Oriental Derby Headlines 2025 President Federation Cup Round of 32 fixtures

By Wale Mustapha

The 2025 President Federation Cup Round of 32 fixtures are set to feature some exciting matchups, with the Oriental derby between Heartland FC and Enugu Rangers taking center stage.

Heartland, one of the most successful clubs in Nigeria’s oldest football competition, secured their spot in the next stage with a 2-0 win over CP Striker in the Round of 64.

Meanwhile, Rangers progressed with a 1-0 victory over Kano Pillars, setting up an intriguing rivalry between the two Eastern clubs.

The historic meeting between Heartland and Rangers is expected to be a highlight of the round, as both teams have a storied history in Nigerian football.

Other notable fixtures include a clash between Sunshine Stars and Plateau United, while 2023 champions Bendel Insurance will face Adamawa United.

Enyimba will engage Elkanemi Warriors in an all-Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) encounter, and FC Zamfara will go head-to-head with Warri Wolves in an all-National League clash.

The full Round of 32 fixtures are as follows:

Round of 32 Fixtures:

• Heartland FC vs Rangers International
• Warri Wolves vs FC Zamfara
• Enyimba FC vs Elkanemi Warriors
• Bayelsa United vs FC Basira
• Lobi Stars vs Solution FC
• Sunshine Stars vs Plateau United
• Beyond Limits vs Rivers United
• Danburan FC vs Inter Lagos
• Kwara United vs Gombe United
• Ikorodu City vs Crown FC
• Wikki Tourists vs Rovers FC
• Osun United vs E World FC
• Nasarawa United vs Ijele FC/Lautau United
• Bendel Insurance FC vs Adamawa United
• Katsina United vs Yobe Desert Stars/Abakaliki FC

The fixtures are set to take place in April across designated centers, with final locations to be announced at a later date.

The Round of 32 promises to deliver some thrilling encounters as teams battle for a spot in the next stage of the prestigious competition.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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