The 2026 Nigeria Beach Soccer League (NBSL) season got underway on Friday at Filin Sukuwa, Sani Abacha Bye Pass, Birnin Kebbi, the Kebbi State capital, with three matches producing drama, goals and a penalty shootout upset.
Debutants BAM Projects BSC of Kebbi State announced their arrival in style, coming from behind to edge Jigawa Golden Stars 4-3 on penalties in the opening match.
Jigawa Golden Stars had looked set for victory after racing into a 3-1 lead through goals from Bagudu Hamza, Rabiu Ali and Matarazi Salisu. But BAM Projects BSC mounted a spirited fightback, with Nazifi Aliyu scoring twice and Isiya Atiku also getting on the scoresheet to force the contest into penalties.
In the second game of the day, 2022 champions Kada BSC recorded the biggest win of the opening round with a crushing 9-0 victory over Niger BSC.
Last season’s top scorer, Dozie Frank, delivered a sensational performance with six goals, while Kareem Abubakar, Tanko Emmanuel and national team captain Victor Tale also got on the scoresheet in the one-sided encounter.
Record champions Kebbi Fishers BSC then rounded off the day with a 5-4 penalty shootout win over Ibom BSC after regulation time ended 1-1.
Ibom BSC took the lead through Aliyu Aliyu, whose fine strike also earned him the Man of the Match award, before Taiwo Adams restored parity for Kebbi Fishers to send the game to penalties.
Action continues on Saturday with three matches scheduled for the morning and one in the evening, while fans will also be treated to traditional Tauri entertainment.
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.
