The long-awaited draws and first round of fixtures for the 2018/2019 Nigeria National League (NNL) groupings were held in Abuja on Thursday, April 28th with all forty-two competing teams placed in four groups split along geopolitical lines.
Ten teams were drawn in Group A1 and eleven teams in Group A2 in the Northern Conference while 12 teams were drawn in Group B1 and eleven teams in Group B2 in the Southern Conference although Group B2 remains incomplete with just eleven teams represented in the draws.
Group winners will gain direct promotion to the top tier Nigeria Professional Football League which is a departure from the hugely contentious Super 8 of last season while the NNL champions will be determined by a “Super 4” playoff between the group winners at the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba.
Kickoff for the new NNL season has been fixed for April 3rd with the league expected to be concluded by the first week of July.
FULL DRAWS AND FIRST ROUND FIXTURE LIST
GROUP A1
KADUNA UTD FC
DELTA FORCE FC
MALUMFASHI FC
NAF FC
EFCC FC
FC TARABA
KOGI UTD FC
FC ZAMFARA
JIGAWA G’ STARS FC
YARMA LIGHT FC
GROUP A2
REAL STARS FC
GREEN BERET FC
RARARA FC
ROAD SAFETY FC
BIMO SC
GIODANO FC
ABS FC
ADAMAWA UTD FC
AKLOSENDI INTL FC
SOKOTO UTD FC
MIGHTY JETS FC
GROUP B1
AKWA STARLETS FC
STATIONERY STORES FC
36LIONS FC
DE SAPELE LIONS FC
J. ATETE FC
GIANT BRILLARS FC
3SC
BAYELSA UTD FC
OSUN UTD FC
ABIA COMETS FC
JOSSY FC
GROUP B2
IBOM YOUTHS FC
IKORODU UTD FC
WARRI WOLVES
WORD OF LIFE FC
LAMRAY UTD FC
CROWN FC
NNEWI UTD FC
ROVERS FC
GATEWAY UTD FC
EKITI UTD FC
DYNAMITE FC
GROUP A1 ROUND 1
KADUNA UTD FC v YARMA LIGHT FC
DELTA FORCE FC v JIGAWA G’ STARS FC
MALUMFASHI FC v FC ZAMFARA
NAF FC v KOGI UTD FC
EFCC FC v FC TARABA
GROUP A2 ROUND 2
REAL STARS FC v 12
GREEN BERET FC v MIGHTY JETS FC
RARARA FC v SOKOTO UTD FC
ROAD SAFETY FC v AKLOSENDI INTL FC
BIMO SC v ADAMAWA UTD FC
GIODANO FC v ABS FC
GROUP B1 ROUND 1
AKWA STARLETS FC v 12
STATIONERY STORES FC v JOSSY FC
36LION FC v ABIA COMETS FC
DE SAPELE LIONS FC v OSUN UTD FC
J. ATETE FC v BAYELSA UTD FC
GIANT BRILLARS FC v 3SC
GROUP B2 ROUND 1
IBOM YOUTHS FC v 12
IKORODU UTD FC v DYNAMITE FC
WARRI WOLVES v EKITI UTD FC
WORD OF LIFE FC v GATEWAY UTD FC
LAMRAY UTD FC v ROVERS FC
CROWN FC v NNEWI UTD FC
