2017 Nigeria Women Premier League

Last updated
Nigeria Women Premier League
Season2017
PromotedSure Babes
Jokodolu Babes
Taraba Queens [1]
RelegatedSaadatu Amazons
Heatland Queens
Top goalscorer Rasheedat Ajibade, Reuben Charity and Vivian Uwandi (8 goals)
Biggest home win FC Robo 5-0 Heartland Queens (Wk 14)
Biggest away winSaadatu Amazon 0-4 Delta Queens (Wk 11)
Highest scoring Delta Queens 5-1 Osun Babes (Wk 14)
2016
2018

The 2017 Nigeria Women Premier League began on March 25, 2017. [2] The date was fixed during the congress for women football league system in Nigeria on February 22, 2017, in Abuja, which had the Minister for Sports, Solomon Dalung in attendance. [3] Martin White Doves, Tokas Queens, Capital City Doves and Taraba Queens were relegated from the previous season. Heartland Queens of Owerri and Sadaatu Kolo Amazons of Niger State were promoted to the elite division. Rofiat Sule, the top scorer of the last two seasons and Evelyn Nwabuoku, captain of the national team amongst others were signed by Rivers Angels F.C. [4] In March 2017, previously relegated Capital City Doves were re-added to the league, increasing the number of teams to seventeen. [5] On 24 March, COD United Amazons F.C. and Capital City Doves were confirmed to be excluded from the league after failing to meet the registration deadline. This reduced the number of teams to fifteen. [6] [7]

Contents

Format

The league board adopted an abridged format of eight teams in two groups. The top two teams in each group will play in a super 4 tournament to determine the overall winner of the league. [8] In August 2017, Bayelsa Queens, Rivers Angels, Nasarawa Amazons and Delta Queens qualified for the super four tournament in Benin city . [9] [10] [11]

Team information

Group A

Team information [12]
TeamStadiumLocationCoach
Rivers Angels F.C. Yakubu Gowon Stadium Rivers State Edwin Okon [13]
Ibom Angels F.C. Akwa Ibom State Whyte Ogbonda [14]
FC Robo Lagos State Emmanuel Osahon [15]
Bayelsa Queens F.C. Bayelsa State Amabebe Ayebatonye
Abia Angels F.C. Abia State Ann Chiejine [16]
Heartland Queens F.C. Eucharia Uche [17]
Sunshine Queens F.C. Matthew Wemimo [18]

Group B

Team information
TeamStadiumLocationCoach
Confluence Queens F.C. Lokoja Tosin Ojo [19]
Nasarawa Amazons F.C. Nasarawa State Christopher Danjuma [20]
Pelican Stars F.C. Calabar Adat Egan [21]
Osun Babes F.C. Osogbo Liadi Bashir [22]
Sa'adatu Amazons F.C. Minna Ibrahim Ladan [21]
Adamawa Queens F.C. Adamawa State Bello Mohammed [23]
Edo Queens F.C. Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium [24] Edo State Kenneth Aigbe
Delta Queens F.C. Delta State Clifford Chukwuma [25]

Major transfers

2017 Nigeria Women Premier League
TeamPlayer (former club)
Rivers Angels F.C. [26] Rofiat Sule (Bayelsa Queens), Tochuchukwu Oluehi (Medkila IL), Patience Kalu (Bayelsa Queens), Evelyn Nwabuoku (En Avant de Guingamp), Cecilia Nku (Medkila IL) and Halimatu Ayinde (FC Minsk)
Confluence Queens F.C. Happiness Dauda (Taraba Queens), Ramat Abdulkarim (Abia Angels), Hauwa Abdullahi (Nasarawa Amazons), Esther Momoh (Sunshine Queens) and Tina Oyateleme (Sunshine Queens F.C.)
Ibom Angels F.C.Joy Eroezi, Imaobong Emmanuel, Aniema Ibanga, Okadike Ugochi, Elizabeth Edward, Cynthia Akwasi, Mercy Udo Akpan, Blessing Dabrinze, Racheal Kolawole, Charity Isaiah [27]
Delta Queens F.C. Lilian Cole (Bayelsa Queens), Njoku Chinyere (Capital City Doves), Maryan Ohadiwe (Adamawa Queens) and Amirat Adebisi (FC Robo Queens)
Sunshine Queens F.C. Shola Oyewusi (Rivers Angels F.C.), Winifred Eyebhoria ((Rivers Angels F.C.)), Akudo Ogbonna (FC Robo), Nenna Eke (Ibom Angels), Kate Akpata (Ibom Angels), Alaba Adeusi (Osun Babes F.C.), Yemi Oladidupo and Kemi Odubanjo

