IFFHS Ranking: Nigerian League Falls 15 Places Amid Continental Struggles
By AUGUSTUS ISICHEI
NPFL Slides in Latest Global Ratings
The Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) has dropped to 91st position in the latest global league rankings released by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS).
The 2025 rankings show the NPFL fell 15 places from its 76th position in 2024, accumulating 171.75 points and slipping outside the world’s top 90 domestic leagues.
The decline highlights growing competitiveness across global football markets and reflects inconsistent performances by Nigerian clubs in continental competitions. The IFFHS ranking methodology evaluates leagues based on clubs’ results in continental and international tournaments, using weighted performance metrics that go beyond regional participation.
Africa’s Powerhouses Hold Firm
While Nigeria slipped, other African leagues strengthened their standing. Egypt’s top division retained its position as Africa’s strongest league for the sixth consecutive year. Morocco’s Botola remained consistently among the continent’s elite, while South Africa’s Premiership returned to Africa’s top three for the first time in over two decades. Algeria and Tunisia completed the continent’s top five.
Under the Confederation of African Football (CAF) five-year ranking system, Nigeria currently sits 12th with 21 points, retaining two qualification slots in each CAF interclub competition.
Europe Maintains Global Supremacy
European leagues once again dominated the global landscape, occupying 12 of the top 20 positions and 29 of the top 50.
The English Premier League retained its place as the world’s highest-ranked league, ahead of Spain’s La Liga and Brazil’s Campeonato Brasileiro Série A. Italy’s Serie A and Germany’s Bundesliga remained among the global elite.
Reform Calls Grow Louder
Observers say the NPFL’s slide underscores long-standing issues, including infrastructure deficits, limited commercial investment, and underwhelming continental outings.
Analyst Tunde Adeyemi stressed that structural reforms and improved club competitiveness are critical to reversing the trend.
“The league has enormous potential,” he said. “But the rankings reflect the urgent need for coordinated reforms and stronger continental performances.”
With African rivals consolidating their influence, pressure is mounting on Nigerian football authorities to reposition the NPFL and restore its continental and global stature.
