The Nigeria National League (NNL) has barred five clubs from registering for the 2025/26 season due to unresolved financial obligations.

The affected teams are Gombe United, Heartland, Lobi Stars, Akwa United, and Sunshine Stars.

In a circular signed by the Chief Operating Officer, Danlami Alanana, the league body made it clear that any club with outstanding debts to players, coaches, or administrators will not be cleared for participation.

Alanana stressed that registration will only be granted once clubs provide verifiable evidence of compliance with rulings from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Players Status and Arbitration Committee.

The circular read in part:
“Clubs indebted to players, coaches, and administrators with cases adjudicated by the NFF Players Status and Arbitration Committee must comply with the committee’s decisions. Compliance is mandatory before clubs will be allowed to register.”

Opinion: A Necessary but Painful Stand

This decision may sting fans of the affected clubs, but it represents a necessary stand for accountability in Nigerian football. For too long, issues of unpaid wages and poor treatment of players and coaches have quietly persisted, leaving those who give their all to the game stranded financially.

By taking this tough stance, the NNL is sending a strong message: clubs cannot aspire to professional excellence while neglecting their most important assets—their people. Football is not only about glory on the pitch; it is also about fairness, welfare, and respect off it.

Of course, this ruling puts pressure on the clubs’ managements, but perhaps it is the kind of pressure needed to push Nigerian football towards better governance. After all, professionalism is not just about results, it’s about structures that protect players, coaches, and staff.

Fans may feel disappointed not to see their favorite teams in action if compliance is delayed, but in the long run, this could mark a turning point in raising standards in Nigerian football. And if that means short-term pain for long-term progress, then maybe it’s a price worth paying.