Sports
Coach Harps On Grassroots Sports Dev
The Coach of Youth
Football Academy in Ikorodu, Lagos State, Okeshola Gafar, has urged local government authorities to upgrade sports facilities in their areas toward talent discovery.
Gafar told newsmen in Lagos that good facilities would enhance the performance and discovery of athletes.
“Standard and well managed facilities will encourage athletes to show their skills and also get accustomed to the standard when they go outside to compete with their contemporaries.
“Although the recreation centre in Ikorodu has been acquired by the state sports council, it was not properly managed by the local government.
“The centre also lacks some basic things such as a good football pitch,’’ Gafar said.
He said the objective of his academy was to put youths off the street and keep them busy through participation in sports.
“Our purpose is to discourage the youth from walking around the streets and doing nothing and also sitting down in a joint popularly known as base,” Gafar said.
He said that through the competitions organised by the academy, some talents were discovered and they are now playing professional football abroad.
“Since our inception, we have discovered athletes who are playing abroad such as Tunde Kilani who plays in Qatar and Samsideen Adesanya currently in Europe.
“Others are Wasiu Erinfolami, popularly known as ‘I thank God’, who is also playing in Poland at the second division and Noyeem Jaiyesinmi who is currently on trials in Russia,’’ he said.
According to him, the academy has been in existence since 2008 and its first competition held the same year.
In a statement released by the league, the competition is scheduled to take place from Friday, June 5 to Sunday, June 14, 2026, with six clubs set to battle for the league title at the end of the 2025/26 season.
NWFL Chief Operating Officer, Modupe Shabi, said the choice of Port Harcourt reflects the Rivers State Government’s continued support for women’s football and its successful hosting of the league’s Annual General Assembly last year.
The Super Six tournament will feature the top three teams from Group A and Group B of the regular season competing in a round-robin format, with each club playing five matches over nine days.
Qualified teams for the competition include defending champions Bayelsa Queens, Edo Queens, Rivers Angels, Robo Queens, Nasarawa Amazons, and debutants Abia Angels.
The NWFL Premiership has produced four different winners in the last five editions, with Rivers Angels winning in 2021, Bayelsa Queens claiming the title in 2022 and 2025, Delta Queens triumphing in 2023, and Edo Queens emerging champions in 2024.
The league also urged participating clubs to comply with all competition regulations and directives ahead of the championship. The Super Six will determine Nigeria’s representative for the WAFU-B qualifiers for a place at the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League and ultimately the 2027 FIFA Women’s Champions Cup.
Teams are expected to arrive on Friday, June 5, when the draw ceremony and pre-match meeting will also take place. Matchdays are scheduled for June 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14, with rest days in between before the tournament concludes with the trophy presentation ceremony.
