FEDERATION CUP
Nigeria Federation Cup competition gets into next gear with National Play-Off games
This year’s men and women Federation Cup competitions will enter into a new gear on Thursday with the national play-off matches, which will hold in five cities in the Federation. These are Gombe, Jos, Katsina, Asaba and Enugu.
Following the conclusion of the men and women competitions in the States last weekend, the NFF received the entry of a total of 70 teams for the national finals. Yobe State did not register for the competition, while Borno and Adamawa States registered one team each, instead of two. This meant that a field that was supposed to be for 74 was whittled down to 70.
From the list of 70, and based on ranking, 12 teams were selected for the play-off, with the remaining 58 teams on standby. The six teams that emerge from the play-off matches will join the standby 58 for the National Draw that will have 64 teams.
In the women’s competition, only 31 teams are in the field for the national competition, with only 20 States having registered.
Benue, Ekiti, Imo, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Ogun, Osun and Oyo States registered only one team each, while Abia, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Enugu, Kaduna, Lagos, Ondo, Plateau, Rivers and the FCT registered two teams each.
Play-Off Fixtures
. Classic FC (Adamawa) Vs Gamji Eaglets (Taraba) – Gombe – 4pm
. Warinje FC (Bauchi) Vs Simon Ben Academy (Kaduna – Jos – 4pm
. Zamfara United Feeders (Zamfara) Vs PRO Line (Kano) – Katsina – 4pm
. Ine Stars (Edo) Vs Crusaders FC (Bayelsa) – Asaba – 4pm
. KC FC (Kogi) Vs PCM FC (Ebonyi) – Enugu – 2pm
. Flight FC (Benue) Vs Fr. Eburuaja (Imo) – Enugu – 4pm
States & Representatives Teams (Men Competition)
Abia State: Enyimba FC, Abia Warriors
Adamawa State: Classic FC
Akwa Ibom State: Akwa United, FC One Rocket
Anambra State: Solution FC, Edel FC
Bauchi State: Wikki Tourists, Warinje FC
Bayelsa State: Bayelsa United, Crusaders FC
Benue State: Lobi Stars, Flight FC
Borno State: El-Kanemi Warriors
Cross Rivers State: Rovers FC, May Frank FC
Delta State: Warri Wolves, Delta Marine FC
Ebonyi State: Cynosure FC, PCM FC
Edo State: Bendel Insurance, Ine Stars
Ekiti State: Ekiti United, Ekiti United Feeders
Enugu State: Rangers Int’l, Coal City FC
FCT: EFCC FC, Sporting Supreme FC
Gombe State: Gombe United, Doma United
Imo State: Ikukuoma FC, Fr. Eburuaja FC
Jigawa State: Lautai FC, Dutse Strikers
Kaduna State: Green Beret FC, Simon Ben Academy
Kano State: Kano Pillars, PRO Line FC
Katsina State: Katsina United FC, Jr. Danburan FC
Kebbi State: Discovery Talent Academy, Kebbi United
Kogi State: KC FC, FC Bako
Kwara State: Kwara United, ABS FC
Lagos State: Inter Lagos FC, Ikorodu City FC
Nasarawa State: Nasarawa United, FC Basira
Niger State: Niger Tornadoes, Niger Tornadoes Feeders
Ogun State: Beyond Limit FC, Stormers Sports Club
Ondo State: Sunshine Stars, Adanimogo FC
Osun State: Osun United, Hammola Int’l FC
Oyo State: Ilaji FC, Shooting Stars
Plateau State: Plateau United, Mighty Jets
Rivers State: Rivers United, Ofirima FC
Sokoto State: Sokoto United, Jedo Academy
Taraba State: Gamji Eaglets FC, Karim United
Zamfara State: Zamfara United, Zamfara United Feeders
States & Representatives Teams (Women Competition)
Abia State: Abia Angels, Ahudiya Nnem Queens
Bayelsa State: Bayelsa Queens, GoldenSun Sports Club
Benue State: Honey Badgers
Delta State: Delta Queens, Delta Ladies
Edo State: Edo Queens, Fortress Ladies
Ekiti State – Ekiti Queens
Enugu State: Bright Future FC, Greenfoot FC
FCT: Naija Ratels, ON Youth Academy
Imo State: Heartland Queens
Kaduna State: Kada FC, Gallant FC
Kogi State: Confluence Queens
Kwara State: Kwara Ladies FC
Lagos State: FC Robo Queens, Dannaz Ladies
Nasarawa State: Nasarawa Amazons
Ogun State: Remo Stars Ladies
Ondo State: Sunshine Queens, Onimang FC
Osun State as Osun Babes
Oyo State: Suit De Queens
Plateau State: Plateau United Queens, Mighty Jets Int’l Mata
Rivers State: Rivers Angels, Oske Lean FC
The star match of the President Federation Cup Round of 16 is the potentially epic confrontation of Enugu Rangers and Bendel Insurance.
The history of the Nigerian National Cup is littered with the epic duels of the two who have three times contested the final matches in 1978, 1981 and recently in 2023.
They clash again four steps before the final match. The two teams were involved in two of the most memorable final matches of Nigeria’s Cup competition in its 80-year history, with honours shared in 1978 and 1981.
The Benin Arsenal tore apart the form books to shock the nation’s football fraternity by spanking Rangers 3-0 in the final in Lagos in 1978, but the Flying Antelopes somewhat repaid the compliment with a 2-0 win at the same venue in 1981.
The setting for this Round of 16 clash is also in Lagos, though a different venue. But fireworks are expected by the waterfront from two teams aspiring for continental football.
