NPFL excluded from Africa’s top 10 domestic leagues in 2025 ranking
The International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) has released its latest ranking of Africa’s domestic leagues.
The body assesses leagues across the continent based on performance and competitiveness during the period under review.
Disappointingly, the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) failed to make the top 10 in the latest ranking of Africa’s strongest domestic leagues for 2025.
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.
In fourth place was Algeria’s Ligue Professionnelle 1, while 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 has raised further concerns about the league’s continental standing, despite recent efforts to improve organisation, infrastructure, and competitiveness.
Top 10 Strongest African Leagues for 2025 (IFFHS):
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
The ranking is expected to further fuel debates on the need for sustained reforms within Nigerian domestic football to restore the NPFL’s status among Africa’s elite leagues.
