The Nigeria Premier Football League’s 2026 Super 6 pre-season tournament has been overshadowed by controversy before a ball was even kicked, after Shooting Stars were replaced by non top league side Mighty Jets.
The decision, which emerged ahead of Tuesday’s draw in Jos, has triggered strong reactions across social media, with questions being raised over why an NPFL club was removed from an elite pre-season tournament and replaced by a team that does not currently compete in Nigeria’s top division.
The tournament, which begins on Wednesday at the New Jos Stadium, features reigning NPFL champions Rangers, last season’s runners-up Rivers United, Plateau United, Katsina United, El-Kanemi Warriors and Mighty Jets.
The six teams have been divided into two groups, with the top two from each section progressing to the semi-finals.
But while the competition is intended to provide a high level test ahead of the 2026/27 NPFL campaign and continental competitions, the circumstances surrounding the final line-up have become the dominant talking point.
Why Shooting Stars were replaced
Shooting Stars were initially expected to be part of the tournament but were subsequently replaced by Katsina United.
Reports circulating online claimed that the Ibadan club had been disqualified after submitting a squad containing academy players alongside members of their first team squad.
The reports have generated considerable debate because of the question they raise: if an NPFL club has registered players available to it, who should determine which members of that squad are eligible to play in a pre-season tournament?
Nigerian journalist Suleiman Adebayo, popularly known as PoojaMedia, questioned the logic behind the decision, arguing that it was unusual for a league organiser to determine which registered players an individual club should use.
The debate has also been amplified by the fact that the replacement process ultimately opened the door for Mighty Jets, a club that currently operates outside the NPFL and that is where the issue has become more contentious.
So Why inviting Mighty Jets?
To start with, Mighty Jets are not newcomers to Nigerian football. The Jos club are one of the historic names in the country’s game and were Nigeria’s first national league champions in 1972.
But their current status is far removed from the NPFL, with the club competing in the Nigeria National League.
That makes their inclusion in an event branded as an NPFL Super 6 particularly intriguing.
The decision is understandable from one perspective: the tournament is being staged in Jos, Mighty Jets are a prominent local club and their inclusion gives the host city another team to rally behind.
Indeed, the NFF’s list of state representatives for the 2026 President Federation Cup recognises Mighty Jets as Plateau State’s club alongside Plateau United, underlining their continued presence in the national football structure despite not being an NPFL side.
But that does not fully answer the sporting question. because with 16 other NPFL clubs outside the tournament, critics have questioned why one of those topflight teams was not invited if Shooting Stars had to be removed.
That has created the perception that the competition is no longer simply about assembling the strongest available NPFL teams for a competitive pre-season test.
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The NPFL’s Super 6 is being staged as part of preparations for the new season, particularly for clubs involved in continental competitions.
Rangers, Rivers United and El-Kanemi Warriors all have continental commitments, while the inclusion of Plateau United and Mighty Jets also gives the tournament a strong local dimension.
The organisers, with support from the Plateau State government, are staging the competition at the New Jos Stadium from August 19 to 23. The top two teams in each group will advance to the semi finals, followed by the final.
That structure gives the participating clubs useful competitive preparation only days before the new NPFL season begins.
The 2026/27 league campaign is scheduled to get underway from August 28, with Rangers beginning their title defence against Katsina United.
For the clubs involved, the Super 6 is more than just a ceremonial tournament. It provides an opportunity to assess new signings, test tactical systems against the big dogs and build match fitness before the league and continental campaigns begin.
But the controversy surrounding the composition of the tournament risks shifting attention away from those objectives.
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Shooting Stars’ removal is particularly striking because the club remain an established NPFL institution.
The Ibadan side competed in the 2025/26 NPFL season and are scheduled to open their 2026/27 league campaign against Inter Lagos at the Lekan Salami Stadium on August 28.
They are therefore not a fringe participant or a club outside the elite division.
Their omission from the Super 6, followed by the arrival of a club from the division below, naturally raises questions about the criteria used to determine participation.
And that is the part the NPFL may need to explain more clearly.
If the reason for Shooting Stars’ removal was a breach of an established tournament regulation, then the rules governing squad eligibility need to be clearly communicated.
If the issue was simply that the club selected players outside an expected first team group, stakeholders will want to know where that requirement was established and why it warranted exclusion from a pre-season competition.
Without that clarity, the decision is inevitably going to invite speculation.
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Meanwhile, despite the controversy, the competition itself should fans several interesting encounters.
Rivers United and Plateau United will open proceedings on Wednesday before El-Kanemi Warriors face Mighty Jets later in the afternoon.
Last NPFL seasons rivals Rangers and Rivers United then meet on Thursday, while Katsina United face El-Kanemi Warriors.
The final group matches will see Plateau United play Rangers, while Mighty Jets take on Katsina United.
The semi finals are scheduled for Saturday, August 22, with the final following on Sunday, August 23.
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The argument surrounding the Super 6 about what exactly should a league organised pre-season competition represent will continue to surface.
If it is designed purely as preparation for the NPFL season, the obvious priority should be giving top-flight clubs competitive matches against other topflight opponents not a non top league side.
But if it is also intended to promote football in the host city, provide opportunities for local clubs and generate wider interest in the game, then the inclusion of Mighty Jets becomes easier to understand.
