June, 15 2023.
The Nigeria National League (NNL) promotional play-offs, christened Super 8 has been tentatively scheduled to start in the last week of June, 2023; meaning the week-long season ending tournament, will end in the first week of July.
Following the conclusion of matches in the regular season, on Wednesday; the management of the NNL confirmed the Stephen Keshi Memorial Stadium, in Asaba, Delta State as host City for the 2022/2023 Super 8 Play -Offs.
The identities of the teams who will be in Asaba for the week-long Super 8, the 3rd edition, but 13th season ending tournament of the NNL are now known; and Head of Operations of the second tier league, Mr.Emmanuel Adesanya has hailed Delta State as the most sports friendly state in Nigeria.
"We are happy to announce that the Delta State government has consented to hosting the Super 8 at the Stephen keshi Stadium, Asaba and we commend the Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori for this gesture. We also congratulate him on his election and swearing in as the Chief Executive of the State", Adesanya stated.
To further stamp the name of Delta State as the hub of elite and grassroots Sports in Nigeria, Delta has just hosted the Women's football league NWFL Super Six, and will next Wednesday host the final of the 2023 Federation Cup, between Enugu Rangers and Bendel Insurance of Benin as well as the women's final between Bayelsa Queens and Rivers Angels.
Delta State has also hosted prominent sporting events in the past, and that includes the hosting of the National Sports Festival (NSF) in 2022; and the Senior African Athletics Championships in 2018.
The teams to contest for honours at the Asaba 2023 NNL Super 8 are; EFCC of Abuja, Katsina United, Kano Pillars and DMD of Maiduguri all from the Northern Conference; and the quartet of FC One Rock of Uyo, Abeokuta Stormers SC, Heartland of Owerri and Sporting Lagos who qualified from the Southern Conference.
The top four teams in Asaba will earn promotion to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL); but notably, the trio of Kano Pillars, Katsina United and Heartland of Owerri who were all relegated from the NPFL at the end of the 2021/22 season are looking to return to the top flight, after just one season in the NNL.
The four promoted sides will fill the void vacated by the quartet of El-kanemi Warriors, Nasarawa United, Dakkada FC of Uyo, and Wikki Tourists of Bauchi, who were relegated from the NPFL, at the end of the 2022/23 regular season, www.ckdmedia.ng reports.
Similarly, eight teams; Sokoto United, Adamawa United, Henserd FC of Yenagoa, Joy Cometh FC of Lagos, ABS FC of Ilorin, FCW Champion FC of Abuja, Ikorodu City FC and Edel FC of Oba, will feature at the relegation play-offs.
The management of the NNL has yet to comment on its schedule; but the top four clubs at the tournament, will retain their NNL status; while the bottom four drops to the nation's third tier league, the Nationwide League One (NLO).
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