By
Princewill Oviesan Deduke
..100 Teams Battle for Glory as Organisers Promise Fair Play, Talent Discovery
LAGOS – The countdown to the 2026 1X Cup Football Tournament gathered momentum on Friday as organisers sent a strong warning to participating teams, declaring that any club caught fielding professional players will face severe sanctions.
The warning came during the tournament’s official press conference in Lagos, where sponsors and organisers reaffirmed their commitment to preserving the integrity of what has become one of Nigeria’s biggest grassroots football competitions.
General Manager of 1XBet Betting Company, Dimeji Adedapo, made it clear that the tournament remains exclusively for amateur and grassroots players, insisting that the competition’s primary objective is to discover young talents between the ages of 16 and 18 for international scouting opportunities.
According to Adedapo, the days when clubs secretly introduced players from the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) and the Nigeria National League (NNL) into grassroots competitions are over.
“We have carried out a comprehensive verification of all registered players from the 100 participating teams through our online registration platform. Every player’s profile has been scrutinised by our technical committee.
“If any team is found to have registered or fielded an active NPFL or NNL player during the tournament, such a team will be dealt with in line with the competition’s rules. There will be no compromise,” he warned.
He explained that only players featuring in the Nationwide League One (NLO) and lower grassroots leagues are eligible to compete in this year’s championship.
Also speaking, Head of Operations at 1XBet, Abiodun Babalola, expressed confidence in the preparations for the tournament, assuring participating teams, fans and stakeholders of a bigger, better and more professionally organised competition.
He noted that since its inception, the 1X Cup has grown beyond football by creating opportunities for young talents, stimulating local businesses and bringing communities together through the game.
Babalola urged football lovers across Lagos to troop to the various match venues to support their teams and witness the emergence of the next generation of football stars.
The tournament’s Head of Technical Department, Waidi Akanni, described the 1X Cup as a model for grassroots football development in Nigeria, pointing to the impressive turnout of 100 teams as proof of its growing popularity.
Akanni revealed that the teams have been drawn from five football divisions across Lagos State—Epe, Badagry, Lagos Division, Ikeja and Ikorodu—with only 24 teams advancing to the knockout stage after the qualifying rounds.
“The competition promises to be fiercely contested because every team understands what is at stake. Beyond the trophy, this is an opportunity for players to showcase their abilities before scouts and football stakeholders,” Akanni said.
The battle for grassroots football supremacy begins next Thursday at the Inspire Stadium, Oshodi-Cappa, Lagos, where hundreds of young footballers will launch their quest for glory, recognition and life-changing opportunities.
With pride, passion and promising careers on the line, the 2026 1X Cup is expected to deliver another thrilling chapter in Lagos grassroots football while producing the stars of tomorrow.
