By Patrick Titus, Uyo
A total of 27 sports disciplines will be competed for by athletes as the 2026 Akwa Ibom State Sports Festival kick starts from September 22 to 29, 2026. The competition will be held in 10 designated venues within Uyo, and its environs.
The Chairman of the Main Organising Committee and Commissioner for Sports in the State, Elder Paul Bassey, who confirmed this, said the competing athletes will be representing the 31 Local Government Areas of the state.
Among the approved sports disciplines include Football, Kokowa (Traditional Wrestling) Athletics, Para-Athletics, Weightlifting, Kickboxing Boxing, Chess,
Scrabble, Ayo, Para-Powerlifting, Basketball, Volleyball Beach Volleyball, Handball, Karate and Kung-fu.
According Bassey, the MOC will release the official timetable and event fixtures ahead of the commencement of the festival, providing participating Local Government Areas, athletes, officials and spectators with details of the dates, times and venues for the various competitions.
The 2026 Akwa Ibom State Sports Festival is expected to bring together athletes from all 31 Local Government Areas in a celebration of sporting talent, unity and healthy competition, while providing a platform for the discovery and development of emerging athletes across the state.
Meanwhile, respective Local Government Chairmen and Sports Supervisors have been cautioned to ensure strict compliance with the prescribed registration processes to avoid the disqualification of athletes from the games.
the registration of all athletes and officials are conducted through the official festival portal. Information supplied by each athlete must correspond with the required supporting documents for successful authentication, registration and documentation.
“This year, registration for athletes and officials is done online, and each local government has a unique customised identification code. Information on identity, especially for athletes, must match with all other documents and clearly indicate the origin of the athlete,” the MOC Chairman said.
According to him, key documents required for the registration of athletes include a Certificate of Origin, National Identification Number (NIN) and passport photograph.
He explained that any discrepancy between the documents could lead to rejection of the registration by the portal and subsequent disqualification of the athlete.
This festival is sponsored by the state governor, Pastor Umo Eno for the benefit of Akwa Ibom youths, an indication that any form of misrepresentation capable of truncating the noble effort will not be tolerated.
Uyo Town Stadium is scheduled to host both the opening and closing ceremonies.
Is cricket sports not included?
All sports