NSC Fixes November 27 for Opening of 2026 National Sports Festival

The National Sports Commission (NSC) has officially announced that the opening ceremony of the 2026 National Sports Festival, tagged the Coal City Games, will take place on November 27, with the event scheduled to run through December 11.

Director General of the NSC, Bukola Olopade, made this known on Thursday in Abuja during the inaugural meeting of the Main Organising Committee (MOC). He stated that participating states are expected to arrive between November 25 and 26, ahead of the official commencement of activities.

Olopade stressed that the timeline is fixed, describing the schedule as “sacrosanct” and non-negotiable, signaling the Commission’s determination to ensure a smooth and well-coordinated event.

He explained that the finalized dates followed consultations with the Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, whose administration is hosting the festival. The NSC boss commended the governor’s commitment to infrastructure development, highlighting the pace and quality of ongoing preparations for the Games.

Olopade also expressed optimism that the 2026 edition would set new benchmarks in funding and organization. He pointed to the role of Premium Trust Bank, the festival’s main sponsor, noting that its financial backing represents a significant milestone in the history of the event.

Reflecting on the previous edition held in Abeokuta, Olopade said the Gateway Games received widespread acclaim but maintained that the Enugu-hosted festival is poised to surpass it in both funding and overall delivery.

As part of ongoing reforms under the NSC’s RHINSE agenda aimed at reducing hosting costs for states, the number of sports at the festival has been streamlined to 20. Of these, 15 are compulsory, while host states are permitted to select five additional events.

The compulsory sports for the Coal City Games include athletics, para-athletics, badminton, para-badminton, basketball, wheelchair basketball, boxing, cycling, football, judo, gymnastics, swimming, table tennis, para table tennis, tennis, taekwondo, mixed martial arts, weightlifting, para powerlifting, and wrestling.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey 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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