The maiden edition of the FirstBank/Nigeria Football Federation National Schools Football Championship has officially kicked off, with organisers describing the competition as a major step towards discovering the next generation of football talents across the country.
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The championship, organised by FirstBank in partnership with the Nigeria Football Federation and the Nigeria School Sport Federation, will feature secondary schools from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
“We’re building future stars through this championship by giving young talents a platform to showcase their abilities,” the organisers said.
The competition will begin with state preliminaries before progressing to zonal playoffs, where the winners will battle for places at the national finals.
The initiative was introduced to strengthen grassroots football development while creating a structured pathway for talented school footballers to progress.
According to the organisers, the championship is designed to ensure that promising youngsters receive the exposure needed to develop their careers.
The tournament is dedicated to the memory of Nigerian football legend Samuel Okwaraji, who tragically passed away while representing Nigeria during a FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Angola in 1989.
“This competition is about giving talented young footballers the opportunity to dream, compete and develop in a structured environment,” the organisers added.
The FirstBank/NFF National Schools Football Championship is expected to become an annual event, reinforcing efforts to revive school sports and provide a sustainable talent pipeline for Nigerian football.
