Matchweek 3 of the EUROMATCH Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) gets underway this Saturday when early and surprise leaders Doma United play hosts to nine-time champions Enyimba at the Pantami Stadium in Gombe.
In their previous two meetings in the 2023/24 season, newly-promoted Doma United took four points off the former champions who began their campaign with a defeat at Niger Tornadoes on the opening day.
Last season, Enyimba failed to win a single game against any of the four promoted clubs including losing home and away to Warri Wolves.
At the same time, Doma United head coach Deji Ayeni should be relishing this meeting having experienced a brief stint at Enyimba last season that lasted less than a month before his appointment was overturned leading to Emmanuel Deutsch taking over.
Enyimba’s City rivals, Abia Warriors are braced for the arrival of Ikorodu City and will be keen to get off the mark having failed to score a goal and only managed just a point in two matches so far.
All two previous trips to Abia have ended in defeats for City who started the campaign with a 3-1 win at home against Ranchers Bees.
Ranchers are expected to make a short trip to Kano where they go up against Barau FC. Bees head coach Usman Abd’Allah returns to a familiar ground at the Sani Abacha Stadium and will galvanise his men to produce a performance to earn them a result.
Kennedy Boboye should be back in charge at Bendel Insurance this Sunday when his team face Kun Khalifat FC. He is expected to take charge of his 25th game as Bendel Insurance head coach (W10 D10 L4).
Kun Khalifat who have drawn their opening two matches will hope to pull out everything to frustrate Boboye’s side and make his 25th match in charge far from memorable though last season the Benin Arsenals were heads and shoulders above their opponents.
In their last five meetings, Kwara United have had the upperhand over Katsina United by winning three of those face-offs (W3 D1 L1). Last season, Kwara United did the double over their opponents including a 1-0 win at home via Ibrahim Yahaya’s goal.
Katsina United on the other hand have played just a game this season and that was the 1-1 draw at champions Rangers. Azeez Audu Mohammed and his men will be buoyed to take another good result on the road.
At the Bako Kontagora Stadium in Minna, Niger Tornadoes will go up against Plateau United who have managed just one win in their last seven trips at their opponents’ ground (D2 L7).
This season both clubs have identical starts to their campaign winning one and losing one each. It is expected to be a tight contest this Sunday when the two sides go head-to-head.
The most talked about fixture of the matchweek is the Lagos derby between Inter Lagos and Sporting Lagos at the Onikan Lagos, now known as the Mobolaji Johnson Arena. It will be the first-ever top-flight meeting between both sides. The match is live from 4pm Nigerian time on NPFL YouTube channel powered by Murphy Ben International (MBI).
Three matches involving the champions Rangers, Rivers United and Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) have been postponed due to their involvement in the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup this weekend.
Matchday 3
Saturday, September 12, 2026
Doma United v Enyimba
Sunday, September 13, 2026
Abia Warriors v Ikorodu City
Barau FC v Ranchers Bees
Bendel Insurance v Kun Khalifat
Rangers v Nasarawa United (PP)
Rivers United v Warri Wolves (PP)
Kwara United v Katsina United
Niger Tornadoes v Plateau United
Shooting Stars v Kano Pillars (PP)
Inter Lagos v Sporting Lagos