NFF-PSAC Crackdown: NNL Clubs Rush to Clear Player Debts as Registration Deadline Nears
By: Usman Bature
Nigeria’s second-tier football clubs are in a race against time to clear outstanding debts owed to players before the October 24 registration deadline for the 2025/2026 Nigeria National League (NNL) season.
This follows a strict directive from the Nigeria Football Federation Players’ Status Arbitration Committee (NFF-PSAC), which has imposed transfer bans on indebted clubs until all arrears are fully settled.
In a letter dated September 9, 2025, and signed by NNL Chief Operating Officer, Danlami Alalana, the league body warned that any club yet to fulfill its financial obligations as ordered by NFF-PSAC will be barred from registering new players for the coming season.
“Affected clubs will not be permitted to register new players with the NNL. Any registration made before clearing outstanding debts remains invalid,” a source within the NNL confirmed to Sports247.
An NFF-PSAC insider, who spoke under anonymity, emphasized that there will be no waiver or extension for defaulting clubs.
“These clubs have been notified of the decisions since April 2025. I’ve spoken personally with some of their management, urging them to settle these debts immediately. There will be no leniency whatsoever,” the source stressed.
The NNL registration portal opened on October 6 and will close on October 24. According to league guidelines, clubs must submit:
Transfer Matching System (TMS) certificates for all players
Valid medical and insurance documents for players and officials
Proof of compliance with NFF and NNL registration rules
COO Danlami Alalana reaffirmed the league’s firm stance on deadlines, stating:
“We are determined to stick to our programme and will not entertain delays. Clubs must adhere strictly to the October 24 deadline.”
With less than three weeks remaining before the cutoff, clubs affected by the PSAC sanctions face mounting pressure to settle their financial obligations or risk missing out on crucial squad reinforcements ahead of the new NNL campaign kicking off in November 2025.
