Sports
Our Plan Is to Groom Grassroots Talents” – FCT Traditional Sports Chairman
Joel Ajayi
The FCT Traditional Sports Association has reaffirmed its commitment to grooming young athletes at the grassroots level, saying the development of children remains central to its plans for the future of traditional sports.
The Chairman of the FCT Traditional Sports Association, which is awaiting inauguration by the FCT Minister, Malam Iliyasu Abdu stated this while speaking on the association’s plans ahead of the Intermediate Games and the National Sports Festival.
Abdu said the association had deliberately focused on young athletes because early development would provide a stronger pathway for discovering and producing future champions.
“Our plan is to groom the grassroots, and you can see that they are all kids. That is the essence of what we are doing,” he said.
He expressed optimism that the FCT would participate strongly in upcoming competitions, particularly in Lagos, where he said the association would go “in full force” to showcase the quality of its athletes.
According to him, traditional sports deserve greater attention because athletes can build successful careers in any sporting discipline once they develop the necessary skills and passion.
He noted that the popularity of football should not overshadow traditional sports, stressing that greater investment and awareness could transform the sector.
Abdu also called for stronger collaboration with the private sector, saying government alone could not provide the level of investment required to take traditional sports to greater heights.
“If we perfect our games, definitely there will be chances and opportunities for more involvement of the private sector,” he said.
He explained that increased private-sector participation would provide funding, facilities and other opportunities needed to develop athletes and expand traditional sports.
Abdu further urged stakeholders to embrace the “catch them young” approach, saying sustained grassroots development remained the surest way to build a strong pipeline of athletes for the Intermediate Games, National Sports Festival and future competitions.
He added that the association was determined to remain on the right track by creating opportunities for young athletes to develop and excel.
Sports
Montage Community Football Tourney Registration Ends October 30
Cyril Ogar
Registration for the 2026 edition of the Montage Community Football Tournament will close on Friday, October 30, organisers have announced.
The tournament coordinator, Mr Raphael Ekpang, disclosed this on Thursday, urging interested teams across the six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to take advantage of the remaining days to register.
Ekpang said registration had been ongoing since Monday, encouraging eligible teams to complete the process before the deadline.
The tournament, themed “Montage FM 99.7: Empowering Youth, Uniting Communities Through Football,” is scheduled to kick off on November 3, 2026, with playoffs across the six Area Councils of the FCT.
The grand finale will hold on December 5, 2026, at the Old Parade Ground, Garki Area 10, Abuja, where the top four teams will compete for first-, second- and third-place honours.
A total of 48 teams will participate in the competition, with eight teams representing each of the six Area Councils.
The participating teams will compete for cash prizes worth over ₦2 million and other valuable rewards.
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