In Nigeria, a football club is one of the popular sports clubs that act as an entity through which a team of football players is organized for sporting activities. The club can exist either as an independent unit or as part of a larger sports organization. A football team must register its players as well as staff and other personnel in order to be eligible to represent the club in any sporting activity or football competition.
The exact requirements for club licensing are regulated by FIFA and implemented on a national level within each national member association for them to take part in a league system. The following are the most popular football clubs in Nigeria loved by Dafabet sports fans.
Abia Warriors Football Club
Abia Warriors Football Club is a Nigerian professional football club based in the city of Umuahia, Abia state. Between 2005 and 2010, they played under the name “Orji Uzor Kalu FC” in honor of Abia governor Orji Uzor Kalu who helped the club with state sponsorship upon promotion to the professional level. They reverted to their old name in the summer of 2010. They won promotion to the Nigeria Premier League for the first time in August 2013 after winning their division on the last day.
Abiola Babes F.C.
Abiola Babes was a Nigerian football team that played in Abeokuta. It was owned by Bashorun Moshood K Abiola and was promoted to the Nigeria First Division in 1984. After a period of hiatus in the 1990s, the team reformed in May 2000 but was disbanded the next year for lack of funds. Their last game was in the 2001 Challenge Cup against NIPOST FC.
Wikki Tourists F.C.
Wikki Tourists Football Club, nicknamed Giant Elephant, was founded in1991, at Abubarkar Tafawa Balewa Stadium is a Nigerian football club based in Bauchi, and currently playing to the Nigeria Premier League after promotion from the second-tier Nigeria National League after the 2014 season. Wikki Tourists FC is sponsored by Bauchi State Government.
Shooting Stars S.C
Shooting Stars Sports Club is a Nigerian football club based in Ibadan. The club was one of the founders of the Nigerian Premier League in 1972 when they were called WNDC Ibadan (Western Nigeria Development Company) and were later called IICC (Industrial Investment and Credit Corporation) Shooting Stars of Ibadan.
The nickname “Shooting Stars” was added with the suggestion of team foundation members the late Jide Johnson and Niyi Omowon the “Aare Odan Liberty” (Generalissimo of Liberty Stadium) who believed that the players were “stars” in their own right.
Shooting Stars is one of the most followed football clubs in Nigeria and play their home matches at the Lekan Salami Stadium. The stadium was named after one of the prominent supporters of the club who is now deceased. Before, “Sooting” as it is called by its supporters used to play at the famous Liberty Stadium, one of the venues for the world youth soccer championship in 1999.
Sunshine Stars Football Club
Sunshine Stars Football Club is a Nigerian football club based in Akure. They play in the top division of Nigerian football, the Nigerian Premier League. Their home stadium is the Akure Township Stadium.
Sunshine Stars FC is funded and sponsored by the Ondo State Government. One of the most popular achievements of the club is winning National Division One (Second Level) in 2001, and 2007.
Rivers United Football Club
Rivers United Football Club is a professional football club based in Port Harcourt, Rivers State that participates in the Nigerian Professional Football League, the highest level of domestic Nigerian football. The club was formed by the merger of Sharks F.C. and Dolphins F.C. in 2016. Their home stadium is the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, formerly Liberation Stadium in Elekahia which has a seating capacity of 30,000.
Rivers United FC has remained in the top flight since its first season. They have been performing well in this season’s CAF Confederation Cup where they defeated a South African opponent to set up a highly anticipated matchup against Enyimba.
Rising Stars F.C.
Rising Stars F.C. is a Nigerian football club based in Ondo City. They play in the third division in Nigerian football, the Nigeria Nationwide League. Their home stadium is Ondo City Stadium, but for some of the 2012 season, they played games at Kayode Stadium in Ado-Ekiti.
The club was originally a farm club to the major team Sunshine Stars F.C. They won the Nigeria Amateur League in 2009 and were promoted to the Nigeria National League. They placed second in their division in 2011 by one point to join their parent team at the top level of Nigerian football. After regulation in 2012, they self-regulated further to the Nationwide League to save funds, but remained in the National League when fixtures were announced in December 2012. They were relegated at the end of the 2012–13 season after placing 14th of 15 teams.
Plateau United F.C.
Plateau United Football Club of Jos (popularly known as Plateau United) is a Nigerian professional football (soccer) club based in Jos, that competes in the Nigerian Professional Football League. Before 1991, they were known as the JIB Strikers FC. The name “Plateau United” was the former name of their cross-town rivals Mighty Jets.
Plateau United was founded in 1975 as JIB Strikers FC. The team won their first major silverware in 1999, a 1-0 Nigeria Cup final victory over Iwuanyanwu Nationale on a goal by Donatus Iloka. They had lost in the finals in 1993 and 1998. They made their continental debut in 2000, but were eliminated after their first tie.
They were promoted to the Nigeria Premier League for the 2010–11 season by winning on the last day against Mighty Jets but were relegated back the next year on the last day. They were promoted back to the top league on the last day of the 2015 season.
Nasarawa United F.C.
Nasarawa United Football Club, popularly known as Solid Miners at Lafia Township Stadium, Lafia, Nasarawa. The Club is a soccer club based in Lafia, Nasarawa. They play in the Nigeria Premier League.
The team was founded in 2003 after the Nasarawa government took over Black Stars FC of Gombe. They joined the Nigerian Premier League in 2004–05. Their stadium, Lafia Township Stadium, has a capacity of some 5,000.
Enyimba Football Club
Enyimba Football Club or simply known as Enyimba is a Nigerian football club based in the city of Aba which plays in the Nigerian Professional Football League. Their name means People’s Elephant in the Igbo language and is also the nickname used for the city of Aba. Founded in 1976, the club rose to prominence in the 2000s and is considered the most successful Nigerian football club as they won two African Champions League titles, eight Nigerian championships, and four Federation Cups since 2001.