1xCup organisers unveil plans for 2026 tournament

Organisers of the 1xCup grassroots football tournament have unveiled an expanded talent development programme for the 2026 edition, saying the competition is increasingly serving as a pathway to professional football after several former participants secured careers in Nigeria and abroad.

At the launch of the fourth edition in Lagos on Friday, organisers announced that 100 grassroots clubs will compete for a ₦20 million prize package, while introducing new initiatives including digital player profiling, enhanced scouting, performance analysis and live streaming to improve players’ visibility to professional clubs.” He said this year’s tournament will feature 100 clubs drawn from Lagos’ five traditional football divisions—Agege, Lagos Island, Badagry, Ikorodu and Epe—with improved match organisation, broader media coverage, expanded scouting and individual awards.