The Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) has once again failed to secure a place among Africa’s top ten domestic leagues in the latest rankings released by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS).
According to the IFFHS, the NPFL is currently ranked 12th in Africa and 91st globally, leaving Nigeria outside the continent’s elite leagues.
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The IFFHS is a globally respected body responsible for documenting football history, records and statistics, and it regularly evaluates the performances of leagues, clubs and players across the world.
Its most recent global league rankings, published on Friday, provide an overview of the current hierarchy of domestic football competitions in Africa and beyond.
Notably, no African league featured in the global top 15.
The Egyptian Premier League remains Africa’s highest-ranked competition, sitting first on the continent and 16th worldwide.
North African leagues continue to dominate the upper tier of the rankings, with Morocco’s Botola Pro rated second in Africa (39th globally), followed by South Africa’s Premier Soccer League in third place (45th globally).
Algeria’s Ligue 1 occupies fourth position on the continent (46th globally), while Tunisia’s Ligue Professionnelle 1 completes Africa’s top five at 51st worldwide.
The rest of Africa’s top ten leagues are the Tanzanian Premier League, DR Congo’s Linafoot, Mali’s Ligue 1 Orange, Angola’s Girabola and the Ivorian Ligue 1.
Africa’s Top 10 Leagues at a Glance (IFFHS Rankings)
Egyptian Premier League (Egypt) – 16th globally
Botola Pro (Morocco) – 39th globally
Premier Soccer League (South Africa) – 45th globally
Algerian Ligue 1 (Algeria) – 46th globally
Ligue Professionnelle 1 (Tunisia) – 51st globally
Tanzanian Premier League (Tanzania)
Linafoot (DR Congo)
Ligue 1 Orange (Mali)
Girabola (Angola)
Ligue 1 (Ivory Coast)
The NPFL’s low standing has reignited concerns over the league’s organisation, infrastructure and overall quality.
These issues have also been reflected in continental competitions, with Nigerian clubs failing to win a major African title in nearly two decades.
In addition, Nigeria’s presence in CAF tournaments has dwindled in recent seasons, with only one club currently competing in the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup.
Nevertheless, there remains cautious optimism among stakeholders that ongoing reforms and administrative improvements could help the NPFL regain its footing on the continental stage in the years ahead.
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