Group calls govt., organisations to support grassroots female football competitions

Adeoye Abiodun, the organiser of Afusat Olabimpe Abiodun Female Gold Cup Competition, has advised football administrators, government and private organisations to give more support to female grassroots soccer development.

Abiodun gave the advice in an interview with newsmen on the sidelines of the opening match of the second edition of competition.

The event took place at Igbogbo in Ikorodu, Lagos State.

Supreme reports that the competition will be rounded off on Feb.18.

Sixteen teams are participating in the competition taking place at the Igbogbo Police Barracks Sport Complex.

Abiodun said that the tournament was aimed at promoting female football development at the grassroots, getting more girls involved in the sport and making sports a means of livelihood.

“This is our second edition of Afusat Olabimpe Abiodun Female Gold Cup.

“We had the first edition last year, and it was very exciting, with teams participating from Ikorodu and outside Ikorodu.

“This second edition is bigger; we have increased the number of participating teams from 11 to 16 across Lagos and Ogun states.

“Some of the teams came from Bariga, Mushin, Anthony and Kosofe in Lagos, while other teams are from Sagamu and Abeokuta in Ogun,” he said.

Adeoye also said that the tournament would allow talents discovered to be injected into the national team.

He hoped that the likes of Azizat Oshoala and Rasheedat Ajibade would be discovered.

According to him, four teams were given awards in 2022 while the best goalkeeper, best player and best team won cash prizes, gifts and scholarship awards.

Adeoye said that the 2023 edition was being organised in partnership with the University of Texas in the U.S.

According to him, the university will give full scholarship award to discovered talents in addition to grooming them for international football clubs in Europe and America.

“Last year, we awarded prizes to the best four teams coupled with scholarship.

“This year, we are increasing the scholarship awards and we are working with University of Texas.

“They will offer full scholarship and train the player to fit into professional leagues for clubs abroad,” he said.