The Nigeria Premier League Limited (NPL) has selected five centres to host the maiden Nigeria Premier Football League U-17 which kicks off in January 2024.
The NPFL U-17 Youth League organising committee in a letter signed by its chairman, Emeka Inyama, sent to clubs, listed Lafia, Ekiti, Awka, Kaduna and Asaba as the host cities for the abridged version of the developmental league.
The league kicks off on the 1st of February, 2024 with five groups housing four teams each. The groupings according to the NPFL are made with consideration to teams in the same region with each group witnessing three games each, to be played simultaneously across the centres.
The first-placed team across all groups will qualify for the championship play-off where they will play another round-robin format in a centre to be later decided by the organisers.
The groups are as follows
Group A — Kaduna Zone
Doma United
Gombe United
Kano Pillars
Katsina United
Group B — Lafia Zone
Kwara United
Lobi Stars
Niger Tornadoes
Plateau United
Group C — Asaba Zone
Akwa United
Bayelsa United
Bendel Insurance
Rivers United
Group D — Ekiti Zone
Remo Stars
Shooting Stars
Sporting Lagos
Sunshine Stars
Group E — Awka Zone
Abia Warriors
Enyimba International
Heartland FC
Rangers International
The group games will last for three days — February 1st to 3rd, 2024.
The championship play-off draw is scheduled for 12th February 2024 while the playoffs will be played from 13th through 17th February.
