2013 Nigeria Premier League


The 2013 Nigeria Professional Football League will be the 42nd season of the competition since its inception, and the 23rd since the rebranding of the league as the "Professional League".
Due to start in December, numerous delays and challenges to the board pushed the opening weekend back to February, and then pushed to March 9.
There was a season-opening Super Four tournament won by Heartland F.C. between the four clubs involved in Continental competitions in order to get them ready for their international assignments.

Clubs

Sixteen teams from the previous season and four teams promoted from the Nigeria National League participated in this season.
Team nameHome cityHome venueFirst year of current stint in League
ABS F.C.IlorinKwara State Stadium2011
Akwa UnitedUyoUyo Township Stadium/Rojenny Stadium, Oba2011
Bayelsa United F.C.YenegoaSamson Siasia Stadium2012
DolphinsPort HarcourtLiberation Stadium2009
El-Kanemi WarriorsMaiduguriEl-Kanemi Stadium2012
Enugu RangersEnuguNnamdi Azikiwe Stadium1973
EnyimbaAbaEnyimba International Stadium1994
Gombe UnitedGombePantami Stadium1994
HeartlandOwerriDan Anyiam Stadium1975
Kaduna UnitedKadunaKaduna Township Stadium2008
Kano PillarsKanoSani Abacha Stadium2001
Kwara UnitedIlorinKwara State Stadium2009
Lobi StarsMakurdiEmmanuel Atongo Stadium, Katsina-Ala/Aper Aku Stadium1999
Nasarawa UnitedLafiaLafia Township Stadium2012
Nembe City F.C.NembeSamson Siasia Stadium2012
SharksPort HarcourtSharks Stadium2008
Shooting StarsIbadanAwolowo Stadium2009
Sunshine StarsAkureAkure Township Stadium2007
Warri WolvesWarriWarri Township Stadium2008
Wikki TouristsBauchiAbubarkar Tafawa Balewa Stadium2011

Table

News

Akwa United were banished to Rojenny Stadium in Anambra State for the rest of the season after a Week 18 incident against Warri Wolves where fans invaded the pitch and attacked officials.
A September game between Kano Pillars and Enyimba was abandoned in the final minutes because of crowd trouble. Pillars will play the rest of the season in Kaduna. After the league originally awarded the forfeit to Enyimba, the NFF ruled the game to be replayed 9 October in Lokoja.

Managerial (head coach) changes