National Sports Festival 2026: Zonal Qualification Set To Begin

By Saheed Afolabi

The National Sports Commission (NSC) has scheduled the date for the zonal qualification for the 2026 National Sports Festival across the nation.

The September 12–15, 2026 have been unveiled as the date for the zonal elimination across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria for the NSF that will be hosted by Enugu State.

The eliminations, a key qualification stage ahead of the Festival, will feature basketball, cricket, football and volleyball/beach volleyball in both male and female categories.

In line with the NSF rules, the first- and second-placed teams from each zone will qualify for the National Sports Festival, while host state, Enugu, will get automatic qualification in all featured team sports.

The Main Organising Committee (MOC) have directed zonal coordinators to commence preparations and submit proposed venues for the competitions, while ensuring strict adherence to the Games rules and regulations.

The 23rd National Sports Festival, themed “Excellence, Sportsmanship and Unity,” is scheduled to take place from November 27 to December 11, 2026.