Two-time CAF Champions League winners Enyimba FC, who eliminated Cup holders El-Kanemi Warriors in the Round of 32, will take on Abakaliki FC at the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba.
Nasarawa United and Bayelsa United will square up to each other in the university town of Anyigba, while Warri Wolves and Wikki Tourists battle things out in the Federal Capital, Abuja.
Two great entertainers, Ikorodu City and Beyond Limits will be at each other’s jugular at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, where Solution FC will tango with Kwara United in an earlier game. Plateau United will confront Osun United in Anyigba.
Akwa United and Inter Lagos are at loggerheads in Abuja.
Round of 16 fixtures (Men) on Wednesday
- Enyimba FC (Abia) Vs Abakaliki FC (Ebonyi) – Asaba – 4pm
- Nasarawa United (Nasarawa) Vs Bayelsa United (Bayelsa) – Anyigba 10am
- Warri Wolves (Delta) Vs Wikki Tourists (Bauchi) – Area 3 Abuja – 1 pm
- Ikorodu City (Lagos) Vs Beyond Limits (Ogun) – Benin City – 4 pm
- Akwa United (Akwa Ibom) Vs Inter Lagos (Lagos) – Area 3 Abuja – 4 pm
- Solution FC (Anambra) Vs Kwara United (Kwara) – Benin City – – 10 am
- Plateau United (Plateau) Vs Osun United (Osun) – Anyigba – 1 pm
- Bendel Insurance (Edo) Vs Rangers Int’l (Enugu) – MJA Lagos – 4 pm
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BY IKENNA NWOKEDI
Nearly half of the Nigerian clubs that made it to the Round of 32 of the President Federation Cup are from the second-tier league, the Nigerian National League (NNL).
There are 15 clubs from the NNL and that has thrilled the president of the 36-club league, Godwin Enakhena, hailing the preponderance of the NNL clubs in the national cup as a positive development.
The body of club owners goes by the acronym, NALCOMA which translates to Nigeria National League Club Owners and Managers Association.
Enakhena described the dominance of the NNL clubs as an improved performance over that of the previous season.
He therefore foresees an NNL club winning the 2025 edition of the oldest football competition in Nigeria, replicating the feat of El Kanemi in last year’s edition when they outwitted Abia Warriors in the final match.
The 15 NNL clubs who made the President Federation Cup Round of 32 are Basira FC, Crown FC, Warri Wolves, Gombe United, Solution FC, Osun United, Beyond Limits and Inter Lagos. Others are Wikki Tourists, Adamawa United, Ijele FC, Abakaliki United, Zamfara United, Rovers of Calabar and Mighty Jets.
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FEDERATION CUP
President Federation Cup Round of 64 throw ups Rangers v Kano Pillars clash for the third time this season
In what is a repeat of the 2018 Federation Cup final, Kano Pillars and Enugu Rangers will clash again, but at the Round of 64 stage.
It will be the third time this season that both teams will clash having met twice in the Nigeria Premier Football League.
Incidentally, both matches were won by Kano Pillars in Enugu and Kano.
It is the only clash of NPFL clubs at the opening stage of the national finals.
In what looks like an employment of seeding, the remaining 15 NPFL clubs will not clash until the competition gets into the finals.
In the women’s category, Bayelsa Queens also must do battle with last year’s finalists Naija Ratels in the earliest stage possible in the women’s event – Round of 32.
ROUND OF 64 (MEN)
- El-Kanemi Warriors Vs Simon Ben FC
- Enyimba FC Vs El-Shama FC
- Yobe Desert Stars Vs Abakaliki FC
- Katsina United Vs Green Beret
- Nasarawa United Vs Flight FC
- Ijele FC Vs Lautau FC
- Bayelsa United Vs EFCC FC
- FC Basira Vs Atlantic FA
- Warri Wolves Vs Wilbros FC
- Shooting Stars Vs Zamfara United
- Wikki Tourists Vs Edel FC
- Rovers FC Vs Igbajo FC
- Ikorodu City Vs Sunshine U19
- Crown FC Vs NOSMAS FC
- Beyond Limit FC Vs Krusaders FC
- Rivers United Vs Barau FC
Mighty Jets Vs Imperial FC - Akwa United Vs Kebbi United
- Inter Lagos Vs Harmony FA
- Sokoto United Vs Jr. Danburan FC
- Lobi Stars Vs Discovery Talent FC
- Solution FC Vs Eagle Stars
- Kwara United Vs Cynosure FC
- Gombe United Vs Assemblies of God
- Sunshine Stars Vs FC Bako
- Plateau United Vs Ahudiyannem FC
- Osun United Vs FWC FC
- ABS FC Vs E-World
- Bendel Insurance Vs Dandidi Babes
- Adamawa United Vs Warinje Babes
- Heartland FC Vs CP Strikers
- Rangers Int’l Vs Kano Pillars
All matches will take place on Wednesday, 19th March
ROUND OF 32 (WOMEN)
- Rivers Angels Vs Moje Queens
- Gallant Queens Vs First Mahi Babes
- Remo Stars Ladies Vs Plateau United Queens
- Dannaz Ladies Vs GP World
- Delta Queens Vs Jacklyn Angels
- Ibom Angels Vs Sporting Angels
- Fortress Ladies Vs Onimarg FC
- Heartland Queens Vs Crystal Stars
- Osun Babes Vs N-Youth Ladies
- Edo Queens Vs Kada Queens
- Delta Babes Vs Mighty Jets Mata
- Adamawa Queens Vs Unification Ladies
- Sunshine Queens Vs Castmog Ladies
- Confluence Queens Vs Ahudiyannem Queens
- Nasarawa Amazons Vs Kwara Ladies
- Bayelsa Queens Vs Naija Ratels
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