Abuja: Euromatch, a European sports entertainment brand, has committed 7.5 million dollars to sponsor the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) over the next three years. The sponsorship deal, which will see the company provide 2.5 million dollars annually, was announced at the unveiling of Euromatch as the title sponsor of the NPFL in Abuja on Wednesday.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Sacli Semih, Group Chairman of Euromatch, said the company’s decision to invest in the league was driven by Nigeria’s economic potential and the abundance of football talent in the country. Semih highlighted Nigeria as a key market for the company, noting Africa’s emergence as a rapidly expanding market for sports entertainment.
‘We are a growing sports entertainment brand from Europe, and football is our core product. Africa is one of the fastest-growing markets, and Nigeria is the heart of Africa. It is the biggest economy, in my view, with enormous potential,’ he said. Semih emphasized that Euromatch considers Niger
ian footballers among the most underrated talents globally and sees significant commercial potential in the NPFL.
Semih also expressed that the company expects the investment to yield greater returns from the second year of the partnership as the league’s visibility and quality improve. The sponsorship aims at increasing the NPFL’s international visibility and enhancing its organization and presentation to meet higher standards. ‘When we transfer the Nigerian league to European standards, under the name Euromatch NPFL, the visibility of the league in Europe alone will increase,’ he stated.
Gbenga Elegbeleye, Chairman of the NPFL, described the 7.5 million-dollar sponsorship as a major milestone in efforts to reposition the domestic league. He indicated that the partnership would help improve the league’s visibility, attract more spectators, and create opportunities for Nigerian players. Elegbeleye mentioned the league’s progress in attracting fans to match venues and its ongoing commitment to improving oper
ations and standards.
Ibrahim Gusau, President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), described the sponsorship as evidence that efforts to stabilize and reposition the NPFL were yielding results. Gusau stressed the importance of stability in attracting investment into the domestic league, acknowledging the hard work over the past four years to ensure stability within the league. Improved stability, visibility, and standards are expected to further enhance the commercial value of Nigerian football.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the 2026/2027 NPFL season is expected to begin on Friday.