The Stephen Keshi International Stadium, Asaba, Delta State, will transform into a theatre of dreams as the 2025 NNL Super 8 Promotion Playoffs get underway from today, Saturday, 5 July, 2025, through to Tuesday, 8 July, with the underdogs Kun Khalifat FC of Owerri and Barau FC of Kano challenging old warhorses — Warri Wolves, Crown FC of Ogbomoso, Osun United of Osogbo, Wikki Tourists of Bauchi, Doma United and Yobe Desert Stars — for coveted promotion slots into the 2025/2026 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Completesports.com reports.. Kun Khalifat and Barau FC are the only two sides among the eight clubs competing in the 2024/2025 NNL Super 8 Promotion Playoffs that have never featured in the NPFL. The competition kicks off today, Saturday 5 July, inside the Stephen Keshi Stadium.. Kun Khalifat: Young, Fearless and Ready. Kun Khalifat displayed incredible credentials during the regular season, delivering stunning performances that left their Group A rivals in the dust. That runaway form is a timely warning to their playoff opponents — they are not to be taken lightly. It’s the classic “underrate us and pay dearly for it” scenario.. Also Read: NPFL: Ahmed Musa Appointed Kano Pillars General Manager. Founded and funded by the youthful Michael Amaefule, Kun Khalifat is a true reflection of passion, youthfulness and a relentless drive for excellence. Their rollercoaster rise in the just-concluded season continues the momentum built in 2023/2024, when they competed in the Nationwide League One. Before anyone could blink, they had secured promotion to the rough-and-tough NNL — aptly dubbed the nation’s ‘most important league’.. Kun Khalifat FC. With Coach Obinna Uzoho directing from the dugout and Charles ‘Tigana’ Nnadi orchestrating the club’s administrative affairs, any team that underestimates them does so at their own peril.. “We’re here in Asaba on a mission. Yes, we’re underdogs in these playoffs — and we embrace that tag. It suits us, and we intend to use it to our advantage on the pitch,” Nnadi told Completesports.com.. “We’ve prepared well. The players are in good shape and fully focused. By God’s grace, we’ll grab one of the tickets.. Also Read: CHAN 2024: Chelle Unveils 35-Man Provisional Squad. “Of course, it won’t be easy. Warri Wolves, Crown FC, Osun United — these are teams with NPFL experience. But we’re not afraid. We’ve got a job to do and we’re focused on getting it done.”. Barau FC: Funded by Vision, Fuelled by Youth. Barau FC of Kano are also debutants in the NNL Super 8 Promotion Playoffs. Like Kun Khalifat, they’re tagged as underdogs, but that could play to their advantage.. Barau FC. Founded and bankrolled by Senator Barau Jibrin — Deputy President of the Senate — the club was established to promote youth development in his senatorial district and across Nigeria. The club is chaired by Ambassador Ibrahim Shitu Chanji and has continued to benefit from solid financial backing and visionary leadership.. Barau FC’s steady rise, much like Kun Khalifat’s, signals ambition, motivation, and the hunger to make a mark. Together, they are poised to be a handful for the more experienced teams at the four-day football festival in Asaba.. By Sab Osuji
