1xCup reveals plans for 2026 football tournament

Organisers of the 1xCup grassroots football tournament have shared new plans for the 2026 edition. They say the tournament is becoming a key route to professional football. Many past participants have found careers in Nigeria and other countries.

At the launch of the fourth edition in Lagos on Friday, the organisers announced that 100 grassroots clubs will compete for a ₦20 million prize. They also introduced new ideas such as digital player profiling, better scouting, performance analysis, and live streaming. These changes aim to boost players' visibility to professional clubs.

Since starting in 2023, the tournament has become one of the biggest grassroots football events in Lagos. The organisers reported that over 180 clubs and more than 5,000 players have taken part in the first three editions.

Adedapo Dimeji, General Manager of 1xCup, said the tournament's aim goes beyond just finding a winner. He said, "The tournament is not only about winning trophies. It is about creating opportunities."

He added, "Our vision is to provide talented young footballers with a professionally organised competition where they can showcase their abilities before scouts, clubs, football administrators and fans. We remain committed to creating a pathway from grassroots football to the professional game."

This year’s tournament will include 100 clubs from Lagos’ five traditional football divisions: Agege, Lagos Island, Badagry, Ikorodu, and Epe. There will be better match organisation, wider media coverage, more scouting, and individual awards.

Mr Dimeji mentioned that several players spotted through the competition have moved on to professional football. He named Kayode Akinyemi of Dosu FC and Okechukwu of FC Bethel, who moved to Egypt after being the tournament’s top scorer. Others include Caleb Okereke, Clinton Lawani, and Peter Ayisu.

He also highlighted that two former 1xCup players recently represented Nigeria at the Unity Cup in London. He said, "These achievements reassure us that 1xCup is truly serving as a platform for discovering and developing football talent."

To improve this pathway, the organisers said every player in the 2026 edition will have a digital profile with performance data and highlight videos. Special technical assessment teams will watch the matches, and accredited scouts will have access to player reports during the competition.

Mr Dimeji said, "Our objective is not simply to discover one or two outstanding players. We want to create opportunities for as many deserving young footballers as possible."

Waidi Akanni, a former Super Eagles defender and 1xCup Technical Director, revealed that interest in the competition is higher than ever. Nearly 800 clubs applied for the 100 spots available. He said, "Every team went through a rigorous screening and verification process to ensure fairness and professionalism before the final selections were made."

The final list includes 24 clubs from Agege and Lagos Island, 20 from Badagry and Ikorodu, and 12 from Epe. Mr Akanni added that active professional footballers will no longer be allowed to participate. This is to keep the tournament's grassroots focus.

Each club will register 25 players and can include up to five players aged between 16 and 18 to support youth development. The tournament will last for 38 matchdays, starting with qualifying rounds. It will then move to a group stage with 24 teams. The top two teams from each of the six groups, along with the four best third-placed teams, will go to the Round of 16, before the knockout phase begins.

There are also plans for a women’s competition in the future. Abiodun Babalola, Head of Operations, said they have started talks with stakeholders in women’s grassroots football. He said, "Women’s football is definitely part of our long-term vision. We want to build it properly and ensure it meets the same high standards that 1xCup has established."

Looking beyond Lagos, Mr Dimeji mentioned that they are in talks with stakeholders in two South-East states and one Middle Belt state to expand the tournament nationwide. He said, "Lagos alone is not Nigeria."

He added that they have begun discussions with the National Sports Commission and the Nigeria Football Federation to assist in the expansion. The long-term goal, he said, is to grow the competition into a continental grassroots championship. He pointed out that there is a similar tournament in Kenya called the Waziri Cup.

Mr Dimeji said, "Our vision is to take 1xCup across Nigeria and eventually across Africa, where champions from different countries can compete against one another. We believe we will achieve that goal step by step."

The fourth edition of the competition is set to start on 23 July.