156 Football Club To Feature In Oba Soccer Cup As LSFA Says No Room For Late Registration

A total of One hundred and fifty six grassroot football clubs will feature in the 2013 Oba Soccer Competition which is expected to kick off Monday, 22nd of July.

Chairman of technical committee of the Lagos State Football Association, Dotun Coker, who confirmed this, said the number of teams to participate in the tournament would be spread across the five Divisional Football Associations which comprises of Ikeja, Badagry, Ikorodu, Lagos Island and Epe.

According to Coker,  Ikeja DFA and Ikorodu DFA would parade 32 grassroot football clubs each while Epe DFA and Badagry DFA would represent 16 teams each  just as Lagos DFA will have 64 clubs.

The former Chairman of Lagos DFA, said the preliminary round would be played on knock- out basis as the best 16 clubs from all the Divisional Football Associations would qualify for the State final, adding that the LSFA would conduct another draws for the 16 that would play each other in a knock out format through to the final.

He confirmed that his royal highness, Oba Rilwan Akinolu, Oba of Lagos, has promised to be physically present at the finals to be played at the Onikan Stadium.

Meanwhile, the LSFA has warned all the intending clubs to feature in the tournament to register in good time as the association would extend or go beyond the required number of clubs needed for the championship since the closing date for registration for the 2013  Oba Cup draws nearer.

With the tournament billed to kick-off on the 22nd of this month, the Lagos FA has revealed that the registration would be based on a first come first serve, stating that there will not be any room for other clubs hoping to be part of the Skye Bank Plc sponsored tournament once the required number is completed in the any of the Divisional Football Association, DFA. 

LSFA Chairman, Seyi Akinwunmi, said the State FA had no plan to exceed the required number of registered clubs from any of the DFA as he urged the clubs to register in good time to avoid missing out on the tournament.