NPFL announces four-week break for Rivers United to catch up

The Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) body has announced that matches from matchday 32 have been postponed until next month because of the backlog of games for Rivers United.

The league’s administrators issued a statement on Thursday evening, announcing the rescheduling of games for Nigerian teams participating in continental competitions this season, allowing them to align with the current fixture schedule. After completing Rivers’ six outstanding games on Saturday, May 25th, the league will resume operations.

Rivers United’s continental season has postponed a few games, totalling six, because of logistical concerns while travelling for their away fixtures.

USM Algiers knocked Rivers United out of the CAF Confederations Cup earlier this month and now have six outstanding NPFL matches.

Because of these outstanding matches, Rivers United have played 26 games, including their 2-1 win over Katsina United, and are currently 12th on the NPFL table with 40 points.

Schedule for Rivers United’s outstanding matches

Remo Stars vs Rivers United – May 5

Kwara Utd vs Rivers Utd – May 8

Sunshine Stars vs Rivers United – May 11

Abia Warriors vs Rivers Utd – May 15

Rivers United vs Niger Tornadoes – May 19

A general CAF problem

However, Rivers United are the only club participating on the continent caught in the web of rescheduled games, as other teams in other African leagues are battling to stay on schedule because of postponed league games.

PREMIUM TIMES’ observation of four other African leagues with active club participants in the CAF Champions League or CAF Confederations Cups reveals the challenge of outstanding matches.

In the CAF Confederations Cup, there are four teams from four different leagues left in the competition, and they all have outstanding games because of continental assignments.

Dreams FC in the Ghanaian league have played 24 instead of 27 games, leaving them with three outstanding matches because of matches in the knockout stages of the Confederations Cup. They are currently 14th on the table.

Zamalek of Egypt, another Confederations Cup semifinalist, have played just 13 games out of 19 matches in the Egyptian league. Because of these six outstanding games, they currently sit 12th on the table.

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Just like Dreams and Zamalek, USM Algiers, who eliminated Rivers United, also have three outstanding games, while it’s only RS Berkane amongst the four teams with the least outstanding game, which is one.

Meanwhile, only RS Berkane are certain of the next CAF qualification, as the other three teams are below the benchmark for next season’s participation.

In the CAF Champions League, another Egyptian side, Al Ahly, have the most outstanding games—eight. At the same time, the duo of TP Mazembe and Mamelodi Sundowns have three outstanding games, while Esperance of Tunisia are up to date in league encounters.