Nationwide league kicks off with 250 teams

Nationwide league kicks off with 250 teams

By Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

The 2026 Nationwide League One has kicked off across the country with 250 teams participating .

In Benue State, teams in the third tier national football league, Flight FC of Gboko and NYSC, Abuja played the opening match at the McCarthy stadium, Makurdi, with the game ending 3-1 in favour of the home team.

Tayo Egbalo, the Manager of Nationwide League One, told Sportswriters on Friday in Makurdi that the 250 teams have been drawn into 34 groups, with 8 teams expected to gain promotion to Nigeria National League, NNL, at the end of the season in August.

Tayo said the League management, headed by Shola Ogunlowo, has launched a digital website to enable fans follow the progress of their teams.

“You can follow all our games live on nlo.ng. The statistics, data and everything about our matches could be seen there. Our fixtures are automated, we have digitized the operation of the NLO”, the league manager said. .

During the match played before a capacity crowd,, the visitors scored first from a free kick, but were later reduced to 10 men after a defender handled the ball to prevent a Flight FC player from a potential scoring chance.

Though the first half ended 1-0 in favour of the NYSC boys, on resumption of the second half, the Gboko team braced up and scored three brilliant goals that sent the entire stadium into a frenzy.

The Founder of Flight FC, Dr Akor Andiir said the team was established in 2017 and hopes to be among the eight teams to gain promotion at the end of the season.