Olympian Yusuf Alli, the executive chairman of Edo State Sports Commission, has confirmed the readiness of Edo State Government to host the maiden Nigeria Premier Football Youth League finals in Benin, beginning from February 24.
The Edo Sports Commission boss, in a release signed by the media officer, Kehinde Osagiede, said the nation’s youth league finals would be staged in Benin City,the Edo State capital, in confirmation of the announcement earlier made by the chairman of the NPFL Youth league Committee, Pastor Emeka Inyama, on Tuesday.
Alli said; “Benin has been announced as the host city for the finals of the inaugural edition of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Youth League.
“And we are pleased to say that our sports-loving governor, His Excellency Mr Godwin Obaseki, has graciously given us the approval to go ahead and once again play host to the entire nation. We are grateful to the governor for his magnanimity and untiring effort towards sports development in Edo State and Nigeria.
“We are hosting the youth league finals and preparation has begun immediately,” Alli stated, assuring the NPFL and NFF of a memorable event in Benin.
Chairman of the NPFL Youth League Committee, Pastor Emeka Inyama, on Tuesday, announced that the championship finals would take place in Benin City.
He also announced that the finals would be held from February 24 to March 2 at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City.
Teams that progressed from the zonal qualifiers are Rangers International from the South East, Rivers United from South-South; Remo Stars from the southwest; Katsina United from North East/west and Plateau United from North Central.
“We expect the teams to arrive in Benin on the 24th, and first rounds of matches will begin on February 25th,” Pastor Inyama stated.
The zonal qualifiers took place in five centres across the country in February from where the five teams emerged for the championship finals.
