The draws for the men and women competitions of this year’s Federation Cup will hold at the NFF/FIFA Technical Centre, Abuja on Thursday.Emmanuel Adesanya, Head of the Federation Cup, confirmed to thenff.com on Wednesday that 18 Nigeria Professional Football League teams, 15 Nigeria National League teams, 18 Nationwide League teams and 10 non-League teams will be in the pots for the men’s draw.
The women’s draw will involve 22 teams: 16 Premier League teams, one Pro League teams and 5 Amateur League teams.
NFF’s 1st Vice President and Chairman of the Organizing Committee, Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi and General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi top the list of dignitaries expected at the event.
Adesanya informed thenff.com that instead of 64 teams, 61 teams will take part in the men’s draw, because no team from Adamawa State registered for this year’s competition, while Ebonyi State registered only one team.
The women teams are COD United Ladies, FC Robo (Lagos); Capital City Doves (FCT); Sure Babes (Kwara); Nasarawa Amazons (Nasarawa); Rivers Angels (Rivers), Delta Queens (Delta); Bayelsa Queens (Bayelsa); Abia Angels, Gift of Life (Abia); Edo Queens, Martins White Doves (Edo); Tokas Queens, Mosco Queens (Ogun); Sunshine Queens, Rising Queens (Ondo); Confluence Queens (Kogi); Katsina Queens (Katsina); Osun Queens (Osun); Ibom Angels, Alberto Queens (Akwa Ibom); Pelican Stars (Cross River).
In the men’s draw are: Enyimba FC, Abia Comets (Abia); Akwa United FC, Starlets FC (Akwa Ibom); FC IfeanyiUbah (Anambra); Wikki Tourists, Wikki Tourists Feeders (Bauchi); Yenagoa City, Nembe City (Bayelsa); Lobi Stars, Dreams FC (Benue); El-Kanemi Warriors, El-Kanemi Babes (Borno); Rovers FC (Cross River); Warri Wolves, J. Atete (Delta); Ebonyi United (Ebonyi); Inneh Stars, Dynamite FC (Edo); Enugu Rangers (Enugu); Top World, Ekiti United (Ekiti); FC Abuja, FRSC FC (FCT); Yarmalight FC, Flash Flamingoes (Gombe); Heartland FC, Papilo FC (Imo); Jigawa Golden Stars (Jigawa); Kaduna United (Kaduna); Kano Pillars (Kano); Katsina United, Katsina United Jnr (Katsina); Galadima Best, Zara FC (Kebbi); Kwara United, ABS FC (Kwara); Kogi United, FC Lokoja (Kogi); MFM FC, Bridge FC (Lagos); Nasarawa United, Akwanga Selected (Nasarawa); Niger Tornadoes (Niger); Sunshine Stars, Akure City (Ondo); Gateway FC, Almar FC (Ogun); Prime FC (Osun); Shooting Stars, Crown FC (Oyo); Plateau United, Giwa FC (Plateau); Rivers United, Go-Round FC (Rivers); Sokoto United, Fasbir FC (Sokoto); Gashaka Green Buffaloes (Taraba); Yobe Desert Stars, Damaturu United (Yobe); FC Zamfara (Zamfara)
Nigerian referees set for FIFA elite course
More than 230 Nigerian referees will be involved in this year’s FIFA Elite Member Association programme taking place between 16th and 20th May 2016 in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Chairman of the NFF Referees Committee, Alhaji Yusuf Ahmed Fresh, told thenff.com on Wednesday that all arrangements have been concluded for the international program that will involve Nigeria’s 20 men and women FIFA referees, 17 elite National referees, 95 National referee assessors, 65 National physical fitness instructors and 35 non –FIFA women referees.
Head of the NFF Referees Unit and Secretary of the NFF Referees Committee, Sani Zubair, explained that the team of four FIFA instructors will be led by the Regional Development Officer, Carlos Henriques.
They will be supported by respected Nigerian instructors Linus Mba, Calistus Chukwujekwu, Felicia Okonji, Aminu Mohammed, Abraham Zakowi, Emmanuel Imiere, Dr. Oladipo and Emmanuel Obafemi.
North East firmly behind Pinnick
Chairmen of Football Associations in the North East zone of the country rose from their meeting in Bauchi on Sunday with a re-affirmation of their unflinching support for the leadership of Nigeria Football Federation and its president, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick.
Chairman of the Borno State Football Association and NFF Executive Committee member, Alhaji Babagana Kalli, told thenff.com that the FA chairmen also mourned the passing of their Coordinator, Alhaji Husseini Modibbo.
Modibbo was until his death two months ago, a member of the NFF Executive Committee.
At the meeting, which held at the residence of the immediate past NFF President, Alhaji Aminu Maigari, the chairmen elected Babagana Kalli as their new Coordinator, while agreeing that the process for the election of a replacement for the late Modibbo on the NFF Executive Committee will commence in due course.
Future Eagles gather in Abuja
The North Central zonal finals of the inaugural edition of the NFF/Zenith Bank Future Eagles Championship will begin at the FIFA Goal Project, National Stadium Complex, Abuja on Thursday.
Coordinator of the zone and NFF Executive Committee member, Alhaji Yusuf Ahmed Fresh, told thenff.com on Wednesday that representative teams from the seven different States in the zone had arrived in the Federal Capital Territory and screening had commenced. The first matches in the one –week competition would take place on Thursday morning.
The competition, which is for U-13 and U-15 categories, will see Niger, Plateau, Nasarawa, Kwara, Benue and Kogi States and the Federal Capital Territory slug it out for supremacy.
The finals of the inaugural NFF/Zenith Bank Future Eagles Championship will hold in Lagos by early next month.
