FEDERATION CUP
GTI congratulates states and FCT champions in President Federation Cup
After a very busy weekend of hostilities which culminated in the emergence of champions from 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja) at the ongoing President Federation Cup (PFC), strategic partners to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), GTI Asset Management and Trust Limited, has congratulated the teams for emerging victorious and being worthy ambassadors of their states.
According to GTI Head of Media and Publicity, Andrew Ekejiuba in Lagos on Monday, he congratulated both the men and women teams that featured at the state finals for proving their mettle and hopes the energy, grit, technical and tactical discipline they exhibited during the state finals will be replicated when action commences at the national finals.
“GTI’s journey of taking the President Federation Cup to the next level has commenced this year after our maiden outing last year. GTI Group congratulates the champions from the various states and FCT for living up to the billing.
“As expected, there were upsets. In Abia for example, 2022/2023 Nigeria Premier Football League champions Enyimba of Aba were beaten 3-1 on penalties after a pulsating 0-0 draw with an NLO club, Ahudiya Nnem FC.
The Abiriba-based amateur side had earlier defeated Abia Warriors in the semi-finals, thus setting the stage for another scintillating PFC national finals,” Ekejiuba said.
“In other results, perennial Enugu State President Federation Cup champions, Rangers International FC were lucky as they emerged champions courtesy of a 3-0 spanking of NNL side, Ijele FC in the final match played on Saturday, February 22, 2025.
“Rangers’ young midfield sensation, Daniel Onyia broke the deadlock in 33rd minute when he rifled home a shot from a distance of thirty meters and Ijele FC goalkeeper was beaten hands-down.
“Again, in the 54th minute, Michael Uchebo stabbed home the second goal for the ‘Flying Antelopes’ after receiving a pass from Effimi Nsi and later in the 67th minute, Daniel Onyia grabbed his brace as his long-range shot took a wicked deflection to send the opponent’s shot stopper, Ojobo Ifebuche, the wrong way for the third goal at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu.”
Elsewhere, in Benue, Lobi Stars once again, emerged as champions of the 2025 President Federation Cup after a hard-fought 2-1 victory over a determined Flight FC of Gboko at the Benue State University Sports Complex, Makurdi.
The Pride of Benue took an early lead in the 20th minute when Johnmark Aule curled a stunning free-kick into the net, setting the tone for an electrifying contest. However, Flight FC responded just before halftime, with John Lim restoring parity in the 45th minute.
A second-half goal (54th minute) from Samuel Tiza was enough to prove decisive in the thrilling encounter that saw Alia Boys emerge champions.
Below is the breakdown of all the results from the 36-state finals and FCT in both men and women categories of PFC:
2025 States PFC Final Results (Men)
- Abia: Enyimba 0-0 (1-3 pen) Ahudiyannem FC
- Adamawa: Adamawa United 2-0 Velvot Academy
- Akwa Ibom: Akwa United 1-0 Eagles Eye FA
- Anambra: Solution FC 0-0 (0-2 pen) Edel FC
- Bauchi: Wikki Tourists FC 1-0 Warinje FC
- Bayelsa: Bayelsa United 2-2 (2-4 pen) Krusaders FC
- Benue: Lobi Stars 2-1 Flight FC
- Borno: El Kanemi Warriors FC 3-0 Police Machine (CP Strikers) FC
- Cross Rivers: Rovers FC 1-0 E World
- Delta: Warri Wolves FC 2-1 Sapele Lions
- Ebonyi: Cynosure FC 0-1 Abakaliki FC
- Edo: Bendel Insurance FC 3-0 Assemblies of God
- Ekiti: COPDEM 0-1 NOSMAS
- Enugu: Rangers FC 3-0 Ijele FC
- FCT: EFCC 0-0 (3-4 pen) FWC FC
- Gombe: Gombe United 3-1 El Sharma FC
- Imo: Heartland FC 2-0 OISA FC Okpala
- Jigawa: Dandidi Babes 2-0 Lautau United
- Kaduna: Simon Beb FA 1-1 (2-4) Green Berets
- Kano: Pillars 3-2 Barau FC
