56 Grassroots Soccer Golf equipment Vie for Taiwo Afolabi Cup

No fewer than 56 grassroots soccer groups will compete for honours because the tenth version of the Taiwo Afolabi U-17 Soccer Event which is able to kick off on Saturday, February 14, 2026, in Lagos.

The match, organised by the Lagos State Grassroots Soccer Affiliation (LSGSA) and sponsored by SIFAX Group, is performed in honour of Dr Taiwo Afolabi, Chairman, SIFAX Group. It is going to function 32 male groups and 24 feminine groups, making it one of many largest youth soccer competitions within the state’s grassroots soccer calendar.

Preliminary matches shall be held on the Ojo Oniyun Sports activities Centre, Ebute Metta, and the Anthony Mini Stadium, Gbagada, whereas the grand finale is scheduled for Might 2, 2026, on the Mobolaji Johnson Enviornment, Onikan, Lagos.

Talking on the press convention to announce the match, Afuka Abu, the Assistant Secretary of LSGSA, described the competitors as a confirmed platform for locating and grooming younger abilities for skilled soccer.

“This match has persistently supplied younger gamers with the construction, publicity and self-discipline they should progress to larger ranges of the sport. A lot of our contributors have moved on to nationwide groups {and professional} golf equipment, and that is still our aim — to offer each proficient youngster a real alternative,” Abu mentioned.

SIFAX Group has supported the match for a decade as a part of its Company Social Duty dedication to youth empowerment, sports activities improvement and neighborhood development.

Oliver Omajuwa, Deputy Director, Technique and Operations at SIFAX Group, mentioned the sponsorship is rooted within the firm’s philosophy of making lasting worth past enterprise.

“Expertise is all over the place, however alternative will not be,” he mentioned. “This match was conceived not simply as a contest, however as a platform for discovery, improvement and hope. For us, Company Social Duty is a long-term accountability, not a one-time gesture.”

Over time, the Taiwo Afolabi Cup has produced a number of standout abilities who’ve gone on to signify Nigeria and safe contracts with golf equipment in Europe and different worldwide leagues.

Notable gamers found via the competitors embody Samson Tijani, former Golden Eaglets captain, found on the 2019 version, who presently performs for Dukla Prague within the Czech Republic; Soliu Afolabi, former Flying Eagles participant, a participant of Slovan Liberec; Chijioke Mild, who later represented Nigeria on the WAFU Championship and the Africa Girls Cup of Nations, and Ebenezer Ojo of Better Tomorrow Academy, found in 2022, and presently enjoying within the Norwegian league.

Soccer stakeholders, scouts, former internationals and directors are anticipated to attend the matches to establish rising abilities and supply steerage to collaborating gamers.

The tenth anniversary version is not going to solely have fun a decade of affect but additionally elevate the usual of grassroots soccer improvement in Lagos.

About Lagos State Grassroots Soccer Affiliation

The Lagos State Grassroots Soccer Affiliation is a non-profit organisation devoted to discovering and nurturing younger soccer abilities via aggressive platforms and community-based initiatives.

About SIFAX Group

SIFAX Group is a diversified conglomerate with pursuits in maritime and logistics, aviation floor dealing with, oil and gasoline, and hospitality, with a robust concentrate on sustainable neighborhood improvement.