AFOLABI SAHEED OLAWALE
The Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) Championship will return to Calabar, Cross River State, for the 2026 edition, two years after the city hosted the second-tier competition in 2024.
In a statement on Thursday, the NWFL spokesperson, Samuel Ahmadu, confirmed this year’s Championship will hold from July 9 to 16, 2026, with 16 participating clubs set to battle for promotion to the NWFL Premiership.
The return of Calabar continues the city’s role in hosting major women’s football events, providing the platform for another competitive promotion race as clubs compete for a place among Nigeria’s elite women’s football teams.
Commenting on the development, NWFL Chief Operating Officer, Ms. Modupe Shabi, opened up on the schedule for second tier, with participating clubs, expected to arrive on Thursday, July 9, 2026, ahead of the commencement of activities.
Before then, Shabi also revealed that teams will be divided into four groups following a draw conducted on Monday, June 29, 2026, with full group details and access information communicated to the clubs.
The tournament schedule will begin with the pre-match meeting scheduled for Friday, July 10, before the competition officially kicks off on Saturday, July 11, with Matchday 1 featuring eight matches across two venues.
Following a rest day on Sunday, July 12, teams will return for Matchday 2 on Monday, July 13, with another eight fixtures across two venues.
The group stage will conclude with Matchday 3 on Tuesday, July 14, before another rest day on Wednesday, July 15, ahead of the decisive Matchday 4 play-off fixtures on Thursday, July 16.
At the end of the competition, the two best-performing teams will earn promotion to the NWFL Premiership, while the three lowest-ranked teams will drop to the NWFL Nationwide division.
The NWFL management has urged all participating clubs to strictly adhere to the competition regulations, schedules and directives as preparations continue for the 2026 NWFL Championship.
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