The coronavirus pandemic forced many sporting events and all sporting leagues to be shut down. The Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL), ranked as the best African football league, was also forced to suspend its 2019-20 season on March 18th, 2020 due to the health risks posed by the global pandemic.
Even though the effects of the coronavirus pandemic are still felt across Nigeria and the world in general, sporting events are slowly coming back. The Bundesliga was the first major football league to restart its season and will soon be followed by other major leagues such as the EPL and La Liga.
So, keeping these developments in mind, should Nigeria expect its top-level football league to resume playing soon? This answer might not be that simple.
The New Normal for Football Matches
Even though Bundelia restarted its season in May after being suspended due to the coronavirus, things were not the same. The matches were played in closed, empty stadiums without the usual cheer of the crowds and the substitute players and coaching staff had to wear masks at all times.
Anyone entering the stadium was also tested before the match and various other health regulations had to be followed.
Similarly, any other league resuming its season will have to follow these regulations which can be a problem with the NPFL not only when it comes to logistics but also when it comes to costs. For example, it has been estimated that every club will have to pay N2.5m per game just to get the entire team tested.
Minister of Sports and Youth Development to meet Nigerian football stakeholders
Mr. Sunday Dare, Nigeria’s Minister of Sports and Youth Development will be meeting with the President of the Nigerian Football Federation and the Chairman of the League Management Company soon. The objective would be to discuss the future of the NPFL’s season and whether the league should resume or not.
Regardless, Mr. Dare has made it clear that if the league does resume, there will be no compromise on the health code and the games would be played in closed stadiums with no audience participation. Other conditions include the players and coaches getting tested regularly and the possibility of using only a few central venues to play the matches in.
Nigerian betting companies await the decision
The betting market in Nigeria is huge and football is the most popular sport for punters to bet on. With the leagues suspended, online betting sites in Nigeria had to find innovative ways to adapt to the situation by focusing on virtual games and their online casino games.
The return of NFPL will bring a lot of action back to Nigerian betters and online betting sites who have been missing the game for months now and who are awaiting the decision on restarting the NFPL with hope.