By Ebube Dike

With the 2020/2021 Nigeria Women Football League, NWFL season yet to kick-off, three clubs, Sunshine Queens of Akure, Heartland Queens of Owerri and Dream Stars of Lagos, have been penciled down for relegation following their inability to meet up with the deadline date for all clubs participating in the league to finalise their registration processes.

The three clubs were given till close of work on Monday, November 23 to finalise their licensing/registration procedures.

In a release from the NWFL media unit, it notes that “following the closure of the deadline given for club licensing/registration procedures for women top-flight clubs in Nigeria, the NWFL Secretariat has announced that, the three clubs yet to register for the 2020/21 NWFL Premiership season, Sunshine Queens of Akure, Heartland Queens of Owerri and Dream Stars of Lagos, have the close of work today, November 23, 2020, to comply with the Licensing/Registration procedures or face relegation.”

The Chief Operating Officer of the NWFL, Mrs. Faith Ben-Anuge, in a signed statement from the Secretariat in Abuja, Monday said: “We write to inform you that the 2020/2021 NWFL Premiership registration is closed as at today, Monday 23rd November, 2020. Any club that cannot meet up before the close of business today will be automatically be disqualified and relegated to play in the NWFL Championship season for 2020.

“Consequently, the Secretariat will no longer receive club licensing /registration materials henceforth.

“The defaulting clubs are: Sunshine Queens of Akure, Heartland Queens of Owerri, and Dream Stars of Lagos.”

The 13 NWFL Premiership clubs that beat the November 23 deadline and are set to be licensed in the ongoing registration to participate in the 2020/2021 NWFL Premiership season are: FC Robo of Lagos, Nasarawa Amazons of Lafia, Edo Queens of Benin City, Osun Babes of Oshogbo, Bayelsa Queens of Yenagoa, Royal Queens of Warri, Abia Angels of Umuahia, Rivers Angels of Port-Harcourt, Delta Queens of Asaba, Pelican Stars of Calabar, Adamawa Queens of Yola, Confluence Queens of Lokoja and Ibom Angels of Uyo.

The 13 registered clubs have been directed to proceed to the NWFL Secretariat at Wuse, Zone 7, Abuja for issuance of players’ licences.