By Andrew Abah
The stage is set for an exciting opening fixture of the second edition of the National Youth League Cup (NYLC) South West Zone, as Ikorodu City U19 square up against defending champions Kwara United Academy in a Matchday 1 fixture.
In other Week 1 fixtures, Emuren FC, will face Bucknor FC, Grassrunners FC will slug it out with Spartan FC, as Imperial FC tackle Sunshine Stars of Akure amongst other,
With strong teams, rich football traditions, and hungry young talents, the 2025/26 NYLC South West Zone promises to deliver a thrilling and competitive season.
The draw, conducted at the Media Center of Moshood Abiola National Stadium on Wednesday in Abuja, paired the two sides in what promises to be a thrilling encounter.
Ikorodu City U19, renown for their pace and youthful energy, will be eager to make a bold statement against the title holders, while Kwara United Academy will aim to begin their title defence in style.
The opening game is scheduled for Tuesday, September 30, 2025, under a straight league format featuring 15 clubs from the South West Zone. Fixtures will run week-to-week across 30 matchdays.
Speaking after the draw, NYLC President, Robinson Adakosa, reaffirmed the organisers’ commitment to giving young players and clubs greater visibility, while providing a platform to nurture future stars of Nigerian football.
According to him, last season saw 22 teams compete across two conferences in a hotly contested campaign that eventually produced a champion. Building on that success, the organisers have adopted a conference-by-conference format for 2025/26 eddition, starting with the South West.
“This season, 21 teams initially registered, but only 15 met the required criteria and were shortlisted. As with the maiden edition, all clubs will undergo a player physical evaluation exercise designed to ensure quality participation and spotlight top young talents.
“We strongly believe this season will unearth even more exciting players while making the league highly competitive,” Adakosa stated.
While conducting the draw, Dr. Ayo Abdurahman of the NFF explained that proximity was a major consideration, as organisers did not want clubs to travel long distances.
He added that draws for other regions would be held as soon as they show readiness, noting that the South West clubs were the first to fully confirm their participation.
He further clarified that registration was free, with clubs only responsible for paying referees indemnities.
The 15 participating clubs in the South West Zone are: Ikorodu City U19, Kwara United Academy U19, Vindo FC, Just John FC, Spartan FC, Grass Runners FC, Eagle Stars FC, AMG Sports Academy, Bucknor FC, Emuren FC, R2Finesse Football Academy, Imperial FC, Sunshine Stars FC and Kwara Football Academy.
