FCT, FAMILY WORSHIP CENTRE JOIN FORCES TO DEVELOP YOUNG FOOTBALL TALENT
By: Gyang Dakwo
Public senior secondary school students across the Federal Capital Territory are to benefit from a football development initiative following an agreement between the FCT Department of School Sports and Family Worship Centre Football Club, Wuye, Abuja, to organise the Family Worship Centre Public Senior Secondary Schools Football League 2026.
The initiative is aimed at promoting grassroots football, discovering talented young players and creating opportunities for them to develop their skills while pursuing their education.
Under the arrangement, Family Worship Centre Football Club will identify selected talented players for sponsorship throughout their secondary school education and integrate them into its football academy for further training and development.
The Director of School Sports in the FCT Education Secretariat, Adamu Hashimu, has praised the collaboration, describing it as a welcome contribution to government efforts to develop grassroots sports and provide young people with opportunities to discover and nurture their talents.
Speaking to Abuja Digest, Hashimu called on other organisations and individuals to support similar initiatives, noting that school sports could provide young people with a productive outlet for their energy while opening pathways to future careers and livelihoods through sports.
He also stressed the importance of balancing sporting ambitions with academic development, saying young people should be encouraged to pursue their talents without neglecting their education. Such an approach, he noted, would equip them with the knowledge and qualifications to explore opportunities both within and beyond the sporting world.
The league will cover eight zones across the FCT, namely Abaji, Kwali, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Kubwa, Tunga Maje, Tungan Wada and Karu.
The preliminary matches are scheduled for November 3 to 7, 2026, while the Round of Sixteen is slated for November 17 to 21. The date for the final is yet to be determined.
The zonal format will give participating schools across the territory an opportunity to compete and showcase their players, widening the search for promising footballers beyond established centres of the game.
By linking school competitions with academy training and educational sponsorship, the initiative is expected to provide selected players with a clearer pathway to football development while helping them remain focused on their academic pursuits.
The Director also said further deliberations and planning on the organisation of the tournament are ongoing.
