NPFL Run-In Heats Up: Title Contenders Jostle for Top Three as Relegation Battle Turns Cut-Throat

By Kunle Solaja. With just a handful of matches left in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season, the race for continental places and the desperate fight for survival have reached a boiling point on Sunday, setting up a dramatic run-in across matchdays scheduled between March 23 and 29. Remo Stars, hoping to avert the […]

Sports Mar 24, 2026 0 25 Add to Reading List

NPFL Run-In Heats Up: Title Contenders Jostle for Top Three as Relegation Battle Turns Cut-Throat

By Kunle Solaja.

With just a handful of matches left in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season, the race for continental places and the desperate fight for survival have reached a boiling point on Sunday, setting up a dramatic run-in across matchdays scheduled between March 23 and 29.

Remo Stars, hoping to avert the fate that befell Shooting Stars in 1999 by becoming the first Nigerian champion to be relegated the next season, braced up with a 3-1 defeat of fellow backwater swimmers, Kwara United, in Ikenne.

Bayelsa United were the only other defending champions to have gone down the following season after going down in the 2009/2010.

At the top of the table, Enugu Rangers have placed themselves in pole position with 54 points from 31 matches, but their grip on the summit remains far from secure.

Rivers United, just two points behind with a game in hand, are poised to mount a serious challenge, particularly with a crucial away fixture against fourth-placed Nasarawa United on Tuesday, March 23.

That clash in Lafia could significantly reshape the title picture. A win for Rivers United would not only take them to the top but also deal a major blow to Nasarawa’s ambitions of breaking into the top three.

Ikorodu City, currently third with 49 points, have quietly emerged as one of the season’s surprise packages. Their home tie against Warri Wolves on March 29 presents a golden opportunity to consolidate their position, especially with several direct rivals facing tricky fixtures.

Shooting Stars, Abia Warriors, and Bendel Insurance are all within touching distance of the top three, separated by just two points. The March 29 showdown between Shooting Stars and league leaders Enugu Rangers stands out as one of the defining matches of the run-in. A win for Shooting Stars could throw the title race wide open, while Rangers will be eager to assert their dominance.

Abia Warriors face a demanding schedule with two matches in quick succession—first against Niger Tornadoes on March 23, then away to Enyimba on March 29. Maximum points from these fixtures could catapult them firmly into continental contention.

Further down the table, the battle against relegation is even more intense, with as many as eight teams still in danger.

Kwara United and Kun Khalifat currently occupy the bottom two spots with 33 points each, and both face must-win situations. Kwara United’s home clash against Nasarawa United on March 29 could be pivotal, though they face a tough opponent chasing a top-three finish. Kun Khalifat, meanwhile, travel to Rivers United in what appears to be a daunting fixture against a title contender.

Just above them, Remo Stars, Wikki Tourists, Enyimba, and Bayelsa United are all locked between 36 and 37 points, separated by the slimmest of margins. Enyimba’s clash with Abia Warriors could prove decisive—not just for their survival hopes but also in shaping the continental race.

Bayelsa United’s encounter with Kano Pillars on March 29 is another high-stakes fixture, particularly as Pillars themselves are not entirely safe despite sitting on 39 points after a points deduction earlier in the season.

Niger Tornadoes and Wikki Tourists will face off in a classic relegation six-pointer on March 29, a match that could determine which side gains a crucial edge in the survival battle.

Even mid-table teams like Warri Wolves and Barau FC are not entirely free from danger, highlighting the unusually tight nature of this season’s NPFL.

As the fixtures unfold, the league is delicately balanced between ambition and anxiety—where every point could either secure continental football or confirm relegation.

The coming week, therefore, promises defining moments at both ends of the table, with the NPFL title race and relegation fight set to go down to the wire.

	CLUB	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	PTS
1	Enugu Rangers	31	15	9	7	38	21	17	54
2	Rivers United	30	14	10	6	28	19	9	52
3	Ikorodu City	31	13	10	8	29	23	6	49
4	Nasarawa United	30	13	8	9	27	24	3	47
5	Shooting Stars	31	14	5	12	32	34	-2	47
6	Abia Warriors	30	13	7	10	24	22	2	46
7	Bendel Insurance FC	31	11	12	8	36	28	8	45
8	Katsina United FC	31	11	9	11	28	29	-1	42
9	Plateau United FC	31	13	3	15	31	33	-2	42
10	El-Kanemi Warriors FC	31	12	6	13	27	34	-7	42
11	Barau FC	31	10	11	10	25	26	-1	41
12	Warri Wolves	31	10	10	11	28	29	-1	40
13	Niger Tornadoes FC	30	11	6	13	31	28	3	39
14	Kano Pillars (-3pts, -3 goals)	31	12	6	13	25	28	-3	39
15	Bayelsa United FC	31	9	10	12	26	32	-6	37
16	Enyimba FC	31	9	9	13	31	34	-3	36
17	Wikki Tourists FC	31	8	12	11	28	33	-5	36
18	Remo Stars FC	31	11	3	17	32	40	-8	36
19	Kwara United (-3pts, -3 goals)	31	9	9	13	22	29	-7	33
20	Kun Khalifat FC	31	8	9	14	28	36	-8	33

March 23: Abia Warriors vs Niger Tornadoes
March 23: Nasarawa vs Rivers United
March 28: Bendel Insurance vs Plateau United
March 28: Barau vs Katsina United
March 29: Bayelsa United vs Kano Pillars
March 29: Elkanemi Warriors vs Remo Stars
March 29: Enyimba vs Abia Warriors
March 29: Ikorodu City vs Warri Wolves
March 29: Kwara United vs Nasarawa United
March 29: Niger Tornadoes vs Wikki Tourists
March 29: Rivers United vs Kun Khalifat
March 29: Shooting Stars vs Enugu Rangers