The 2016

Nigeria Women Premier League The NWFL Premiership (formerly Nigeria Women Premier League) is the top-level league for women's association football in Nigeria. It is the women's equivalent of the men's league, the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL). The Nigeria Wo ...

was scheduled to start in February 2016, but was moved to 21 May, 2016. A total of 18 teams were registered for the season. The teams are divided into two groups of nine each. The winner of each abridged league will meet at the end of the season to determine the overall winner of the league. The Nigeria Women Premier League is one of the league competitions administered by the Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) board.

Rivers Angels F.C. Rivers Angels F.C. (formerly Larry Angels F.C.) is a Nigerian football club based in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. They play in the Nigeria Women Premier League, the top flight division in the female soccer league system. History The club wa ...

came to the season as defending champions after winning the super six tournament in

Abia State Abia State ( ig, Ȯha Abia) is a state in the South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, it is bordered to the north and northeast by the states of Enugu, and Ebonyi, Imo State to the west, Cross River State to the east, Akwa Ibom State to the ...

in the previous season. On 30 October 2016,

Nasarawa Amazons F.C. Nasarawa Amazons F.C. is a women's association football club based in Lafia in Nasarawa State, the club is related to the men's football club Nasarawa United. The home jersey is green, the away jersey is white with a diagonal sky blue stripe. Hi ...

and

were confirmed winners of group A and B respectively.

Rafiat Sule Rafiat Folakemi Sule (born 3 August 2000), is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a forward at club level for the Bari-based A.S.D. Pink Sport Time, in Italian Serie A. She previously donned the colours of Rivers Angels, and was top ...

and

Paulinus Ifeoma Paulinus or Paullinus may refer to: Christian saints *Paulinus of Antioch *Paulinus of Nola, poet and bishop *Paulinus of York, first bishop of York *Paulinus II of Aquileia, Italian bishop, poet and scholar *Paulinus of Wales *Paulinus of Trier, 4 ...

Bayelsa Queens F.C. Bayelsa Queens is a Nigerian women football club based in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. They play in the highest pyramid of women football in Nigeria. They have won three championships in the Nigeria Women Premier League in the year 2004, ...

and

COD United Ladies F.C. COD United Amazons F.C., (also called COD United Ladies F.C) is a Nigerian women's association football club based in Lagos State. It is owned by the City of David parish of Redeemed Christian Church of God, a body that also governs the men's arm ...

respectively led the scorer's chart with nine goals, with the former edging Ifeoma with superior assist record (5). This is the second consecutive year of Sule being top scorer as she was also the goal king in 2015 season. On 10 August 2016, Tokas Queens and Capital City Doves were expunged from the league for failure to honour three consecutive matches. The number of expelled team was increased to seven a few weeks later after Nasarawa Amazons, Martin White Doves, F.C Robo, Confluence Queens and Adamawa Queens were also evicted for similar reasons. The NWFL board explained that their commitment to improving professionalism in female football in Nigeria was reason for the strict adherence to the prior rules of the competition. The economic recession in Nigeria has been highlighted as the reason for failure of teams to meet the financial demands of games. The clubs were later reinstated to the league after the League Management Company gave ten million naira to alleviate the running of the league. On 21 January 2017, at the

Abuja National Stadium Moshood Abiola National Stadium (formerly known as National Stadium, Abuja) is a multipurpose national sports stadium located in Abuja, in the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. The stadium serves as a home to the Nigerian national football ...

Rivers Angels Rivers Angels F.C. (formerly Larry Angels F.C.) is a Nigerian football club based in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. They play in the Nigeria Women Premier League, the top flight division in the female soccer league system. History The club wa ...

defeated Nasarawa Amazons on penalties after playing goalless. This is the second trophy won by the club after winning the 2016

Nigeria Women's Cup The AITEO Cup (formerly Women Challenge Cup and Federations Cup) is a cup competition in Nigeria. Rivers Angels of Port Harcourt have won the most titles. The tournament along with Nigeria Women Premier League are the two recognized competition f ...

Format

Eighteen teams in two groups of nine each competed for the league title. Each team plays with every team in her respective group. Unlike 2015 season, where the top 3 teams from each group contested in a super 6 mini-tournament in

to determine the overall winner, this season title decider involves only the winner of group A and group B. This two seasons are in contrast with the 2014 season where a complete round robin system was used. Rivers Angels and Nasarawa Amazons are to contest in a winners final to determine the overall winner of the league.

Clubs

Geographical location

League standings

Group A

Group B

Awards

Player of the month

The NWPL player of the month is sponsored by futbalgalore.com. *May:

Seun Fakunle Seun is a unisex Nigerian name that means Thanks. The full form is usually Oluwaseun which means Thank God. ;Given name * Seun Adigun (born 1987), Nigerian runner *Seun Kuti Oluseun Anikulapo Kuti (born 11 January 1983), who is called by the na ...

( Delta Queens) *June: Patience Kalu (

Bayelsa Queens Bayelsa Queens is a Nigerian women football club based in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. They play in the highest pyramid of women football in Nigeria. They have won three championships in the Nigeria Women Premier League in the year 2004, 2 ...

) *July:

Glory Iroka Glory Iroka (born 3 January 1990) is a Nigerian international footballer who plays as a midfielder for Nigerian Women's Championship club Rivers Angels and the Nigeria women's national football team. International career She was part of the ...

(

) *August:

Esther Anthony Esther is the eponymous heroine of the Book of Esther. In the Achaemenid Empire, the Persian king Ahasuerus seeks a new wife after his queen, Vashti, is deposed for disobeying him. Hadassah, a Jewess who goes by the name of Esther, is chosen t ...

( Osun Babes) *September:

(

)

Statistics

Scorers chart

References

External links

League table A

League table B

Rivers Angels vs Adamawa

Scorers chart
{{2016 in African football (CAF) Nigeria Women Premier League seasons Wom Wom Ni Ni