The much awaited 6th edition of the annual Under-13 JOF Kids Soccer competition kicked off on Sunday, 16th February 2025 at the Union Bank Sports Club playground on Bode Thomas Street, Surulere, Lagos with 64 neighborhood football clubs and academies taking part in the tournament.

This is one of the Corporate Social Responsibility programs of the sponsor company, JOF Nigeria Limited, a wholly indigenous manufacturing and supply chain services organisation, which took special interest in the development of talents of the Nigerian youths. The U-13 JOF Kids Cup this year promises to be more glamorous, judging from the display of the kids during the kick-off match between Shaker Boys from Oshodi and Omonia Babes of Oto Awori.

Though Shakers Boys won the grudge tie by a lone goal, it was obvious that Omonia Babes put up a display on the pitch to send a message to opponents in the course of the first round of the competition that they are not pushovers.

Chairman Organising Committee of the tournament, Samuel Omolola disclosed that the first round will be keenly contested across three centres, Union Bank playground in Surulere, Ojo Oniyun playground in Ebute-Metta and Lekki playground in Eti-Osa, adding that matches are scheduled to be played on weekends to give the children opportunity of concentrating on their studies during the week. Omolola commended the sponsor, JOF Nigeria Limited, for the support since the first edition. He assured everyone that Lagos State Grassroots Soccer Association will continue to organize a tournament of high football standards that will motivate the kid footballers.

Mr. Adeyinka Adetunji, the Director, Strategic Support Services, who represented the Chairman/CEO of JOF Nigeria Limited played the ceremonial kick-off. Adetunji advised the footballers to enjoy themselves on the pitch while displaying their God-given talents.

Other registered participating teams in the 6th edition of the tournament are, Small Tiger of Epe, Rufy Academy of Badagry, Puma Boys of Ojo, Latoyam Boys of Aguda, United Boys of Ogijo, Alaro Babes of Apapa, Yinka Babes of Badagry, Barca of Mainland, Adeomo Boys of Okoko, Junior Arsenal of Alimosho, Kola Babes of Ipaja, Miracle FC of Ijesha, Young Stars of Lagos Island, Warrior FC of Agege, Bariga United of Bariga, HB Utility of Ilupeju, Oron Academy of Oyingbo, Edet Academy of Aguda, Oloto Babes of Otto, ADC Academy of Ogba, Ajegunle Boys of Ajegunle, Idimu Bombers of Idimu, Tom boys of Orile, Oworo United of Oworo, Tobi Boys of Ojodu, Rock FC of Ojodu, Ultimate Villa of Ikorodu, Royal FC of Iwaya, Stricker Academy of Oko-Oba, Dollar Boys of Ifako, Landa Boys of Okoko, Demilade Boys of Ayobo, MRS Academy of Imota, Global FC of Mushin, Fagbems Boys of Ikeja, Alaba United of Alaba, Oluyole FC of Ayobo, Ikosi babes of Ketu, St. Michael of Alimosho, B. Unit of Surulere, Amazon Boys of Ikoyi, Abey Boys of Ajah, Afun Academy of Maryland, Kamin Boys of Oyingbo, Zamadek of Lagos Island, Chelsea Boys of Ketu, Ajiran Boys of Ajiran, Okota Academy of Okota, Ola’s Babes of Somolu, Greater Tomorrow of Lagos Island, Strong Dove of Orile, Adamu Academy of Idi-Araba, Glory FC of Ikotun, Mafe Ace of Ijegun, Botife Ace of Abule-Egba, Solution Boys of Apapa, Dopemu United of Dopemu, United Star of Mafoluku, Musiner FC of Mushin, Ultimate Stars of Apapa, Young Boys of Ojo, Abu Babes of Igando and Aket Babes of Iddo.

Coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Eric Chelle is not leaving any stone unturned in his bid to ensure that the senior national team of Nigeria progress to the 2026 World Cup.Nigerian football apparel, as reported by OwnGoalNigeria.

The coach made a tour last week to see players of the team ahead of the world cup qualifiers games against Rwanda and Zimbabwe respectively. He is expected to submit his provisional list of players for the world cup qualifiers to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) later this week.

