flying Antelopes face Ikorodu City in Lagos while the Pride of Rivers welcome Katsina United in Port Harcourt.
The implication is that the NPFL Board will dispatch two trophies in both centres as both Rangers and Rivers United are still within touching distance of winning the league, as only one point separates them on the log.
A win for Rivers United, coupled with either a draw or defeat for Rangers, will see the Pride of Rivers emerge champions of the 2025/2026 campaign.
Rangers currently top the standings with 65 points, while Rivers United sit second with 64 points ahead of the final round of matches scheduled for Sunday, 24 May 2026.
Meanwhile, talking of Rangers International, their best hope of unlocking the Ikorodu defence runs through Godwin Obaje, who leads the NPFL Golden Boot race with 14 goals and has been the Flying Antelopes’ most consistent attacking threat all season. His aerial ability and physical presence suit the kind of match where Rangers may need to grind out a goal against a well-organised lower block. If Obaje delivers on the biggest stage of the domestic season, the record-equalling ninth title follows.
On their own, Rivers United must win first at home and pray that Ikorodu City do them a favour by stopping the league leaders, Rangers.
Finidi George’s side have been unbeaten in Port Harcourt since a 2-1 defeat to Bayelsa United on October 13, a run that has stretched over months and helped keep them in the title race during periods when Rangers threatened to pull clear. The complicating factor is Katsina United’s character. The Chanji Boys already held Rivers to a draw earlier in the 2025-26 campaign and have shown throughout the season that they are capable of frustrating teams who are expected to beat them.
They arrive in Port Harcourt with no relegation pressure and no continental ambition, which is precisely the kind of opponent that a title-chasing home side dreads. A team playing with no pressure is a team playing with nothing to lose.
Finidi’s forwards, likely to include Wisdom Samuel and Chijioke Mbaoma, will need to find early goals and control the game’s emotional temperature before nerves have a chance to settle over the stands. However, from the middle of the table, only three points separate Wikki Tourists in the 20th spot from Kano Pillars in the tenth. Both Wikki (in the 20th spot) and Bayelsa United (in the 19th spot) are already relegated, meaning the final day on Sunday will produce the next two teams to follow them.
Thus, from Pillars in the tenth spot down to Nigeria Tornadoes in the 18th are at risk and in between them are Kwara United (in 11th), Plateau United (in 12th), El-Kanemi (13th), Kun Khalifa (in 14th), Enyimba (in 15th), Remo Stars (in 16th), Warri Wolves (in 17th and Niger Tornadoes (in 18th).
Kano Pillars are on 48 points and in tenth, while Tornadoes are on 45 points and in 18th spot, meaning there are lots of things to play for, for all the teams mentioned above.
