Football in Nigeria
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Second level football leagues of Africa (CAF)
9°1′47.8″N 7°26′51.4″E / 9.029944°N 7.447611°E
| Founded | 1979 (reorganized 1991) |
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| Country | Nigeria |
| Confederation | CAF |
| Number of teams | 46 |
| Level on pyramid | 2 |
| Promotion to | Nigerian Professional Football League |
| Relegation to | Nigeria Nationwide League |
| Domestic cup(s) | Nigerian FA Cup Nigerian Super Cup |
| International cup(s) | CAF Confederation Cup (via Nigerian FA Cup) |
| Current champions | Heartland F.C. (2022–23) |
| Most championships | Dolphins/Eagle Cement (3 titles) |
| Current: 2022-23 Nigerian National League | |
The Nigerian National League (formerly known as National Division 1)
The Nigerian National League shortly known as the NNL in Nigeria and is the second-highest overall in the Nigerian football league system after the Nigeria Professional Football League, and is currently contested by 46 clubs.
Each season, four teams are promoted to the Nigeria Professional Football League, via NNL Super 4/NNL Super 8. The twelve lowest-finishing teams in the Nigerian National League are relegated to Nigeria Nationwide League.
From 1997-2011, the league has been split into 1A for Northern teams and 1B for southern teams. The top two from each division are promoted to the Nigerian Premier League the next season. The exceptions were the 2005–06 and 2006-07 seasons where there were four divisions of eight teams each, with each division winner winning promotion. Up to four teams in each division are relegated each season to the Amateur First Division. The league was renamed 19 June 2008. In 2012 the league expanded from 32 to 36 teams with 2 more teams promoted. The league used the 2006 format, with four divisions of nine teams each, with division winners receiving automatic promotion. In 2012-13, it went back to two divisions of sixteen. For the 2015 season, it used four divisions of eight teams.[citation needed]
The season kicked off in November 2019. The 42 teams were consolidated back into four divisions.
The league went for the December break, and didn't return. The league was later cancelled due to the outbreak of Covid-19 outbreak in Nigeria. No team was promoted to the Premier division after football activities were stopped due to the rampaging effect of Covid-19.[1]
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Group A1
Group A2
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Group B1
Group B2
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On 6 November 2020, the league's organizing committee agreed to continue the four division North and South format for the 2021 season. The start date was to be three weeks after the top division NPFL resumes. The league is expected to start on 30 January 2021 after the successful draws at the Congress held on Friday 15 January at Ebonyi State[2]
On Saturday 30 January 2021, an Emergency congress took place in Ebonyi State where the kick off date was changed to 13 February 2021. 21 clubs voted in favor of 13 February while 4 clubs voted in favor of 6 February [3]
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Group A1[4]
Group A2
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Group B1
Group B2
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The league was a single table until 1998. Between 1998-2011 winners of the North and South divisions played a one-game playoff to determine the overall Division champion. 2011-2017 the champion was determined by a Super Four mini-league between the four promoted teams. In 2018 it was a Super Eight to pick the four teams.
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