A total of 40 grassroots teams from all Local Governments in Lagos State are billed to take part in the maiden 1XBET Grassroots Football Tournament which kicks off in Lagos on October 3rd .
The 40 teams are expected to compete in five different conferences with eight teams in one group.
Former International and the brain behind the project, Waidi Akanni, said in Lagos yesterday that all arrangements have been concluded to make the tournament a very eventful one for all the participants.
“This is a good platform for the players in the other leagues apart from the NPFL to exhibit their talents and I thank 1Xbet for coming on board to make this a reality. We need to develop football at the grassroots. This is the beginning and we are going to in involve all the Local Governments in Lagos State just as we also plan to that this initiative to others states of the federation in the nearest future,” Akanni said.
The event was attended by many former Nigeria internationals, the MD/CEO of 1XBet, Oluwafemi Babalola, NFF Technical Director, Austin Eguavoen, Daniel Amokachi, former Golden Eaglets and super Eagle coach Fanny Amun as well as the chairman of the Nigeria National League, George Aluo.
Other former stars at the event were Daniel Amokachi, Friday Elahor, Victor Agali, Friday Ekpo, Taiwo Oloyede, Franklin Howard and Wasiu Ipaye.
MD of 1XBet, Babalola who stated that the competition was one of the Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives of his outfit, expressed delight over the amazing number of former football stars who were at the unveiling and draw ceremony of the competition.
“These former stars are enough inspiration for the future stars and we are excited to have them with us. We will continue to support the development of football in Nigeria. Our company is into betting which is a serious business and we expect to use this platform to discover and nurture talents to greater heights,” Babalola said.
Read Also: Adesanya faces up to three months in jail for drunk-driving
Meanwhile, Eguavoen said tournaments like the 1XBET Tournament “is opportunity for players to show their God-given talents and possibly get the traction that will give wings to their careers as footballers.”
He therefore urged other corporate entities to emulate 1XBET in helping to grow Nigeria sports.
Amokachi stressed that because football unites people more than anything else, “we can use the 1XBET Grassroots Football Tournament to unite Nigerians to be great again.”
Aluo, the NNL boss, also commended the betting company and charged the organisers to make the tournament a great one for the grassroots players.
Winner of the competition will get a cash prize of N1m. The tournament which starts on October 3rd ends on November 10.