NPFL declares 3SC stadium ‘unsuitable’ for matches — less than 3 years after rehabilitation

The board of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has directed Shooting Stars Sporting Club (3SC) to rehabilitate the playing turf of Lekan Salami Stadium before the commencement of the 2024/25 season.

NPFL announced the directive in a statement on its website on Thursday.

3SC was named alongside six other affected clubs, including Sunshine Stars of Akure, Plateau United of Jos, and Kwara United of Ilorin.

Others are Abia Warriors of Aba, Niger Tornadoes of Minna, and newly promoted El Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri.

The Lekan Salami Stadium was built in 1988. It has been hosting Shooting Stars home games ever since.

The Oyo state government rehabilitated the stadium and reopened it in September 2021. Seyi Makinde, the governor of the state, said N5.5 billion was contracted to Messrs Peculiar Ultimate Concerns Ltd for remodeling the facility.

Davidson Owumi, NPFL’s chief operating officer (COO), said the clubs will play at an alternate stadium in the upcoming season if they fail to adhere to the directive.

He added that the erring clubs had been informed of the unacceptable state of their pitches and the absence of broadcast support facilities such as elevated camera stands.

“Letters have been written to the clubs whose facilities were found not suitable to host the NPFL matches in the new season in compliance with provisions of Facility Requirements of the Club Licensing Regulations,” Owumi said.

“We expect that clubs that didn’t receive any directive should make their facilities ready for the new season,” he also said.

The NPFL’s 2024/25 season is expected to kick off on August 31.

The league body also proposed July 15 and 16 for its Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Lagos, where the board, club officials, and other stakeholders would review the ended season and deliberate on the new season.