The women’s teams will commence their quest  in this year’s President Federation Cup competition at the national level on Wednesday next week, when the Round of 32 matches will be played in nine centres across the Federation.

Uyo, Enugu, Asaba, Lafia, Ibadan, Benin City, Akure, Auchi and Abuja will host the 16 games. Thirteen of the matches will hold on Wednesday while the remaining three, in Asaba and Benin City, will take place on Thursday.

Cup holders Bayelsa Queens are up against Bright Future Queens of Enugu at the Uyo Township Stadium, while last year’s runners-up Rivers Angels tackle Ekiti Queens in Asaba.

Nasarawa Amazons will confront Suit De Queens from Oyo State in Enugu while Delta Queens take on Fortress Ladies of Edo in Akure.

WOMEN’S ROUND OF 32 MATCHES

Bayelsa Queens (Bayelsa) Vs Bright Future Queens (Enugu) – Uyo – 08/05/24 – 4pm

Nasarawa Amazons (Nasarawa) Vs Suit De Queens (Oyo) – Enugu – 08/05/24 – 4pm

Dannaz Ladies (Lagos) Vs Mighty Jets Mata (Plateau) – Enugu – 08/05/24 – 1pm

Remo Stars Ladies (Ogun) Vs Oske Leans (Rivers) – Asaba – 08/05/24 – 4pm

Abia Angels (Abia) Vs Castmong Ladies (Ogun) – Asaba – 08/05/24 – 1pm

Naija Ratels (FCT) Vs ON Youth Academy (FCT) – Lafia – 08/05/24 – 1pm

Heartland Queens (Imo) Vs Golden Sun (Bayelsa) – Asaba – 09/05/24 – 1pm

FC Robo Queens (Lagos) Vs Onimang FC (Ondo) – Ibadan – 08/05/24 – 4pm

Kwara Ladies (Kwara) Vs Ahudiya Queens (Abia) – Benin City – 08/05/24 – 1pm

Delta Queens (Delta) Vs Fortress Ladies (Edo) – Akure – 08/05/24 – 4pm

Sunshine Queens (Ondo) Vs Green Foot (Enugu) – Benin City – 08/05/24 – 4pm

Plateau United Ladies (Plateau) Vs Honey Badgers (Benue) – Lafia – 08/05/24 – 4pm

Gallant FC (Kaduna) Vs Osun Babes (Osun) – Auchi – 08/05/24 – 4pm

Confluence Queens (Kogi) Vs Delta Ladies (Delta) – Benin City – 09/05/24 – 4pm

Edo Queens (Edo) Vs Kada Queens (Kaduna) – Abuja – 08/05/24 – 4pm

Ekiti Queens (Ekiti) Vs Rivers Angels (Rivers) – Asaba – 09/05/24 – 4pm

Meanwhile, the men’s Round of 64 games will hold on Wednesday and Thursday this week in Abuja, Kaduna, Owerri, Lafia, Awka, Enugu, Benin City, Ibadan, Asaba, Ilorin, Aba and Kano. The 32 matches will produce the candidate-teams for the Round of 32.

MEN’S ROUND OF 64 MATCHES

Bendel Insurance (Edo) Vs Stormers SC (Ogun) – Abuja Area 3 – 01/05/24 – 4pm

Wikki Tourists (Bauchi) Vs Jr. Danburan (Katsina) – Kaduna ABS – 01/05/24 – 1pm

Osun United (Osun) Vs EFCC FC (FCT) – Awka – 01/05/24 – 4pm

Edel FC (Anambra) Vs Discovery Talent FC (Kebbi) – Abuja Goal Project – 02/05/24 – 1pm

Zamfara United (Zamfara) Vs ABS FC (Kwara) – Abuja Bwari – 01/05/24 – 4pm

Kebbi United (Kebbi) Vs Ine Stars (Edo) – Abuja Area 3 – 01/05/24 – 1pm

Akwa United (Akwa Ibom) Vs Cynosure FC (Ebonyi) – Owerri – 01/05/24 – 4pm

Mighty Jets (Plateau) Vs Zamfara United Feeders (Zamfara) – Kaduna ABS – 02/05/24 – 4pm

