FirstBank Sam Okwaraji U-16 Championship southern qualifiers announced

Organizers of the inaugural FirstBank Sam Okwaraji Nigeria Secondary Schools Football Championship have announced that the southern zonal eliminations will take place from November 3 to November 7.

The matches will be held across three regions: the South-East fixtures will be staged at Dan Anyiam Stadium in Owerri, the South-South event will be held at U. J. Esuene Stadium in Calabar, and the South-West qualifiers will take place at the Nathaniel Idowu Sports Complex in Lagos.

Two teams from each southern zone will qualify for the national finals in Lagos, joining two representatives each from the North-East, North-West, and North-Central zones, where qualifying events have already concluded.

The championship is sponsored by FirstBank Nigeria Plc and organized through a collaboration between the Samuel Okwaraji Foundation, the Nigeria School Sport Federation, and the National Sports Commission. The tournament aims to honor the legacy of the late Super Eagles player Samuel Okwaraji, promote grassroots talent discovery, and foster national unity among Nigerian youths.