- Katsina: Katsina United 1-0 Jnr. Danburam FC
- Kebbi: Discovery Talent Academy 1-5 Kebbi United
- Kogi: Kogi Central FC 1-2 FC Bako
- Kwara: Kwara United 1-1 (5-4 pen) ABS
- Lagos: Inter Lagos 0-0 (5-4 pen) Ikorodu City
- Nasarawa: Nasarawa United 2-0 FC Basira
- Niger: Atlantic FA, Suleja 0-0 (6-5 pen) Harmony FA, Bosso
- Ogun: Imperial FC 2-2 (8-7 pen) Beyond Limits
- Ondo: Sunshine Stars 0-0 (4-3 pen) Sunshine Stars U19
- Osun: Osun United 0-1 Igbajo United
- Oyo: Crown FC 0-0 (2-4) Shooting Stars FC
- Plateau: Plateau United 2-0 Mighty Jets International FC
- Rivers: Rivers United 0-0 (4-3 pen) Wilbros FC
- Sokoto: Sokoto United FC 1-2 Sokoto North FC
- Taraba: Technobat FC 0-1 Eagle Stars FC
- Yobe: Yobe Desert Stars 10-1 Gujba Academy
- Zamfara: Zamfara United 1-0 Zamfara Feeders FC
2025 States PFC Final Results (Women)
- Akwa Ibom: Ibom Angels 3-0 Jacklyn Angels
- Bayelsa: Bayelsa Queens 8-0 Crystal Stars FC
- Delta: Delta Queens FC 2-0 Delta Babes
- Edo: Edo Queens 3-0 Fortress Ladies
- FCT: Naija Ratels 6-0 N-Youth Ladies FA
- Kaduna: Gallant Queens 6-0 Kada Queens FC
- Kwara: Moje Queens 2-2 (4-3 pen) Kwara Ladies
- Lagos: Unification FC Ladies 0-1 Dannaz Ladies FC
- Ogun: Remo Stars Ladies 4-0 Castmong Ladies FC
- Ondo: Sunshine Queens 3-3 (4-2 pen) Onimarg FC
- Plateau: Plateau United Queens 2-1 Mighty Jets Mata
- Rivers: Rivers Angels 10-0 Sporting Angels
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The star match of the President Federation Cup Round of 16 is the potentially epic confrontation of Enugu Rangers and Bendel Insurance.
The history of the Nigerian National Cup is littered with the epic duels of the two who have three times contested the final matches in 1978, 1981 and recently in 2023.
They clash again four steps before the final match. The two teams were involved in two of the most memorable final matches of Nigeria’s Cup competition in its 80-year history, with honours shared in 1978 and 1981.
The Benin Arsenal tore apart the form books to shock the nation’s football fraternity by spanking Rangers 3-0 in the final in Lagos in 1978, but the Flying Antelopes somewhat repaid the compliment with a 2-0 win at the same venue in 1981.
The setting for this Round of 16 clash is also in Lagos, though a different venue. But fireworks are expected by the waterfront from two teams aspiring for continental football.
Two-time CAF Champions League winners Enyimba FC, who eliminated Cup holders El-Kanemi Warriors in the Round of 32, will take on Abakaliki FC at the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba.
Nasarawa United and Bayelsa United will square up to each other in the university town of Anyigba, while Warri Wolves and Wikki Tourists battle things out in the Federal Capital, Abuja.
Two great entertainers, Ikorodu City and Beyond Limits will be at each other’s jugular at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, where Solution FC will tango with Kwara United in an earlier game. Plateau United will confront Osun United in Anyigba.
Akwa United and Inter Lagos are at loggerheads in Abuja.
Round of 16 fixtures (Men) on Wednesday
- Enyimba FC (Abia) Vs Abakaliki FC (Ebonyi) – Asaba – 4pm
- Nasarawa United (Nasarawa) Vs Bayelsa United (Bayelsa) – Anyigba 10am
- Warri Wolves (Delta) Vs Wikki Tourists (Bauchi) – Area 3 Abuja – 1 pm
- Ikorodu City (Lagos) Vs Beyond Limits (Ogun) – Benin City – 4 pm
- Akwa United (Akwa Ibom) Vs Inter Lagos (Lagos) – Area 3 Abuja – 4 pm
- Solution FC (Anambra) Vs Kwara United (Kwara) – Benin City – – 10 am
- Plateau United (Plateau) Vs Osun United (Osun) – Anyigba – 1 pm
- Bendel Insurance (Edo) Vs Rangers Int’l (Enugu) – MJA Lagos – 4 pm
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BY IKENNA NWOKEDI
Nearly half of the Nigerian clubs that made it to the Round of 32 of the President Federation Cup are from the second-tier league, the Nigerian National League (NNL).
