All is now in place for the next stage of the 2026 President Federation Cup, as the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed that representatives from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory have been successfully submitted for the national competition.
This milestone follows the conclusion of state-level finals held nationwide last weekend. In line with the NFF’s directive, finals across 35 states and the FCT were played on Saturday, April 25, and Sunday, April 26, 2026, effectively bringing the preliminary phase of the tournament to a close.
With state champions now decided, focus shifts to the national draw, which is expected to take place in Abuja in the coming days. The draw will formally signal the start of the national stage of Nigeria’s oldest domestic football competition.
Ahead of the main tournament, a National Playoff round will be conducted. This phase will see lower-ranked teams battle for qualification spots in the Round of 64. Successful teams from the playoffs will then advance to join seeded sides—including some of Nigeria’s top clubs—in the competition proper.
The President Federation Cup continues to be a cornerstone of Nigerian football, providing clubs from all levels with a platform to compete for national glory.
Kwara United and Rivers Angels are defending champions of the tournament.
The winners the men’s edition will represent the country in the CAF Confederation Cup alongside the third placed team in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
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.
