Coordinator of the annual Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president’s pre-season competition popularly known as Gusau/Ahlan Cup, Alhaji Abahuraira Dahiru has disclosed that the contest is organised as a contribution towards further development of the round leather game in Nigeria.
Sports247 reports that Dahiru also disclosed that preparations for this year’s edition of the prestigious competition have reached an advanced stage, with not less than 16 clubs from the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) and Nigeria National League (NNL) set to participate.
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While pledging that the 2026 edition will be better than all others before it, Dahiru confirmed that the competition will kick-off on August 7th at Muhammadu Dikko Stadium in Katsina, Katsina State, which will produly play host for the first time.
He went on to declare that the annual event, which has grown into one of Nigeria’s most prestigious pre-season football competitions, will run for 10 days and is expected to help the contesting clubs fine-tune their preparations ahead of the 2026/2027 domestic season.
The coordinator further pointed out that Gusau/Ahlan Cup continues to attract widespread attention because of its quality organisation and opportunity it offers clubs to assess new players, test tactical formations and prepare their squads under competitive conditions.
Dahiru also described it as more than just a pre-season competition, but also an important platform for football development, talent discovery and healthy competition among Nigerian clubs, as well as an avenue for clubs to build team chemistry and expose emerging talents to top-flight football.
“The objective of the competition has always been to promote sportsmanship, encourage healthy rivalry among clubs and contribute to the development of football in Nigeria. We are leaving no stone unturned in our preparations.
“Our objective is to make this year’s edition the most successful in the history of the tournament,” said Dahiru, who also disclosed that the organising committee, headed by the chairman of Jigawa State Football Association, Alhaji Sabo Abdullahi, is working hard to ensure a successful event.
