NPFL not rated among Top 10 leagues in Africa

NPFL not rated among Top 10 leagues in Africa

The Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) has dropped considerably from its rating among its contemporaries in Africa, missing out completely in the Top 10 rating. 

in January 2025, the NPFL was 13th on the Top 20 best leagues in Africa. In November 2025, the Nigerian league was 4th in the continent from 7th in 2023. It's a departure from its first ranking in 2012 and 24th best in the world when it was rated above the Scottish Premier League.

The ranking was released by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS), which assessed leagues across the continent based on performance and competitiveness over the period under review.

According to the IFFHS classification, Egypt’s Nile League emerged as the strongest league in Africa for 2025, maintaining its dominance on the continent.

Morocco’s Botola Pro followed closely in second place, while South Africa’s Betway Premiership ranked third.

Algeria’s Ligue Professionnelle 1 and Tunisia’s Ligue Professionnelle 1 completed the top five, underlining North Africa’s strong presence in the ranking.

East and Central African leagues were also well represented, with Tanzania’s NBC Premier League placing sixth and DR Congo’s Linafoot Ligue 1 ranking seventh.

Mali’s Ligue 1 Orange, Angola’s Girabola, and Ivory Coast’s Ligue 1 Lonaci occupied the eighth, ninth, and tenth positions respectively.

The absence of the NPFL from the top 10 raises further concerns about the league’s continental standing, despite recent efforts to improve organisation, infrastructure, and competitiveness.

The IFFHS focus on chronological records, compiling statistics from national and international matches to present a global view of football's past and present, including awards like the IFFHS World Team. 

TOP 10 Leagues in Africa

Egypt – Nile League

Morocco – Botola Pro

South Africa – Betway Premiership

 Algeria – Ligue Professionnelle 1

Tunisia – Ligue Professionnelle 1

Tanzania – NBC Premier League 

DR Congo – Linafoot Ligue 1

Mali – Ligue 1 Orange

Angola – Girabola

Ivory Coast – Ligue 1 Lonaci