NPFL Missing In Top 10 Ranking Of Africa’s Strongest Leagues For 2025

NPFL Missing In Top 10 Ranking Of Africa’s Strongest Leagues For 2025

Sampson Adedeji

The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has failed to make the top 10 in the latest ranking of Africa’s strongest domestic leagues for 2025, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

The ranking was released by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS), which assessed leagues across the continent based on performance and competitiveness over the period under review.

According to the IFFHS classification, Egypt’s Nile League emerged as the strongest league in Africa for 2025, maintaining its dominance on the continent.

Morocco’s Botola Pro followed closely in second place, while South Africa’s Betway Premiership ranked third.

Algeria’s Ligue Professionnelle 1 and Tunisia’s Ligue Professionnelle 1 completed the top five, underlining North Africa’s strong presence in the ranking.

East and Central African leagues were also well represented, with Tanzania’s NBC Premier League placing sixth and DR Congo’s Linafoot Ligue 1 ranking seventh.

Mali’s Ligue 1 Orange, Angola’s Girabola, and Ivory Coast’s Ligue 1 Lonaci occupied the eighth, ninth, and tenth positions respectively.

The absence of the NPFL from the top 10 raises further concerns about the league’s continental standing, despite recent efforts to improve organization, infrastructure, and competitiveness.

Top 10 African Strongest Leagues for 2025 (IFFHS):

Egypt – Nile League

Morocco – Botola Pro

South Africa – Betway Premiership

Algeria – Ligue Professionnelle 1

Tunisia – Ligue Professionnelle 1

Tanzania – NBC Premier League

DR Congo – Linafoot Ligue 1

Mali – Ligue 1 Orange

Angola – Girabola 

Ivory Coast – Ligue 1 Lonaci

The ranking is expected to further fuel debates on the need for sustained reforms within Nigerian domestic football to restore the NPFL’s status among Africa’s elite leagues.