PREVIEW: NPFL returns with higher stakes as 3SC win opener, Rangers eye title defence

The Nigeria Premier Football League returned on Friday for the 2026/27 season with more at stake than the usual battle for the title, continental places and survival.

A new commercial era, a record ₦1 billion prize for the champions, four promoted clubs and the unpredictability of last season have combined to raise expectations around Nigeria’s top-flight league.

The campaign began with a South-West clash as Shooting Stars hosted newly promoted Inter Lagos in a 2-1 win for the home side at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan, before the remaining nine Matchday 1 fixtures are played on Sunday.

Rangers International enter the season as defending champions after edging Rivers United by a single point last season, but retaining the crown will be considerably more difficult.

The Enugu club must also balance its title defence with a CAF Champions League campaign, while Rivers United, Shooting Stars and Ikorodu City will be among the clubs hoping to challenge for the championship.

Off the pitch, the league enters a potentially significant new phase following the three-year, $7.5 million title sponsorship agreement with EuroMatch, ending a lengthy wait for a conventional title sponsor.

With 60 per cent of the annual sponsorship proceeds earmarked for the participating clubs and a record ₦1 billion awaiting the champions, the financial incentives are greater than before.

But last season offered a reminder that money, reputation and previous success provide no guarantees in the NPFL.

Remo Stars went from champions in 2024/25 to relegated side in 2025/26, while Rangers converted a one-point advantage over Rivers United into their ninth league title.

The question now is whether the new season will produce another surprise or whether one of the established contenders can seize the bigger prize.