He is also planning ahead of both games, and we can exclusively reveal that he has made contact with Newcastle United forward Jacob Murphy who is eligible for the senior national team of Nigeria.

Chelle had a chat with the 29 year old to gauge his interest in switching to Nigeria due to his Nigerian descent. Details of how the discussion went wasn’t made available to us as at the time of this report.

Murphy who has represented England at various level is of Irish descent through his mother and he is of Nigerian origin through his father. He is yet to be capped by any of the above nation at senior level.

In a groundbreaking development for grassroots sports in Nigeria, all six Southwest states have officially declared their readiness to participate in the highly anticipated South West Games 2025 (SWG 2025). This unanimous commitment followed an intensive marathon meeting between state sports directors and event organizers, Practagali Partners, at The Colossus Lagos Conference Hall on February 7, 2025.

The meeting, hailed as high-calibre and strategic, underscored the states’ eagerness to ensure the maiden edition of SWG 2025 is a resounding success. The sports directors from Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, and Ekiti expressed satisfaction with the level of preparation by the organizers and pledged full participation in the tournament.

Adding to the excitement, the event will feature a premier sub-tournament, the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Southwest Alliance Games (BATSWAG), designed to showcase the region’s most talented under-18 athletes. With competitions spanning seven sports—football, basketball, table tennis, boxing, athletics, volleyball, and archery—the games promise to be a landmark event for youth sports development. The declaration of readiness from all participating states has set the stage for what is expected to be one of the most thrilling and transformative sporting events in the region’s history. The sports directors commended Practagali Partners for their meticulous planning and commitment to delivering a world-class tournament.

“We are leaving no stone unturned in ensuring that the South West Games 2025 surpasses expectations,” stated Funmilola Adedipe, Managing Director of Practagali Partners. “The overwhelming support and readiness from the state sports directors have further energized our resolve to execute a truly historic competition.” Victor Ganzallo, Director of Media for the Games, reinforced the broader significance of the event beyond competition. “This tournament is about legacy. It is about giving young athletes a sense of purpose, a platform to excel, and an opportunity to dream beyond their immediate environment. BATSWAG and SWG 2025 will serve as a vehicle for talent discovery and national sports development.”

The meeting laid the foundation for crucial agreements regarding the event’s structure, logistics, and execution. Initially, five sports were scheduled for the Games—football, basketball, table tennis, boxing, and athletics. However, after deliberations, volleyball was unanimously included, and stakeholders proposed the addition of archery, which was accepted as a state-coordinated event. The allocation of athletes per sport was agreed upon, ensuring a well-structured and inclusive tournament.

Football will feature 18 male players with seven coaches, table tennis will include one male and one female player, boxing will have four male participants, while athletics will have four male and four female athletes. Basketball, volleyball, and archery will also see a mix of participants, reflecting the diversity of talent across the region.

To foster a strong regional identity, each state has chosen a distinctive color for their team jerseys: Ekiti will wear blue, Lagos red, Ogun yellow, Ondo green, Osun white, and Oyo burgundy. The designated venues for the games have also been finalized, with YABATECH Sports Complex hosting football and athletics, Teslim Balogun Stadium designated for table tennis, volleyball, boxing, and archery, while Rowe Park Sports Complex will be the venue for basketball. Participants will be accommodated at Faith Plaza and The Anglican House, both located in close proximity to competition venues.

The stakeholders also reached key resolutions regarding the event timeline and logistics. March 25 will mark the arrival of participants and a technical meeting, while the games will take place from March 26 to 28, culminating in the final match and closing ceremony. Departure is scheduled for March 29.

To ensure fair play, a modified screening model will be adopted to verify the age of participants, with each state overseeing its own selection process. Every participant will receive a certificate of participation, with gold, silver, and bronze medals awarded in various categories. An overall trophy will be presented to the top three performing states. A match-past ceremony featuring all participants will be held during the closing ceremony.

The enthusiastic feedback from all participating states and the strategic preparations by Practagali Partners signal a historic sporting event on the horizon. The Director General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Lekan Fatodu, affirmed Lagos’ commitment to delivering an unforgettable experience. He said, “Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s unwavering support for sports development is evident in our infrastructure and logistics readiness. Lagos is prepared, and with the collective backing of all Southwest states, SWG 2025 will be nothing short of spectacular.”