Organisers of the 1xCup grassroots football tournament have unveiled an expanded talent development programme for the 2026 edition, saying the competition is increasingly serving as a pathway to professional football after several former participants secured careers in Nigeria and abroad.
At the launch of the fourth edition in Lagos on Friday, organisers announced that 100 grassroots clubs will compete for a ₦20 million prize package, while introducing new initiatives including digital player profiling, enhanced scouting, performance analysis and live streaming to improve players’ visibility to professional clubs.
Since its launch in 2023, the tournament has grown into one of Lagos’ biggest grassroots football competitions. According to organisers, more than 180 clubs and over 5,000 players have featured in the previous three editions.
General Manager of 1xCup, Adedapo Dimeji, said the competition’s objective extends beyond determining a champion.
“The tournament is not only about winning trophies. It is about creating opportunities.
