For the second successive year, the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos will host the grand finale of the President Federation Cup competition, which is scheduled for Saturday, 28^th June.

The compact but dainty facility by the waterfront hosted last year’s grand finale, in which El-Kanemi Warriors defeated Abia Warriors to emerge winners of the men’s competition while Rivers Angels edged Naija Ratels 1-0 in the women’s version. The venue is also the site of the former King George V Stadium, which was later renamed Lagos City Stadium, and later known as Onikan Stadium.

Lagos State has hosted a total of 60 grand finales of Nigeria’s oldest Cup competition, which was known variously in the past as Governor’s Cup, FA Cup, Challenge Cup and Federation Cup.

Of the 60 Final matches, 18 were staged at the King George V, between 1945 and 1962. The venue was then renamed Lagos City Stadium, and continued to host the final matches until 1972, when the clash between Mighty Jets and Bendel Insurance was stalemated at 2-2 and had to be replayed. The replay was taken to the Liberty Stadium, Ibadan, and that was the first time the Final was played outside Lagos.

The National Stadium, Surulere, which was built in 1972 to host the 2^nd All-Africa Games that Nigeria staged in 1973, commenced hosting of the grand finale in 1974, as there was no competition in 1973 due to the 2^nd All-Africa Games and the maiden edition of the National Sports Festival.

The National Stadium, Surulere hosted a total of 22 Final matches, with the last Final there in 2002, when Julius Berger defeated Yobe Desert Stars 3-0 to emerge champions.

Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos hosted eight Final matches (2007 & 2009, and 2011-2016). The grand finale has also taken place previously at the Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi (1989 and 1994), Aper Aku Stadium, Makurdi (1992 and 2008), Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna (1993, 1997, 2003 and 2019), Rancher Bees Stadium, Kaduna (1998), Sam Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City (2004 and 2021), Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt (2005), MKO Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta (2006), Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano (2010), Agege City Stadium (2017) and the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba (2018 and 2023).

This year’s grand finale will see surprise packets Abakaliki FC of Ebonyi taking on Kwara United FC of Ilorin in the men’s final, while Cup holders Rivers Angels of Port Harcourt will tackle Nasarawa Amazons of Lafia in a much-anticipated women’s final.

el Kanemi Warriors won the 2024 Federation Cup after beating Abia Warriors 2-0.

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A late first half slip-up due to loss in concentration by the backline of the reigning NPFL Champions, Rangers International FC ensured that Abia Warriors FC snatched all points at stake with a 1-0 scoreline in a re-arranged match day 25, NPFL 2024/2025 fixture played at the bumpy, Umuahia Township Stadium, Wednesday, February 19, 2025.

Coach Fidelis Ilechukwu had stuck with the squad that defeated table toppers, Remo Stars FC at weekend save for left-back, Kenneth Igboke, who had returned to the national U-20 training camp, and the match day squad took the battle to the home side with the uneven nature of the pitch causing some hindrances.

With just few minutes to the end of the first stanza, after both sides had canceled themselves out in the earlier part of the game, Abia Warriors’ forward, Anthony Ijoma was allowed much space as his team went on a counter down the left flank to let fly a shot that caught Rangers shot stopper unawares on 43 minutes as the large crowd of fans rose in celebrations.

When both teams returned for the start of the second stanza, coach Ilechukwu introduced fresh legs like Okorie Chiedozie, Williams Wonah, Daniel Onyia, Frank Uwumiro, and Ogbodo Kelechi to help salvage a point but tried as they could, the host’s backline and some spectacular saves from goalkeeper, Nmecha Johnson, threw themselves on the line to ensure that the Umuahia side went home with the maximum points at stake in the ‘Oriental Derby’.

Coach Fidelis Ilechukwu said after the encounter, “It was a great game. I think we did our best but our best is not enough but this is a match we have one or two things to take home and we are still positive in what we can achieve by the end of the season.”

With the loss, Rangers now occupy the 6th spot on the log with 38 points from twenty-five matches and will next play Sunshine Stars FC in a re-arranged match day 26 fixture on Wednesday, February 26, 2025 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu.

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