Chrisland School wins D.O.A. Memorial football title again

Chrisland School has successfully defended their title at the 2026 Daniel Oreoluwa Adebiyi Foundation Soccer Challenge. They beat Faith Academy 2-1 in an exciting final at the Chrisland College Idimu Stadium in Lagos.

This win means Chrisland School has kept the title after also winning in 2025. The annual grassroots football tournament is now in its fifth year, held in memory of Daniel Oreoluwa Adebiyi, a talented young footballer and former student of Chrisland.

Eight schools took part in the one-day competition. It was all about youth football, sportsmanship, and developing talent. Faith Academy took second place, while Supreme Education Foundation finished third after a strong performance.

After the match, Dr Mike Adebiyi, the Chief Executive Officer of the D.O.A. Foundation, talked about their plans to grow the competition. He wants to create more chances for young footballers across Nigeria.

“Our desire is for this competition to continue every year, and for the best player to receive rewarding prizes. Ultimately, we want to send the tournament’s MVP to a football academy abroad, because that was Daniel Oreoluwa Adebiyi’s dream before he passed,” he said.

He thanked the Chrisland Group of Schools for their ongoing support. He also recognized former Super Eagles defender Ifeanyi Udeze and paid tribute to late Super Eagles goalkeeper Peter Rufai, who often supported the tournament.

Adebiyi mentioned that the foundation plans to take the competition nationwide. Each state will eventually have its own qualifying tournament before a national championship is set up.

Udeze praised the initiative, saying grassroots competitions are key to finding Nigeria’s next football stars.

“This is where we all started. You never know who will become the next Kanu Nwankwo, Jay-Jay Okocha, Celestine Babayaro or Taribo West. We don’t have enough tournaments like this, and that’s why I’m happy. It gives me hope that Nigeria is returning to grassroots football,” he said.

Chrisland’s Head of Schools, Sports and Wider Curriculum, Eric Van Der Merwe, called the tournament a meaningful community project. It keeps Daniel’s legacy alive and helps his family with their loss.

“We will continue to support this tournament every year, because it has a special meaning to Daniel’s family. It reminds us that sport is about more than winning trophies; it is about community, memories and giving young people opportunities,” he said.

Isaiah Benjamin, the National President of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, was represented by the association’s Secretary, Femi Amusan. He praised the organizers for their commitment to grassroots sports development. He called football a powerful tool for youth empowerment and national unity.

“Football remains one of the most powerful unifying forces in the world. Regardless of our backgrounds, beliefs or social status, the game brings us together with a shared sense of purpose and belonging. Every pass, tackle, save and goal reflects discipline, teamwork, perseverance and determination, qualities that are equally essential for success in life,” he said.

The tournament’s Most Valuable Player was 16-year-old Demilade Osho. The Year 12 student thanked the organizers. He said the competition has made him more determined to pursue a professional football career while also inspiring him to help other young talents reach their goals.