Nasarawa Amazons Clinch Third President Federation Cup Title After Dramatic Penalty Victory

Nasarawa Amazons have emerged champions of the 2026 Women’s President Federation Cup after defeating Heartland Queens 6-5 on penalties following a thrilling 1-1 draw in regulation time at the Late Stephen Keshi International Stadium in Asaba, Delta State.

The victory marks the third Federation Cup title for the Nasarawa State-owned women’s club, adding to their previous triumphs in 2005 and 2019, while ending the disappointment of last year’s final defeat to Rivers Angels on penalties.

Heartland Queens took the lead in the first half through Chizoba Johnson, who gave the Owerri-based side a 1-0 advantage before the break. Nasarawa Amazons, however, mounted a spirited comeback in the second half, with substitute Adaobi Judith capitalising on a goalmouth scramble in the 65th minute to restore parity.

With both sides unable to find a winner in regulation time, the contest was decided by a tense penalty shootout. Displaying composure under pressure, the Amazons converted six spot-kicks to edge Heartland Queens 6-5 and lift the coveted trophy.

The triumph sparked celebrations among the Nasarawa State Government delegation, club supporters and football fans both at the stadium and across the state.

Governor Abdullahi Sule, who is currently on a short holiday in Texas, United States, played a motivational role by speaking with the players via telephone during the halftime break, urging them to fight back and make the state proud.

Moments after the final whistle, the governor celebrated the victory on the Nasarawa United WhatsApp platform, posting: “Masha Allah! Congratulations, the Champions of all Champions!!” He commended the players, coaching crew led by Christopher Danjuma, the club’s management, the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, the Nasarawa State Football Association, stakeholders and supporters for bringing honour to the state.

Deputy Governor Dr. Emmanuel Agbadu Akabe also described the achievement as “laudable and remarkable.”

Leading the state government’s delegation to Asaba, the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Hon. Kwanta Yakubu, attributed the success to hard work, dedication and divine favour.

“We return all the glory to God Almighty for what we have achieved today,” he said.

Yakubu praised Governor Sule for his unwavering support for sports development and commended the players, technical crew, management led by Chairperson Hajiya Hussaina Suleiman Nagogo, and the entire club for making Nasarawa proud.

He also hailed Nagogo’s leadership, describing her as “a strong and committed mother who continues to break barriers to achieve success.”

According to the commissioner, the state government will honour every member of the victorious team, while Governor Sule is expected to host the champions upon his return to Nigeria.

Several top government officials, traditional rulers, legislators, sports administrators and political stakeholders were present in Asaba to witness the historic victory and celebrate with the team.

In the men’s final played later at the same venue, El-Kanemi Warriors defeated Ikorodu City 1-0 to win the 2025 President Federation Cup title.

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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