Matches of the Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL) Super Six Championship will now hold from June 2 to 11, 2023, instead of the earlier advertised May 23, the Interim Management Committee of the league has said.
According to the IMC, the play-off will feature three matches daily at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos. The committee said the change was to allow for the completion of zonal Federation Cup matches, which would hold around the earlier scheduled dates for the Super Six.
The finals of the Federation Cup will hold after the Super Six Championship. Last week, the committee rescheduled all Week 18 games to harmonise fixtures in the two groups of the ongoing 2022/23 NPFL season. It directed that all MatchDay 18 games would now be played on May 21.
In a letter informing the NPFL clubs of the fixture rearrangement, the IMC also noted that Federation Cup games of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have also impacted the commencement of the Super Six start date.
IMC Chairman, Gbenga Elegbeleye, clarified that the decision was to ensure that the regular season is concluded on the same date before the commencement of the Super 6.
He said: “The MatchDay 18 fixtures in both groups will have to be played on the same date and that would be after Rivers United have completed their outstanding matches by Thursday, May 18.”
The outstanding matches involving Rivers United are MatchDay 12, 15 and 16, which have been scheduled for May 11, May 15 and May 18. The defending champions, whose fixtures were affected by their CAF Confederation Cup campaign, will play Sunshine Stars on today in a rescheduled MatchDay 12 tie and Doma United on May 18. Both games are in Port Harcourt.
Elegbeleye said: “The season ending Super Six will hold in Lagos and we don’t want any group to enjoy the advantage of extended rest period after playing their last group games.”
Unbeaten Bendel Insurance lead Group A with 33 points from 17 matches, with Enyimba second with the same number of games. Remo Stars, Akwa United, Plateau United and 3SC are third, fourth, fifth and sixth with 30, 29, 25 and 22 points respectively.
IN Group B, Lobi Stars are ahead with 30 points from 17 matches, followed by Rivers United, Doma United, Sunshine Stars, ABia Warriors and Niger Tornadoes with 26, 26, 24, 24 and 23 points respectively. However, second-placed Rivers United have three outstanding games, which results could alter the leadership of the group.
