For more than two decades, Arsenal fans in Nigeria lived through the jokes, memes, near-misses and endless “second place” and “next season” conversations. Now, with the club finally back at the top of English football, the long wait has given way to celebration.
Arsenal’s Premier League triumph, confirmed after Manchester City’s 1-1 draw against Bournemouth, has triggered widespread celebrations across Nigeria, where the North London club has one of the country’s biggest football fanbases. As part of the moment, DStv and GOtv are extending the celebration by opening key SuperSport channels to more subscribers ahead of the final Premier League games and Arsenal’s UEFA Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain.
From “Almost” Team to Champions
This title feels different partly because of how many times Arsenal came close before finally breaking through. The club finished second repeatedly in recent seasons and spent long stretches being labelled football’s “nearly men.” Every dropped point, late collapse and failed title push became instant fodder for online banter.
Even this season threatened to unravel at different moments. A chaotic 3-2 defeat to Manchester United in January raised fresh questions about Arsenal’s mentality, while back-to-back April losses to Bournemouth and Manchester City nearly handed control of the title race back to Pep Guardiola’s side. There was also disappointment in cup competitions, including a defeat to Manchester City in the EFL Cup final and an FA Cup quarter-final exit to Southampton.
But unlike previous Arsenal sides, Arteta’s team recovered. The Gunners closed the season with ruthless discipline, grinding out key straight wins against Newcastle, Fulham, West Ham and Burnley to finally end the club’s 22-year wait for a league title. Much of that success was built on the league’s best defence, led by William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhães and David Raya. At the same time, goals and attacking contributions came from across the team, from the defence to the attack. It really was a team effort.
The Celebration Continues
Attention now shifts to Arsenal’s final Premier League fixture against Crystal Palace on Sunday, 24 May, where the club will officially lift the trophy before turning focus to the UEFA Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday, 30 May.
The Open View window for the UEFA Champions League final begins on Monday, 25 May, giving DStv Yanga customers access to SS Football Finals (DStv Channel 202) and SS Football (DStv Channel 205). GOtv Jolli customers will also enjoy similar access and will be able to watch the final live on SS Football (GOtv Channel 61).
Live studio build-up for the final begins at 3:30 p.m. ahead of kick-off at 5:00 p.m., as Arsenal attempt to crown their title-winning season with European glory.
As part of the wider celebration for football fans, DStv will open select Premier League fixtures to customers this Sunday including Crystal Palace vs Arsenal, Manchester City vs Aston Villa, Liverpool vs Brentford and Tottenham Hotspur vs Everton.
