By Amaechi Agbo
Preparations for the 23rd National Sports Festival, Coal City Games 2026, to be hosted by Enugu State, is hitting another gear as the zonal eliminations for team sports is set to take place across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones from September 12–15, 2026.
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 Festival’s 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) had already directed zonal coordinators to commence preparations and submit proposed venues for the competitions, while ensuring strict adherence to the Games’ rules and regulations to guarantee fair play and a level playing field for all participating teams.
The 23rd National Sports Festival, themed “Excellence, Sportsmanship and Unity,” is scheduled to take place from November 27 to December 11, 2026.
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