NPFL suspends ₦15m fine, points deduction on Rivers United over broadcast block
- Rivers United were sanctioned for denying league broadcast partners access to their stadium for a live match.
- The ₦15m fine and three-point, three-goal deduction are suspended and only take effect if the club offends again.
- The Matchday 11 game against Rangers International in Port Harcourt ended 1-1.
The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has handed Rivers United a suspended ₦15 million fine and a suspended deduction of three points and three goals for blocking the live broadcast of their home match against Rangers International.
The Matchday 11 fixture was played at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt on Sunday, 1 November, and ended 1-1. It had already been advertised for live broadcast before the disruption.
In a decision communicated to the club, the league said Rivers United denied its broadcast partners access to the stadium for the live transmission of the game. The league named Murphy Ben International (MBI) as the broadcast partner denied entry.
The league's chief executive, Ayo Abdulrahman, said the club's action was a serious violation of league rules and an unacceptable interference with its broadcast operations. He said it undermined the league's commercial and broadcasting arrangements and brought its integrity and reputation into disrepute.
Why the sanctions are on hold
The NPFL pointed to Section B, Rules 6.22 and 6.23 of its Framework and Rules, which give the league's broadcast rights owner exclusive and unrestricted access to all league venues without prior notice. Rule 6.23 allows a fine of up to ₦15 million plus a deduction of three points and three goals.
But the league said it considered some of the circumstances around the disruption and chose to issue Rivers United a formal and final warning instead of enforcing the penalties now.
The ₦15 million fine and the three-point, three-goal deduction will only take effect if the club commits another breach of the same rules during the ongoing season. The league said it could still impose additional sanctions under its rules.
The NPFL warned that access for broadcast partners is a regulatory requirement, not something individual clubs can decide on. It said no club is allowed to obstruct, restrict or deny such access, especially for matches scheduled for live coverage.
For Rivers United, the decision means their points and goals stand for now, but the club carries a heavy penalty over its head for the rest of the season.
What happens next
Rivers United have not publicly responded to the ruling. The sanctions stay suspended unless the club breaches the broadcast rules again this season, in which case the ₦15 million fine and the points and goals deduction would be activated.
