NFF President highlights NPFL growth, compares schedule to EPL

President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ibrahim Gusau has made a bold comparison between the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) and the English Premier League (EPL) during his visit to Enyimba, following their qualification for the CAF Confederation Cup (CAFCC) group stage.

Speaking to the team after their hard-fought victory over Etoile Filante of Burkina Faso, Gusau emphasised the significant strides Nigerian football is making, particularly in aligning the NPFL schedule with global standards.

“For those of you that started maybe 10 years ago, have you ever seen when we’re playing the league, and between us and England, only two weeks of matches (difference)?” Gusau remarked, noting the closer scheduling between the NPFL and the EPL. His comments, made available to Pulse Sports Nigeria, suggest that the NPFL is narrowing the gap with top European leagues.

Gusau continued, “They will play week five, we played week three, and in the next couple of weeks, we are going to beat them. We must do the right thing.” This statement reflects the NFF’s ambition to further improve the NPFL’s schedule and efficiency, with the ultimate goal of surpassing the EPL’s pace.

Enyimba’s qualification for the CAF Confederation Cup group stage adds weight to Gusau’s ambitious vision of elevating the NPFL’s status to rival global leagues like the EPL.