For the second consecutive year, the historic Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos will host the grand finale of the President Federation Cup, scheduled for Saturday, 28th June.
Situated by the waterfront and rich in football history, the venue—formerly known as King George V Stadium, Lagos City Stadium, and later Onikan Stadium—hosted last year’s final, where El-Kanemi Warriors triumphed in the men’s event and Rivers Angels edged Naija Ratels 1–0 in the women’s final.
This stadium holds a special place in Nigerian football folklore, having been part of 60 Federation Cup finals hosted in Lagos. Of these, 18 took place at King George V Stadium between 1945 and 1962. The tradition continued under its subsequent names until 1972, when a drawn final between Mighty Jets and Bendel Insurance led to a historic replay in Ibadan’s Liberty Stadium — the first time the final was held outside Lagos.
In later years, National Stadium, Surulere became the new epicenter, hosting 22 finals starting from 1974 (following a 1973 pause due to the 2nd All-Africa Games). The last final there was in 2002, when Julius Berger beat Yobe Desert Stars 3–0.
Teslim Balogun Stadium also hosted eight finals, and over the decades, other venues across Nigeria — including stadiums in Bauchi, Makurdi, Kaduna, Benin, Port Harcourt, Abeokuta, Kano, Agege, and Asaba — have shared the honor of hosting this prestigious cup final.
This year’s matchups promise excitement:
In the men’s final, Abakaliki FC of Ebonyi State, the tournament’s underdog story, will face Kwara United FC of Ilorin.
The women’s final pits Cup holders Rivers Angels against the formidable Nasarawa Amazons in a clash of top-tier teams.
I will attend to watch the match