Rangers International and Rivers United both won on NPFL Matchday 37, setting up a winner-takes-all final day on May 24. Just one point separates Nigeria’s two title contenders heading into the last round.
NPFL Matchday 37 delivered exactly the drama the title race demanded. Rangers International and Rivers United both won their Sunday May 10 fixtures to preserve a nerve-shredding one-point gap at the summit of the table. Rangers edged past Bendel Insurance 2-1 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu, while Rivers United produced a stunning 3-2 comeback win away at Wikki Tourists in Bauchi. With one round remaining, the 2025/26 Nigeria Premier Football League championship will be decided on a single, simultaneous final day — NPFL Matchday 38 on Sunday May 24, 2026.
The day also brought a brutal confirmation for two clubs at the other end of the table. Bayelsa United and Wikki Tourists are relegated from the NPFL, their fates sealed by a combination of their own results and those of rivals around them. Katsina United provided the biggest scoreline of the round with a dominant 4-1 dismantling of Ikorodu City, while Kwara United continued their strong run of form with a composed 2-0 victory over Enyimba International. All ten Matchday 37 results from Nigeria are below.
All ten NPFL Matchday 37 fixtures kicked off simultaneously at 4pm. Here are the full scores from across Nigeria:
Rangers International 2-1 Bendel Insurance — Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu
Wikki Tourists 2-3 Rivers United — Bauchi
Katsina United 4-1 Ikorodu City — Katsina
Kano Pillars 1-0 Warri Wolves — Kano
Shooting Stars 1-0 Barau FC — Ibadan
El-Kanemi Warriors 0-0 Niger Tornadoes — Maiduguri
Kwara United 2-0 Enyimba International — Ilorin
Remo Stars 2-1 Bayelsa United — Ikenne
Abia Warriors 0-2 Kun-Khalifat — TBA
Nasarawa United 1-0 Plateau United — Lafia
The two headline results — Rangers winning at home and Rivers United winning away — mean the title race is in exactly the same shape it was before kick-off, only one round closer to its conclusion. Rangers lead Rivers United by a single point. On May 24, one of them becomes champion.
Rangers International had a job to do in front of their own supporters in Enugu, and they did it — though Bendel Insurance made them work throughout. The 2-1 final score was enough to maintain Rangers’ unblemished home record across the entire 2025/26 NPFL season, a truly remarkable achievement that has been the backbone of their title challenge from the very first round.
Chisom Obaje remained central to the Rangers attack. His composure in key moments, demonstrated most clearly by a late winner in a previous away fixture, continued to mark him as the most decisive individual in the title race. The Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium crowd played their part too, generating the kind of atmosphere that has made Enugu the hardest venue in Nigerian football this campaign.
Rangers now move to 65 points. They head to the final day requiring just a win against Ikorodu City in Lagos to clinch what would be a record-equalling ninth NPFL title. Fidelis Ilechukwu’s side have shown all season that they know how to win when it matters most.
Rivers United’s resolve was tested severely in Bauchi. Wikki Tourists led twice during the match, and for a period it appeared that Rivers’ title challenge might be suffering a fatal blow in the north of Nigeria. Instead, Rivers United produced one of the most impressive results of their entire campaign, overturning a two-goal deficit to win 3-2 and claim three points that keep their championship dream alive.
The drama of that comeback spoke directly to the mentality within the Rivers United squad. Away from home, behind on the scoreboard, with the pressure of a title race bearing down — they still found a way to win. Wikki Tourists fought hard but ultimately could not hold off a side with genuine championship quality.
The result also confirmed Wikki’s relegation. They drop from the NPFL after failing to secure the points needed to stay up, ending a season that began with far greater ambitions. Rivers United return to Port Harcourt on 64 points, needing a win against Katsina United on May 24 and a Rangers slip in Lagos to become 2025/26 NPFL champions.
Two clubs will compete in the Nigeria National League next season after their NPFL fates were finalised on Matchday 37. Wikki Tourists, confirmed by their home defeat to Rivers United, leave the top flight after a difficult campaign in which they were unable to mount the kind of consistent run of results needed to escape danger. The Bauchi club have been a familiar name in Nigerian football, making their departure from the NPFL particularly significant.
Bayelsa United’s relegation was sealed by Remo Stars’ 2-1 win at Ikenne. That result left Bayelsa without the points they needed to move out of the bottom two, sending the Yenagoa-based side down alongside Wikki. For both clubs, the focus now shifts entirely to rebuilding and returning to the top flight as quickly as possible.
The rest of the clubs in the lower half of the table breathed a collective sigh of relief. Katsina United’s ruthless 4-1 win over Ikorodu City confirmed their safety in emphatic fashion. Kwara United’s 2-0 victory over Enyimba, combined with the results above them, cemented their mid-table standing for the season’s close.
The NPFL table after Matchday 37 is as tight at the top as the season has been throughout. Rangers International lead with 65 points. Rivers United sit second with 64 points. No other club can win the title — only these two sides are in contention, and every remaining scenario produces one of them as 2025/26 NPFL champions.
Rangers need to win in Lagos on the final day to guarantee the title regardless of Rivers United’s result. If Rivers United win and Rangers fail to win, the Finidi George-era club claim their first NPFL championship. A draw or Rivers United defeat on the final day, whatever Rangers do, means the trophy goes to Enugu. For Rangers, the maths is simple and reassuring. For Rivers United, they must win and then wait.
Remo Stars retain third place in the table after their 2-1 win over Bayelsa United, which secured both points and confirmed their strong finish to the campaign. Kano Pillars’ 1-0 win over Warri Wolves keeps them in contention for the upper reaches of the final standings.
The 2025/26 NPFL season concludes on Sunday May 24, 2026. All Matchday 38 fixtures will kick off simultaneously at 4pm in accordance with the league’s integrity rules for the final round. The two games that will decide the title are Rangers International away at Ikorodu City at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos, and Rivers United hosting Katsina United in Port Harcourt.
For Rangers, a win in Lagos clinches the title — whatever happens elsewhere. The Enugu club are chasing a ninth NPFL championship, which would equal the all-time record. For Rivers United, it is win and hope. They must take care of business at home, then watch events unfold across the country. Katsina United, safe following their Matchday 37 form, travel to Port Harcourt with the season effectively over for them. Ikorodu City face Rangers with their own final-day anxieties to manage.
For a full match-by-match preview, odds breakdown, and betting angles ahead of the historic final day, read our NPFL Matchday 38 Final Day Preview and Betting Tips. The best platforms to bet on the Nigerian title decider are covered in our guide to the best betting sites for NPFL.
