COVID 19: LMC to decide on NPFL after Match Day 25

The League Management Company will take a definitive measure on the on-going 2019/2020 Nigeria Football League after Match Day 25 on Wednesday

This comes on the heels of the Coronavirus pandemic that has seen major leagues in Europe being suspended or played without fans.

Already, the English Premier League, La Liga and Serie A have all been suspended and as of Tuesday morning, the National Sports Festival scheduled to start in Benin on the 22nd of March is to be suspended too.

Shehu Dikko, Chairman of the LMC revealed on Tuesday that there will be a meeting after Wednesday’s game to determine if the league should continue or be played behind closed doors.

“On the issues of COVID 19, we have to watch and work with government directives and we have been asking questions through the Minister of Sports and contacts at the health authorities,” he revealed.

“Now the Health authorities have advised for the National Sports Festival to be postponed, we are duty-bound to also review our situation (the NPFL)

“Thus after tomorrow NPFL games, we will have to have a review if to revert all the games to closed-door like being done in some countries like Turkey or postpone the league for a few weeks. We still have to consult the authorities appropriately in this regard.

“We are going to also work in tandem with the clubs to institute preventive, proactive measures and protocols at all match venues including more awareness to the public as advised by the health authorities,” Dikko added.

Match Day 25 of the Nigeria Professional Football League will be played on Wednesday, March 18 with 10 games across match centres.