Calabar to Host 2026 NWFL Championship as 16 Clubs Battle for Premiership Promotion

The Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) Championship will return to Calabar, Cross River State, for its 2026 edition, marking the second time in three years that the city will host the country’s second-tier women’s football competition.

In a statement issued on Thursday, NWFL spokesperson Samuel Ahmadu announced that the tournament will take place from July 9 to 16, 2026, with 16 clubs competing for promotion to the NWFL Premiership.

Calabar previously staged the championship in 2024 and will once again provide the backdrop for an intense promotion race as teams seek a place among Nigeria’s top-flight women’s football clubs.

Speaking on the preparations for the competition, NWFL Chief Operating Officer, Modupe Shabi, disclosed that participating teams are expected to arrive in Calabar on Thursday, July 9, ahead of the commencement of tournament activities.

Shabi also revealed that the 16 teams will be drawn into four groups during a draw ceremony scheduled for Monday, June 29, 2026. Details of the groupings and access information will subsequently be communicated to all participating clubs.

According to the tournament schedule, a pre-match meeting will be held on Friday, July 10, while the competition officially kicks off on Saturday, July 11, with Matchday One featuring eight matches across two venues.

Following a rest day on Sunday, July 12, action resumes on Monday, July 13, with Matchday Two producing another eight fixtures across the designated venues.

The group stage will conclude on Tuesday, July 14, before teams observe another rest day on Wednesday, July 15. The decisive Matchday Four play-off fixtures will then take place on Thursday, July 16.

At the end of the championship, the two highest-performing teams will secure promotion to the NWFL Premiership, while the two lowest-ranked clubs will be relegated to the NWFL Nationwide division.

The NWFL management has urged all participating clubs to strictly comply with competition regulations, schedules, and directives as preparations intensify for the 2026 NWFL Championship.

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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