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NWFL Championship Return to Calabar, Kick Set for July Kick Off
The Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) Championship will return to Calabar, Cross River State, for the 2026 edition, two years after the city hosted the second-tier competition in 2024.
In a statement on Thursday, the NWFL spokesperson, Samuel Ahmadu, confirmed this year’s Championship will hold from July 9 to 16, 2026, with 16 participating clubs set to battle for promotion to the NWFL Premiership.
The return of Calabar continues the city’s role in hosting major women’s football events, providing the platform for another competitive promotion race as clubs compete for a place among Nigeria’s elite women’s football teams.
Commenting on the development, NWFL Chief Operating Officer, Ms. Modupe Shabi, opened up on the schedule for second tier, with participating clubs, expected to arrive on Thursday, July 9, 2026, ahead of the commencement of activities.
Before then, Shabi also revealed that teams will be divided into four groups following a draw conducted on Monday, June 29, 2026, with full group details and access information communicated to the clubs.
The tournament schedule will begin with the pre-match meeting scheduled for Friday, July 10, before the competition officially kicks off on Saturday, July 11, with Matchday 1 featuring eight matches across two venues.
Following a rest day on Sunday, July 12, teams will return for Matchday 2 on Monday, July 13, with another eight fixtures across two venues.
The group stage will conclude with Matchday 3 on Tuesday, July 14, before another rest day on Wednesday, July 15, ahead of the decisive Matchday 4 play-off fixtures on Thursday, July 16.
At the end of the competition, the two best-performing teams will earn promotion to the NWFL Premiership, while the three lowest-ranked teams will drop to the NWFL Nationwide division.
The NWFL management has urged all participating clubs to strictly adhere to the competition regulations, schedules and directives as preparations continue for the 2026 NWFL Championship.
Super Falcons striker Asisat Oshoala was on target as Al Hilal produced an impressive 4-0 away victory over NEOM, with fellow Nigerian international Christy Ucheibe also featuring in the convincing performance.
Sports247 reports that Oshoala continued her contribution to Al Hilal’s attacking campaign by finding the back of the net in the 65th minute, helping the visitors strengthen their advantage in a dominant display.
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The Nigerian forward’s goal came during an impressive second-half performance from Al Hilal, who added three goals after the interval to complete a comprehensive victory.
Moroccan forward Ibtissam Jraidi opened the scoring in the 11th minute, giving Al Hilal an early advantage before the teams went into the break.
Oshoala doubled the visitors’ lead in the 65th minute before Manar Al-Anzi made it 3-0 just four minutes later.
Jraidi then completed her brace in the 88th minute, sealing the emphatic 4-0 result for Al Hilal.
Christy Ucheibe, Oshoala’s Super Falcons teammate, also played a part in the victory as the Nigerian duo continued to make their contributions to the Saudi Arabian club.
The result represents another important outing for Al Hilal, with the team’s attacking quality evident in the performance against NEOM.
For Oshoala, the goal provides another opportunity to demonstrate her goalscoring ability and importance at club level. The six-time African Women’s Player of the Year remains one of Nigeria’s most recognisable football exports, and her performances continue to attract attention.
The presence of both Oshoala and Ucheibe in Al Hilal’s squad also highlights the growing influence of Nigerian players in women’s football outside the country.
With the emphatic away victory secured, Al Hilal will look to build on the performance in their subsequent fixtures.
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