By Andrew Abah
The zonal qualifiers of the 2026 edition of the FirstBank/Samuel Okwaraji Foundation Under-16 National All Secondary Schools Championship is scheduled to be played from September 19 to 24, 2026 for Northern teams, while 25th to 30th September 2026 is for the Southern teams.
The championship, which has witnessed states elimination rounds across the country, has rekindled excitement among secondary school students, young football talents and football enthusiasts.
Organised by the Samuel Okwaraji Foundation in collaboration with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Nigeria School Sports Federation (NSSF), the competition is sponsored by FirstBank, with the Foundation’s Steering Committee chaired by Senator Osita Izunaso.
According to the organisers, the states elimination series was conducted across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The state phase ran from June 26 to July 5, with champions from the respective states progressing to the zonal stage. The outstanding teams from the states competitions will converge on Abuja, Kano and Bauchi for the Northern Zone elimination and Lagos, Asaba and Owerri for Southern zonal eliminations.
The organisers said the championship, which is exclusively designed for secondary school students, has contributed significantly to grassroots football development by providing young players with a platform to showcase their abilities in competitive environments.
They added that several promising talents have already been identified during the various stages of the competition, with plans to recommend outstanding players to relevant football authorities and development programmes for further exposure and opportunities.
Beyond football development, the championship also serves as a tribute to the memory and legacy of late Nigerian football star Samuel Sochukwuma Okwaraji, who died on August 12, 1989, while representing Nigeria in a FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Angola at the National Stadium in Lagos.
The organisers said the competition is intended to preserve Okwaraji’s legacy while using football as a tool for youth development, talent discovery and national integration.
