The chairperson of the Nigeria Women Football League, Aisha Falode has said the postponement of the Super Four was as a result of the upcoming 2018 FIFA U20 Women's World Cup qualifiers between Nigeria and Tanzania.

The NWFL board on Wednesday announced a shift in date for the annual football event, moving the showpiece from its initial date of September 11-16 to October 9-14, with the venue unchanged.

According to Falode, the postponement of the Super Four became necessary because 14 of the invited players to the U20 women's national team are drawn from the competing clubs and also Falconets coach Chris Danjuma is the handler of Nasarawa Amazons.

“The NWFL board is compelled to shift the date of the NWPL Super Four championship due to the Fifa U20 World Cup qualifying matches between Nigeria’s Falconets and Tanzania on Saturday, September 16 in Nigeria and October 1 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania respectively," she began on Supersport.com

“The 2017 Nigeria Women Premier League (NWPL) will now run from October 9-14 in Benin City, Edo state.

“Teams and officials are expected to arrive on October 7, while the teams will use the time inbetween to train and unwind for competition proper commencing on Monday, October 9.

“The decision is a difficult one but we took into consideration the fact that many of the players involved in the Fifa U20 World Cup qualifying matches, including the head coach, Christopher Danjuma, are part and parcel of the Super Four championship.

She added: “We have always dreamed of the NWPL Super Four championship with excitement, character and quality that will not only showcase the best of women football to the outside world but also to give the needed dividend to our hosts and potential sponsors.

“We have a responsibility to end the already successful league season on high and the best way to achieve that mileage is to give everybody equal opportunity.

“We sincerely regret any inconvenience the slight adjustment in date will cause to the teams, stakeholders, hosts, and sponsors among others.

“We are committed to organising the best ever NWPL Super Four championship in the annals of women football,” she concluded.

Rivers Angels will begin their title defence against Delta Queens, while Nasarawa Amazons takes on Bayelsa Queens on October 9 at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium.

The winners of the Super Four event will pocket three million naira, while the runners-up will receive two million naira at the end of the finals.


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