Gombe United (Gombe) Vs Karim United (Taraba) – Bauchi – 01/05/24 – 1pm

El-Kanemi Warriors (Borno) Vs Adanimogo FC (Ondo) – Lafia – 01/05/24 – 4pm

Lobi Stars (Benue) Vs Delta Marine (Delta) – Enugu – 01/05/24 – 4pm

Shooting Stars (Oyo) Vs Solution FC (Anambra) – Benin City – 01/05/24 – 4pm

Ikorodu City (Lagos) Vs Green Berets (Kaduna) – Ilorin – 01/05/24 – 4pm

Coal City (Enugu) Vs Ekiti United Feeders (Ekiti) – Asaba – 01/05/24 – 4pm

Beyond Limits (Ogun) Vs Hammola Int’l (Osun) – Ibadan – 01/05/24 – 4pm

Inter Lagos (Lagos) Vs May Frank (Cross River) – Asaba – 02/05/24 – 4pm

Warri Wolves (Delta) Vs Lautai FC (Jigawa) – Abuja Area 3 – 02/05/24 – 4pm

Kwara United (Kwara) Vs Rovers FC (Cross River) – Enugu – 01/05/24 – 1pm

Abia Warriors (Abia) Vs Ilaji FC (Oyo) – Benin City – 02/05/24 – 4pm

Sporting Supreme (FCT) Vs PCM FC (Ebonyi) – Asaba – 01/05/24 – 1pm

Nasarawa United (Nasarawa) Vs FC Bako (Kogi) – Kaduna ABS – 01/05/24 – 4pm

Sokoto United (Sokoto) Vs Ofirima FC (Rivers) – Lafia – 02/05/24 – 4pm

FC One Rocket (Akwa Ibom) Vs Fr. Eburuaja (Imo) – Aba – 01/05/24 – 4pm

Enyimba FC (Abia) Vs Warinje FC (Bauchi) – Ilorin – 02/05/24 – 4pm

Plateau United (Plateau) Vs Ekiti United (Ekiti) – Enugu 02/05/24 – 4pm

Sunshine Stars (Ondo) Vs Jedo Academy (Sokoto) – Abuja Goal Project – 01/05/24 – 4pm  

Rivers United (Rivers) Vs Ikukuoma FC (Imo) – Aba – 02/05/24 – 4pm

Niger Tornadoes (Niger) Vs Niger Tornadoes Feeders (Niger) – Abuja Goal Project – 02/05/24 – 4pm

Katsina United (Katsina) Vs Dutse Strikers (Jigawa) – Kano – 01/05/24 – 4pm

Bayelsa United (Bayelsa) Vs FC Basira (Nasarawa) – Enugu – 02/04/24 – 1pm

Doma United (Gombe) Vs Gamji Eaglets (Taraba) – Bauchi – 02/05/24 – 4pm

Kano Pillars (Kano) Vs Rangers Int’l (Enugu) – Abuja Bwari – 02/05/24 – 4pm

Eloquent-speaking Nigeria sports minister, John Owan-Enoh under whose supervision the Nigeria football knock-out competition changed name for the sixth time.

What began as Governor’s Cup and later changed to Challenge Cup, Coca-Cola FA Cup, Federation Cup, Aiteo Cup and Tingo Cup is now President Federation Cup.

The minister explained that the essence is to return charm to the competition that was previously very glamorous.

At a simple, but colourful event packaged by the GTI Asset Management and Trust Ltd, the NFF and the Ministry of Sports at the Westwood Hotel in Ikoyi, Lagos, the sports minister harped on the need to rejuvenate the Nigeria national football cup competition which is open to all clubs irrespective of their status.

He recalled the thrills and frills of the competition which had all the ingredients of knock out games with the attendant upsets. Foremost was when the then Leventis United of Ibadan rose steadily from the third division and became the first lower- division team to win the then Challenge Cup in 1984.

“Today we gather to relaunch the competition as the President Federation Cup, honouring Nigeria’s highest office holder and aligning with the renewed hope agenda of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration, fostering national unity and emulating the American Super Bowl as a national football extravaganza.”

The minister stated further that his initiative of the agreement with GTI was to raise the standard of the national football cup competition.

“We aim to reestablish the renamed competition on the national and international football calendar, involving grassroots teams, creating employment for approximately 500,000 Nigerians, engaging a hundred million football enthusiasts, rejuvenating talent pipelines, fostering national pride, and showcasing Nigeria’s greatness globally.

“The President Federation Cup will become President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s legacy.”

It took a while before the new name of the all-Nigeria national football competition was arrived at. President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Ibrahim Gusau explained that when the discussion to rebrand the national cup began, it was just to be called President Cup.

That was to give it a presidential backing by the highest office in Nigeria. It would have been similar to “The Throne Cup” in Morocco.

Gusau explained that not putting ‘Federation’ in the official name could lead people to mistaken that the NFF was not involved in the competition.

It was for that reason that the name was elongated to read: President Federation Cup.

From the quarter-finals stage, the clubs will be taken care of and also supplied with jerseys. Although the prize money was not announced, it was stated that ‘it will be good.’