2024/2025 Super Cup will begin on October 5 to 20.
Gatekeepers News reports that Chief Operating Officer of Nationwide League One (NLO), Mr Olushola Ogunnowo announced this during an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.
The COO revealed that the tournament would be hosted in the north at Bwari, FCT, Abuja, and south at Ijebu Ode, Ogun.
Ogunnowo said that the opening ceremony tournament would be held in Ijebu Ode, while the final match would be played in Abuja.
He noted that the Super League Cup is specifically for teams that have excelled in the current NLO season.
Ogunnowo said, “The Super League Cup is a tournament that we designed for some good clubs that are well ranked in the league but were unfortunate not to get promoted to the Nigeria National League ( NNL).”
“So we pick four clubs from each geopolitical zones making it 24 clubs. We take them to a common ground where a winner will emerge with benefits attached.”
He added that the reason for hosting the tournament in two venues; north and south, was to reduce costs for participating teams considering the harsh economy in the country.
The COO said, “The winner from Ijebu Ode centre will meet with the winner of the Bwari centre.”
He revealed that the sponsors of the tournamemt, Afriskaut would also provide balls and other sporting kits.
Ogunnowo added that management of the league decided to work with Afriscaut, an indigenous company to give them a sense of belonging and encouragement.
He said, “When we push what Afriscaut is doing in the real business of football, we got a higher rating than those ones outside the country.”
“So we are comfortable working with Afri-scout and they are sponsoring the NLO cup this year.”
Ogunnowo noted the sponsorship deal is aimed at exposing the clubs and their players to international football market to make profit for both parties.
He said, “You know that in the amateur league, 99 per cent of the clubs are privately owned and they spend a lot of money to run their clubs.”
“But we in the NLO organises tournaments regularly to help develop the clubs and do business that brings money to them.”
“Part of this business is for Afriscaut to expose these clubs and their players to the international football market by gathering the data of their players on and off the football games.”
“It is the data that clubs abroad are looking for. Afriscaut gathers their data through AI technology. It is the AI that does the rating of a player and gives the result that international clubs need.”
“Afriscaut has 30 per cent of the cost of the sale of a player they marketed while the club owns 70 per cent.”
The COO said over 600 youths from the 24 participating clubs in NLO super league cup tournament would be exposed to the world.
He noted that all players are properly insured because the clubs pay their insurance package during registration with NLO annually.
Ogunnowo said only pitches acredicted by Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) would be used for the tournament.