League standings

Group A

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification or relegation
1 Bayelsa Queens 12723179+823Qualification to the 2017 Super 4 tournament
2 Rivers Angels 12642199+1022
3 Sunshine Queens 125341613+318
4 Ibom Angels 124351813+515
5 FC Robo 124351618215
6 Abia Angels 12345814613
7 Heartland Queens 12237725189Relegation to pro league
Source: [ citation needed ]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

Group B

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification or relegation
1 Delta Queens F.C. 147522311+1226Qualification to the 2017 Super 4 tournament
2 Nasarawa Amazons 14824197+1226
3 Adamawa Queens 145631411+321
4 Confluence Queens 14635129+321
5 Osun Babes F.C. 146351717021
6 Edo Queens F.C. 145541612+420
7 Pelican Stars F.C. 143651117615
8 Saadatu Amazons F.C. 140212331282Relegation to pro league
Source: [ citation needed ]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

Super 4 tournament

In August 2017, the league board fixed September 11 to 16th for the commencement of the mini-tournament. Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium will host the event. The winner and runnerup is to get ₦3,000,000 and ₦2,000,000 respectively. [28] [29] On September 7, 2017, it was announced that the super four has been rescheduled to hold on October 9-14th in the same venue. This was due to the scheduling conflict with 2018 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup qualifiers and Aiteo Cup games within same period. [30] In October 2017, the NWFL reached an agreement with Akogate Waters for the third place team to get ₦1,000,000 as prize money. [31]

Top scorers

As of end of regular season
RankPlayerTeamGoals
1Reuben CharityIbom Angels8
Rasheedat Ajibade FC Robo Queens
Vivian UwandiEdo Queens
4Tessy Biawho Bayelsa Queens 6
Ijeoma Obi Delta Queens
Monday Gift FC Robo Queens
Rosemary Okezie Delta Queens

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NWFL Premiership</span> Top-level womens soccer league in Nigeria

The NWFL Premiership (formerly Nigeria Women Premier League) is the top-level league for women's association football in Nigeria. It is the women's equivalent of the men's league, the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL). The Nigeria Women Football League(NWFL) organizes the Nigeria Women Premier League and the Nigeria Women Pro-league. In November 2017, Aisha Falode was elected chairperson of the league board, and was officially designated in January 2017.

Rivers Angels F.C. is a Nigerian football club based in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. They play in the Nigeria Women Premier League, the top flight division in the female soccer league system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bayelsa Queens F.C.</span> Nigerian womens football club

Bayelsa Queens is a Nigerian women football club based in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. They play in the highest pyramid of women football in Nigeria. They have won three championships in the Nigeria Women Premier League in the year 2004, 2006 and 2007.

The AITEO Cup is a cup competition in Nigeria. Rivers Angels of Port Harcourt have won the most titles. The tournament along with Nigeria Women Premier League are the two recognized competition for women football organized by the Nigeria Football Federation. The finals are usually played at Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos State.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Nigeria Women Premier League</span> Football league season

The 2014 Nigeria Women Premier League began on 1 March 2014 and ended on 26 November 2014. Nasarawa Amazons were the defending champions. This will be the first time in recent times that the winner will be decided straightaway without a mini super tournament at the end of the season.

Evelyn Nwabuoku is a Nigerian footballer who plays as a midfielder for En Avant de Guingamp in the French Division 1 Féminine and the Nigeria women's national football team and she is the captain of the national side. Nwabuoku played previously for BIIK Kazygurt in the Kazakhstani women's football championship and both Bayelsa Queens and Rivers Angels in the Nigerian Women's Championship.

The 2016 Nigeria Women Premier League was scheduled to start in February 2016, but was moved to 21 May, 2016. A total of 18 teams were registered for the season. The teams are divided into two groups of nine each. The winner of each abridged league will meet at the end of the season to determine the overall winner of the league. The Nigeria Women Premier League is one of the league competitions administered by the Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) board.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nasarawa Amazons F.C.</span> Football club

Nasarawa Amazons F.C. is a women's association football club based in Lafia in Nasarawa State, the club is related to the men's football club Nasarawa United. The home jersey is green, the away jersey is white with a diagonal sky blue stripe.

Rafiat Folakemi Sule, is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a forward at club level for the Bari-based A.S.D. Pink Sport Time, in Italian Serie A. She previously donned the colours of Rivers Angels, and was top scorer in the league for two consecutive seasons. She has been described as "technically sound" with a sharp eye for goals from all distance.

Rita Akarekor is a Nigerian footballer who plays for Delta Queens in the Nigeria Women Premier League, and Nigeria women's national football team in the goalkeeper position. She was adjudged the best goalkeeper in the 2016 Nigeria Women Premier League, and was the only player in her position nominated as the most valuable player in the league.

The 2015 Nigeria Women Premier League is the 25th season of women's association football in Nigeria, and the second season since the re-branding of the competition from a championship to a premier league. The league started in May 2015, and the regular season was concluded by September of the same year. Rivers Angels came to the season as defending champions after winning the 2014 edition. They successfully defended the title by defeating Bayelsa Queens by a lone goal from Osinachi Ohale in the super six final in Umuahia, Abia State. The super six tournament began on October 20 and was concluded November 5, 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nigeria Women's Super Cup</span> Football tournament

The Nigeria Women's Super Cup, otherwise known as NWFL Champions Shield is an annual game, featuring the teams that won the Aiteo Cup and the Nigeria Women Premier League in the previous season. The first edition was contested on March 4, 2018 between Nasarawa Amazons and Rivers Angels at Agege Stadium, Lagos. The game also signals the curtain opener for the new football season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rasheedat Ajibade</span> Nigerian footballer

Rasheedat Busayo Ajibade is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Spanish Liga F club Atlético Madrid and the Nigeria women's national team. She is nicknamed "RASH", a shortened form of her first name, and is also called "The Girl With The Blue Hair", an ode to her bright-blue hairstyle which she dons whenever she takes onto the field.

Charity Chetachukwu Reuben is a Nigerian footballer, who plays for Bayelsa Queens. She previously represented Ibom Angels in the Nigeria Women Premier League, and Nigeria women's national under-20 football team. For the 2017 Nigeria Women Premier League, she scored eight goals, which was the most by any player in the league.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Nigeria Women Premier League</span> Football league season

The 2018 Nigeria Women Premier League began on April 7 in a game featuring defending champions Nasarawa Amazons from Nasarawa State and FC Robo of Lagos State. The date was decided following a congress held in Ikeja on March 3. Prior to the game, a maiden super cup named the NWFL Champions Shield match was played between Aiteo Cup winners, Rivers Angels and Nasarawa Amazons to officially open the new season. At the end of the 2017 season, Sure Babes of Ilorin, Jokodolu Babes of Ogbomosho and Taraba Queens of Taraba State were promoted to compete in the elite division pending registration procedures, while Saadatu Amazons of Minna and Heartland Queens of Owerri were relegated to the pro league. In May 2018, the league went on a mid-season break due to the 2018 FIFA World Cup, this was further elongated after an emerging NFF leadership crisis. In August 2018, it was announced that the remaining games of the league will commence September 12.

The 2019 Nigeria Women Premier League began July 24, 2019. The league was earlier scheduled to start in February, but due to logistic reasons and commencement of other competitions, it was postponed to March, May then later July. Prior to the start of the league, a congress was held in Abuja on June 27, with representatives from Nigeria Football Federation. Due to failure of some teams to pay their indemnities, the agreed date at the congress was shifted from July 17 to July 24.

DreamStar FC Ladies is a women's association football club based in Surulere Lagos State, Nigeria and a member of the Nigerian Women Football League (NWFL). They have competed in the Nigeria Women Premier League, the highest division for women association football in the country, since the 2018/2019 season, having gained promotion to the elite league by winning all their lower division's matches.

Edo Queens is a Nigerian women football club based in Edo State, Nigeria. They play in the top women's football league in Nigeria, the NWFL Premiership.

