40 Teams set for Spires 5-Aside Naija Street Soccer divisional qualifiers
By David Bolarinwa The battle for street soccer supremacy in Lagos officially commenced on Tuesday as forty teams were drawn for the third edition of the Spires 5-Aside Naija Street
By David Bolarinwa
The battle for street soccer supremacy in Lagos officially commenced on Tuesday as forty teams were drawn for the third edition of the Spires 5-Aside Naija Street Soccer divisional qualifiers.
The tournament, which serves as a critical talent pipeline, will be contested across the five traditional divisions of Lagos State. At the conclusion of the qualifiers, the top three teams from each division will secure a berth in the state championship scheduled for later this year.
The official draw ceremony, held at the Spires headquarters in Victoria Island, was attended by a high-powered delegation of coaches, team managers, and technical staff. Also in attendance were the Chairmen and executive representatives of the respective Divisional Football Associations (DFAs).
The draw produced several high-profile matchups across the state. In the Lagos Island: Loverboy FC faces Dolphin FC, while JS Sport FA takes on The Alphas FC. Other fixtures include Greater Tomorrow Kings FC vs. Cohesion All Stars and White Tigers in action. In Epe, Prime 11 hosts Abayomi FC, while Prodigy FC squares off against Netbreakers FC. Angos Sports FC meets Top FC, and The Crown FC battles Papa SA.
Elsewhere in Ikorodu, Godbless FC is paired with Better Tomorrow, while Oreon & Leon FC takes on Amuludun FC. Adhoc FA faces Diamond FC, and Lofty Skills meets New Generation FC. In Ikeja, Dboss FA confronts Blood and Sand FC, Zion FC meets Usefulyouth FC, Akanbite FC hosts ASD Academy, and Osykay FC faces Wasola FA. Finally in Badagry, Royal FC hosts Smiller All Champions, Divinely Blessed FC meets Chekas United, Rising Star FC plays All Saints FC, and Olhan FA battles Emaljus FC.
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Speaking at the ceremony, the initiator of the tournament, Dr. Bankole Allibay, emphasized that the primary objective of Season 3 is to provide a professional pathway for local talent.
"We have a couple of clubs from outside Nigeria who have shown interest in some of our players from the last edition," Allibay stated.
"Representatives from these teams will be in Lagos for the state championship to scout for standout talent for potential contracts in Europe and across the continent."
Allibay further announced the expansion of the "Sports Meet-Tech" component. The initiative is designed to integrate digital literacy and technology into the sports ecosystem, accommodating a broader range of participants beyond the athletes on the pitch.
The Spires 5-Aside Naija Street Soccer divisional qualifiers are scheduled to kick off on Saturday, April 11th , with the opening round of fixtures taking place in the Ikeja Division.
