Heartland FC, Akwa United, Sunshine Stars, and Lobi Stars have failed to satisfy the October 24 deadline for settling excellent money owed owed to their former gamers and coaches.
The 4 golf equipment, relegated from the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Soccer League (NPFL) season, didn’t adjust to the directive issued by the Nigeria Soccer Federation Gamers Standing Arbitration Committee (NFF-PSAC). Because of this, they’re barred from registering or signing new gamers forward of the 2025/2026 Nigeria Nationwide League (NNL) season.
Based on the NNL, golf equipment are required to clear all excellent monetary obligations to gamers and coaches—previous or current—as a prerequisite for registration and participation within the new marketing campaign.
“Affected golf equipment won’t be permitted to register new gamers with the NNL. Any registration made earlier than clearing excellent money owed stays invalid,” a supply throughout the league physique confirmed to Sports247.
As of October 27—three days after the registration deadline—checks revealed that Heartland, Akwa United, Sunshine Stars, and Lobi Stars had but to settle their money owed. This growth successfully prevents them from strengthening their squads till the money owed are cleared.
Observers imagine such conduct stems from the leniency usually proven by native soccer authorities, which tends to favor defaulting golf equipment on the expense of gamers and coaches.
With the 2025/2026 NNL season scheduled to kick off in November, consideration now turns to how the NNL and NFF-PSAC will deal with the circumstances of the affected golf equipment as the brand new marketing campaign approaches