Gift Nyakno Monday is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Spanish Liga F club UDG Tenerife and the Nigeria women's national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sheroes Cup</span> Football tournament

Sheroes Cup is an annual preseason tournament for women's association football teams in Africa. The competition usually feature elite teams from Nigeria Women Premier League, as well as neighboring African countries and is supported by the Nigeria Women Football League. Since the first edition in 2019, it has been described as the biggest preseason tournament for women club football in Nigeria.

References

  1. "Amazons tackle Robo as 2018 NWPL season begins". Punch. 7 April 2018. Retrieved 2018-04-25.
  2. admin (February 23, 2017). "NWFL: Congress passes vote of confidence on board, set kick-off date". vanguardngr.com.
  3. admin (February 23, 2017). "COMMUNIQUE OF THE 2017 NIGERIA WOMEN FOOTBALL LEAGUE HELD ON THE 22ND OF FEBRUARY, 2017". TheNFF.com.
  4. Olawole, Olayinka (February 10, 2017). "New Rivers Angels Striker Sule Reflects On Career, Keen To Retain NWPL Top-Scorer". saharareporterssport.com.
  5. Ahmadu, Samuel (March 10, 2017). "Nigeria Women Premier League clubs get registration deadline". Goal.com.
  6. Njoku, Humphrey (March 15, 2017). "NWFL sets final date for registration". SuperSport.com.
  7. Inyang, Ifreke (March 23, 2017). "NWFL frees COD Utd Ladies". Dailypost Nigeria.
  8. admin (2017). "NWFL Congress picks date for new league season". von.gov.ng.
  9. "NWPL 2017 Super four teams finalist emerges". SavidNews. 2 August 2017. Retrieved 2017-08-07.
  10. "Sunshine Queens battle Rivers Angels as race for Super Four enters home stretch". Guardian Nigeria. 26 July 2017.
  11. "NWPL Week 13 preview: Teams in super four struggle".
  12. admin (2017). "NWFL: Women's Oriental Derby Lights up Umuahia". LAdiesMarch.com.
  13. admin (2017). "Nwabuoku, Nku, Ayinde and Oluehi join Rivers Angels". Goal.com.
  14. admin (2017). "Whyte Eyes Rivers Angels' Scalp". Nwfl.com.ng. Archived from the original on 2017-04-06. Retrieved 2017-04-05.
  15. "Expect the best of Robo v Heartland".
  16. admin (2017). "Chiejine eyes derby win v Heartland". Supersport.com.
  17. "Heartland v Bayelsa not do-or-die". SuperSport.com. Retrieved 2017-08-07.
  18. "Wemimo predicts easy tie at Bayelsa".
  19. "Sports journalist appointed coach of Confluence Queens". Pulse Nigeria. 16 February 2016. Retrieved 2017-08-07.
  20. "NWPL: Rivers Angels Defeat Nasarawa Amazon To Claim Title". PM News. Retrieved 2017-08-07.
  21. 1 2 admin (2017). "NWPL: Pelican Stars Technical Adviser Expresses Delight With Victory Over Sa'adatu". Ladiesmarch.com.
  22. "Nasarawa Amazons Begin 2016/2017 Season Campaign With 2-0 Win".
  23. "Adamawa Queens upset Confluence Queens". Archived from the original on 2017-08-07. Retrieved 2017-08-07.
  24. "WOMEN'S LEAGUE PREVIEW: Giants do battle today".
  25. "Delta Queens Gaffer Chukwuma Advocates For Attacking Football Against Osun Babes". nwfl.com.ng. Archived from the original on 2017-08-07. Retrieved 2017-08-07.
  26. Ayodeji, Tunde (March 14, 2017). "NWFL: Champions unveil new signings". FCNaija.com.
  27. Ubong, Bassey (March 24, 2017). "New-Look Ibom Angels Commence Pre-Season Tour". LadiesMarch.com.
  28. "Nigeria Women Premier League Super Four tourney get date, venue | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Archived from the original on 2017-09-06.
  29. "Nigeria Women Premier League Super 4: Amazons, Queens to clash in opening match". 17 August 2017.
  30. "NWFL Announces New Dates for Super 4". This Day. September 7, 2017. Retrieved 2017-09-09.
  31. Media Officer (2017-10-05). "NWPL Super 4: Official Water To Dole Out N1m To Bronze Medalists". Nigeria Women Football League. Archived from the original on 2017-10-06. Retrieved 2017-10-05.