Country | Nigeria |
---|---|
Confederation | CAF |
Founded | 1990 |
Number of teams | 12 |
Domestic cup(s) | Nigerian Women's Cup |
Most championships | Pelican Stars FC (7 titles) |
Website | nwfl.com.ng |
2016 Nigeria Women Premier League |
The Nigeria Women Premier League is the top flight of women's association football in Nigeria. It is the women's equivalent of the men's top-flight league, the Nigeria Premier League. It is regarded by the BBC as a pacesetter league for the African continent, with players earning as much as $300 monthly allowance and signup fees up to $2500. It also act as a hub for professional players from other West-African countries. The Nigeria Women Football League organizes the Nigeria Women Premier League and the Nigeria Women Amateur League.
Female football in Nigeria started in 1978 with the foundation of the NIFFOA (Nigeria Female Football Organising Association), renamed NIFFPA (Nigeria Female Football Proprietors Associations) in 1979, and joined by clubs like Jegede Babes, Ufuoma Babes, Larry Angels, Kakanfo Babes and others. The first championship was organised by the NFA in 1990.
For 2013/14 the league was restructured and renamed to the Premier League. Twelve teams will play in a single division.
The 2015 season saw the reintroduction of the group system for the league. A super six tournament was played at the end of the season to determine the overall winner. Rivers Angels topped group A in the regular season and went on to win the elite league of six teams.
The female top division league in Nigeria always follow groups pattern and a super 6 tournament at the end of the season. Group A and B normally consist of 10 teams each (20 in total). The top 3 teams of each group will form the super 6 league at the end of the regular season to determine the overall winner of league.
For the 2013/2014 season the NWPL department of the Nigeria Football Federation abolished the group format of the league and introduced an elite league formed from the top 6 teams in each group during the 2012/2013 season. The new elite league is to be called Nigeria Women Premier League while the remaining teams (10 clubs) will join other clubs to form a lower division league to allow promotion and relegation format.
Top division
Group A
Group B
The list of champions and runners-ups: