The Nigeria Premier Football League is set to introduce Friday night fixtures as part of a new matchday schedule aimed at giving supporters a wider range of opportunities to watch top-flight football.

The new arrangement will begin with the Matchday Nine clash between Shooting Stars and Ranchers Bees at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan, on Friday, October 16, with kick-off scheduled for 6pm.

The league will also introduce earlier kick-off times for selected Saturday and Sunday matches as the season progresses.

The changes are expected to provide a more flexible fixture calendar for supporters while giving clubs and commercial partners additional opportunities to engage with fans.

Friday night football will also provide the NPFL with an opportunity to attract supporters who may be unavailable for traditional weekend afternoon fixtures.

For Shooting Stars, the meeting with Ranchers Bees will be their second Friday home fixture of the season. The Ibadan club previously hosted Inter Lagos on a Friday in the opening matchday, winning 2-1.

The introduction of more evening fixtures represents another attempt by the league to modernise its matchday presentation and improve the appeal of domestic football.

With the NPFL traditionally relying heavily on weekend afternoon kick-offs, the revised schedule is expected to give the competition a more varied calendar.

The league hopes the changes lead to stronger attendance and greater fan engagement when the new format begins on October 16. (PUNCH)

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