Ultimate Football League will debut a mini-football league in Lagos with twenty teams. The teams, according to organisers, will have only U-20 players and they will compete among themselves for the ultimate prize.
Speaking to journalists, Mr. Uchechukwu Chukwukeluba, the head of Ultimate Football League, said the pre-season rehearsal before the main event would start by May while the main tournament, which has been sanctioned by the Lagos State Football Association, would kickoff by June and run through a ten-month period.
“Lagos has not had core grassroots football tournament and it is our desire to come up with this so that talents for the national teams or even the NPFL clubs could be thrown up regularly. It is for the LGAs and LCDAs within the Ikeja area.
“This tournament is sanctioned by the Lagos State FA and we are working hand-in-hand for this. We will be using Isheri Mini Stadium, Ifako Mini Stadium and Agege Stadium for the tournament,” he said.
He noted that the games would be played only on weekends because some of the players might actually be students, saying scouts from within and outside the country would be around regularly to witness the games.
Chukwukeluba said the referees for the event would be appointed by the Lagos State FA, explaining that they were already liaising with the state government and security agencies for a water tight security during the game days.
“Lagos State FA will appoint the referees for the games but we will take care of them. There are no gate fees for the matches. It will be by points and the winner goes home with N500, 000, second N300,000, third, N200,000 while the fourth team will pocket N100,000. Teams will register with N25,000.”
The first two teams will compete at Lagos State Champions Cup while the third and fourth teams, the organisers said, would vie for honours at Inter League Cup, even as they explained that there are prizes for team of month and player/coach of the month.