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HerGame Girls Football Championship kicks off in Abuja, set for nationwide expansion in 2026
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
The 2025 HerGame Girls Football Championship kicked off in Abuja on Saturday, with founder and sole sponsor, Dr. Pat Ajuma Ayegba, unveiling plans to expand the fast-growing grassroots tournament into a nationwide competition by 2026.
The week-long event, holding from November 29 to December 6 at the Area 3 Sports Complex, features 16 teams under a fully funded support system that provides participants with free registration, jerseys, training bibs, and logistics.
Ayegba — an FCT FA board member and head of the association’s Women’s Committee — said the initiative was created to bridge long-standing barriers hindering opportunities for the girl child in football.
“We are breaking ceilings for the girl child. For too long, talent has been wasted simply because opportunity never arrived. HerGame is that opportunity… your dreams are valid,” she said.
Originally organized solely within the FCT, HerGame expanded this year to accommodate teams from across the North Central region. Ayegba confirmed that increasing interest from other zones has accelerated plans for a national rollout.
She highlighted the programme’s inclusive design, which continues to attract young players from underserved communities.
“It gives me joy to see a girl from a remote village standing on this field with the same confidence as someone from an elite academy. This is not just a tournament; it is a platform to showcase potential, build confidence, and help girls rewrite their stories,” she added.
HerGame has already yielded measurable success. According to Ayegba, over 85% of participants from the 2024 edition are now featuring in structured leagues, while several have progressed into Nigeria’s junior national teams.
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One standout example is Queen Joseph, last year’s Most Valuable Player (MVP), who finished as Nigeria’s top scorer at the Morocco 2025 U17 Women’s World Cup before returning to mentor younger players at this year’s edition.
Ayegba reaffirmed her long-term ambition.
“My dream is that one day, the Super Falcons will have at least 10 girls who started their journey here. And trust me, that day is coming.”
Co-head of the Organising Committee and women’s football advocate, Moses Nagogo Bako, described HerGame as one of Nigeria’s most authentic and credible youth competitions.
He commended Ayegba’s full sponsorship model — covering all team kits, bibs, balls, and logistics — calling it rare in grassroots sports.
“The age alignment, the transparency, the raw talent, everything is right. We are certain more national team players will emerge from this year’s edition,” Bako said.
“What she is doing here is beyond sports. She is building futures. She deserves national recognition.”
Captain of defending champions Fosla Academy, Janet Bawa-Shukaga, said her team is fully prepared to defend their title.
“Being defending champions is an honour… My teammate was selected from here to represent Nigeria at the World Cup. This competition is opening doors for many of us.”
The 2025 edition continues throughout the week, with scouts and development coaches expected to monitor emerging talents closely.
