Crown FC blames poor officiating for first-round struggles in NNL

Crown FC General Manager Olumide Ilupeju has pointed to poor refereeing as a key factor in his team's disappointing first-round campaign in the Nigeria National League (NNL). Ilupeju told NewsDirect247 that the officials' performance directly affected Crown's results in the first stanza of the current season.

The Ajilete Warriors, who currently sit third in NNL Conference A with 13 points, finished the first round with a 1-0 defeat to Sunshine Stars. While the team is in a playoff-contending position, Ilupeju believes the points tally could have been better with consistent officiating. The NNL is a crucial league for promotion to the NPFL, the top division.

This complaint comes amid broader scrutiny of officiating standards in Nigerian football. The NNL has previously taken strong action, including fining Gateway United N4.3 million and banishing them to Ekiti for assault on match officials earlier this season. With the second stanza about to begin, the quality of officiating remains a critical issue for teams and fans alike.

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/01/18/nnl-poor-officiating-affected-crowns-first-round-campaign-ilupeju/