Sports

Excitement Builds as 1st Kuje Football League Kicks Off on Sunday

Published

1 year ago

May 8, 2025

By Joel Ajayi

Kuje, one of the most vibrant towns in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is alive with excitement as the much-anticipated 1st Kuje Football League kicks off this Sunday, setting a new benchmark for grassroots football development.

Ten men’s teams are set to compete across various locations in Kuje, promising thrilling encounters and a celebration of local talent. Football enthusiasts can expect a dynamic competition, as the teams battle it out for top honors.

Speaking at the official press briefing on Thursday in Kuje, Chairman of the Kuje Football League Local Organizing Committee (LOC), Muhammed Momoh, expressed his passion and commitment to the league’s success. He emphasized the importance of professionalism and fair play as the foundation of this new sporting project.

Mr Momoh expressed that with the community support, the 1st Kuje Football League is set to become a landmark event in the local football scene.

“Football in Kuje is long overdue. Since I arrived here, I kept wondering why isn’t there a football league in Kuje? Football is one of the best ways to engage our youth and create vibrant activity in the community,” he said.

Momoh noted that the idea for the league came after thoughtful planning and recognition of the benefits it would bring to Kuje.

He also acknowledged the FCT government’s efforts, particularly infrastructure development, such as roads, which have boosted morale and created a suitable environment for sporting activities.

“Once we introduce this league, it will complement what the FCT government is doing. That’s why we decided the time is now. We reached out to sponsorsand thankfully, Pepsi came on board and supported the vision,” he added.

According to him, the league will feature 10 teams and over 180 matches, running for a duration of five months, primarily on weekends.

However, in cases of weather disruptions like rain, matches may be rescheduled to midweek Wednesdays or Thursdays.

“The league promises not only entertainment but also incentives. The champion of the maiden edition will walk away with a cash prize of ₦1.6 million, while the runner-up and third-place team will receive ₦600,000 and ₦400,000, respectively.

“Pepsi, as the main sponsor, will also provide jerseys for all participating teams, adding value and uniformity to the tournament. Individual brilliance will be rewarded as well, with a Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for every match.”
Participating teams include: Holy Ghost FC, Royal Eni FC, Crown Tee FC, Homeboys FC, Cargo FC, Rondo FC, Amazing Grace FC amongst others.

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Sports

Plateau Vipers, Benue Queens Crowned Champions at HFN North Central Division One Tourney

Published

7 hours ago

October 3, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The President of the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN), Jibril Seidu, has said the federation will continue to intensify its grassroots talent development drive through zonal competitions across the country.

Seidu stated this on Saturday in Abuja at the finals of the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship, where Plateau Vipers defeated Suleja Shooters 29-24 to emerge champions in the men’s category.

In the women’s final, Benue Queens of Makurdi defeated City Queens of Suleja to claim the title.

The eight-day tournament featured teams from across the North Central Zone, with Plateau Vipers of Jos, Confluence Stars of Lokoja, Unity Boys of Abuja, Suleja Shooters and Nasarawa Ambassadors of Lafia competing in the men’s category.

In the women’s category, Nuela Handball Academy of Ilorin, Inikpi Babes of Idah, Benue Queens of Makurdi and City Queens of Suleja competed for honours.

At the end of the competition, four teams — two male and two female — emerged as the North Central Zone’s representatives for the national Division One league.

According to Seidu, the tournament was organised as part of the federation’s deliberate strategy to take handball development back to the regions and discover talents that might otherwise remain unnoticed.

He said the HFN board, inaugurated on October 25, 2025, resolved that grassroots development was essential to creating a sustainable pipeline of players for national and international competitions.

“All the teams you have seen here are from the North Central Zone of the country, and every state is represented with an academy or state team,” he said.

Seidu explained that the new approach marked a departure from the previous system, where talent identification was largely centred on the federation’s major league competitions.

He said taking competitions to the regions would provide young players with greater opportunities to showcase their abilities while strengthening the foundation of handball across the country.

The HFN president also linked the grassroots initiative to Nigeria’s recent achievements in international handball, stressing the need to develop younger players who can eventually replace members of the current national teams.

He noted that Nigeria had qualified for the 2027 Men’s Junior Handball World Championship in North Macedonia, describing the achievement as evidence of the potential within the country’s handball system.

“How do we replace these players with upcoming players? This is the avenue for us to get players,” he said.

Seidu added that the federation was determined to make handball more visible and accessible, describing it as one of Nigeria’s major sporting disciplines with significant potential for growth.

The North Central tournament is part of a wider zonal programme designed to decentralise handball development across Nigeria.

According to the federation, similar competitions are being organised across other zones, including the South East, North East, North West and South South, with qualifiers from each zone expected to converge at a designated venue for the next stage of the competition.

The federation also appealed for greater support from sponsors, stakeholders and state associations to sustain its grassroots development programme.

It expressed appreciation to the participating states, academies, team sponsors and other stakeholders for their support and commitment to the growth of handball in Nigeria.

The federation said the initiative would provide a platform for discovering the next generation of Nigerian handball stars while expanding the sport’s reach beyond its traditional centres.
While Speaking the elated coach of Benue Queen Godwin Tondo has promised a stronger and more tactical performance after guiding the team to victory at the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship in Abuja.
He attributed the success to the team’s long-term youth development programme, noting that the squad was built through a deliberate process of identifying and nurturing young talents.
According to him, the programme began with the selection of 92 girls from secondary schools, who were subsequently trained and developed over a four-year period.

He said the team’s success was a product of sustained hard work and commitment despite the challenges encountered during preparations for the tournament.

“I feel very pleased being a champion today. The road to this stage was very, very hard, but I am very happy that we have got the result from all the toughness of the game,” he said.

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