Lobi Stars are set to be crowned winner of the 2017/2018 Nigeria Professional Football League season if reports emanating from Thursday’s meeting between the League Management Company and the Club Owners Association of Nigeria are to go by.
The NPFL which went on break on the eve of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia is yet to resume majorly due to the leadership crisis which rocked the Nigeria Football Federation, but has now been resolved following the intervention of the federal government.
Lobi Stars occupy top spot in the table with 43 points from 24 matches.
With the Confederation of African Football, October 15 deadline for the registration of the teams that will participate in the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup in mind, reports emerged on Thursday night that the clubs have agreed to end the league after matchday 24 subject to the ratification of the NFF.
Also, according to the reports, no clubs will be relegated for the 2017/2018 season.
Four clubs will be promoted from the second-tier, Bet9ja Nigeria National League to form a 24-team 2018/19 season, which will be abridged into two groups of 12 clubs each.
The new NPFL 2018/19 season is billed to kick off in November.
Meanwhile, the Aiteo Cup will begin on September 5 with the preliminary stage and will resort to group format by the round of 16.
Aiteo Cup winners will then represent Nigeria in the 2019 CAF Confederation Cup.
There are also reports that the LMC and the 20 clubs will continue their meeting in Abuja today to further deliberate on the issue.
CSN efforts to reach the chairman of the Club Owners Association of Nigeria, Barrister Isaac Danladi, who is also the chairman of Nasarawa United and General Manager of Enugu Rangers, Davidson Owunmi to get confirmation on the issue proved abortive.