There are 15 clubs from the NNL and that has thrilled the president of the 36-club league, Godwin Enakhena, hailing the preponderance of the NNL clubs in the national cup as a positive development.
The body of club owners goes by the acronym, NALCOMA which translates to Nigeria National League Club Owners and Managers Association.
Enakhena described the dominance of the NNL clubs as an improved performance over that of the previous season.
He therefore foresees an NNL club winning the 2025 edition of the oldest football competition in Nigeria, replicating the feat of El Kanemi in last year’s edition when they outwitted Abia Warriors in the final match.
The 15 NNL clubs who made the President Federation Cup Round of 32 are Basira FC, Crown FC, Warri Wolves, Gombe United, Solution FC, Osun United, Beyond Limits and Inter Lagos. Others are Wikki Tourists, Adamawa United, Ijele FC, Abakaliki United, Zamfara United, Rovers of Calabar and Mighty Jets.
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FEDERATION CUP
President Federation Cup Round of 64 throw ups Rangers v Kano Pillars clash for the third time this season
In what is a repeat of the 2018 Federation Cup final, Kano Pillars and Enugu Rangers will clash again, but at the Round of 64 stage.
It will be the third time this season that both teams will clash having met twice in the Nigeria Premier Football League.
Incidentally, both matches were won by Kano Pillars in Enugu and Kano.
It is the only clash of NPFL clubs at the opening stage of the national finals.
In what looks like an employment of seeding, the remaining 15 NPFL clubs will not clash until the competition gets into the finals.
In the women’s category, Bayelsa Queens also must do battle with last year’s finalists Naija Ratels in the earliest stage possible in the women’s event – Round of 32.
ROUND OF 64 (MEN)
- El-Kanemi Warriors Vs Simon Ben FC
- Enyimba FC Vs El-Shama FC
- Yobe Desert Stars Vs Abakaliki FC
- Katsina United Vs Green Beret
- Nasarawa United Vs Flight FC
- Ijele FC Vs Lautau FC
- Bayelsa United Vs EFCC FC
- FC Basira Vs Atlantic FA
- Warri Wolves Vs Wilbros FC
- Shooting Stars Vs Zamfara United
- Wikki Tourists Vs Edel FC
- Rovers FC Vs Igbajo FC
- Ikorodu City Vs Sunshine U19
- Crown FC Vs NOSMAS FC
- Beyond Limit FC Vs Krusaders FC
- Rivers United Vs Barau FC
Mighty Jets Vs Imperial FC - Akwa United Vs Kebbi United
- Inter Lagos Vs Harmony FA
- Sokoto United Vs Jr. Danburan FC
- Lobi Stars Vs Discovery Talent FC
- Solution FC Vs Eagle Stars
- Kwara United Vs Cynosure FC
- Gombe United Vs Assemblies of God
- Sunshine Stars Vs FC Bako
- Plateau United Vs Ahudiyannem FC
- Osun United Vs FWC FC
- ABS FC Vs E-World
- Bendel Insurance Vs Dandidi Babes
- Adamawa United Vs Warinje Babes
- Heartland FC Vs CP Strikers
- Rangers Int’l Vs Kano Pillars
All matches will take place on Wednesday, 19th March
ROUND OF 32 (WOMEN)
- Rivers Angels Vs Moje Queens
- Gallant Queens Vs First Mahi Babes
- Remo Stars Ladies Vs Plateau United Queens
- Dannaz Ladies Vs GP World
- Delta Queens Vs Jacklyn Angels
- Ibom Angels Vs Sporting Angels
- Fortress Ladies Vs Onimarg FC
- Heartland Queens Vs Crystal Stars
- Osun Babes Vs N-Youth Ladies
- Edo Queens Vs Kada Queens
- Delta Babes Vs Mighty Jets Mata
- Adamawa Queens Vs Unification Ladies
- Sunshine Queens Vs Castmog Ladies
- Confluence Queens Vs Ahudiyannem Queens
- Nasarawa Amazons Vs Kwara Ladies
- Bayelsa Queens Vs Naija Ratels
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