Gold Cup 2025: Preseason Tournament set for Sagamu, October 16–25

By Dayo Awoniyi

The 13th edition of the Gold Cup Preseason Tournament will take centre stage from October 16 to 25, 2025, at the modern FC Ebedei Stadium in Apele-Sagamu.

This year’s competition will feature a reshuffled lineup following the absence of defending champions Shooting Stars of Ibadan and other Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) teams, who are unavailable due to the league’s earlier kick-off.

Instead, top sides from the Nigeria National League (NNL) and Nationwide League One (NLO) will compete, with organisers promising a more competitive and diverse tournament.

Gold Cup General Coordinator Tunde Shamsudeen explained that the date shift was necessary after adjustments to the domestic calendar.

“The tournament was originally scheduled to begin on Thursday, September 25, 2025, but it has now been moved to October 16–25.

“This change was made in response to the Nigeria National League board’s decision to commence the 2025–26 league season on Saturday, November 8, 2025,” Shamsudeen stated.

Fans will enjoy full access to the action, with live streaming across the tournament’s digital platforms and highlight packages on YouTube. Match updates, including live scores and results, will also be available on the Sofascore app.

Organisers say the 2025 edition underscores the tournament’s vision of broadening participation while retaining its place as a staple of Nigerian football’s preseason calendar.