Eko International Cup To Feature Continental Clubs, NPFL Giants

By Saheed Afolabi

The upcoming Eko International Cup, a pre-season football tournament, is set to be a star-studded affair with the confirmation of three international teams and five top Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) clubs.

The competition, a collaboration between SKI-Hi Entertainment and the Lagos State Government, will take place at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan from July 6 to 13, with two matches played daily.

Confirmed international participants include Hearts of Oak from Ghana, FC Kallon from Sierra Leone, and FC Dadje from the Republic of Benin.

Representing Nigeria will be five of the country’s most formidable teams: Remo Stars, Ikorodu City, Shooting Stars, and Enyimba of Aba. A fifth Nigerian team is expected to be announced soon.

Onome Obruthe, the Executive Director of Publicity and Strategy for the tournament’s Local Organizing Committee, commented on the logistical challenges of organizing the event while highlighting the complexities of coordinating with teams that have their own pre-season plans.

“The template we’ve created is designed to help them prepare for the new season. We’re thrilled to have three international teams joining us, and four of our original NPFL teams have already committed to participating. We’ll officially confirm the new Nigerian addition later this week.”

Obruthe expressed excitement about the progress made so far and stated the organizers’ plan to ramp up awareness campaigns in the coming days with the support of their sponsors and partners.