Olofa Cup 2022: Dates and fixtures announced

The organizers of Olofa Cup have announced the dates and fixtures for the maiden edition of the Championship on Thursday.

It was announced that 16 secondary schools will participate in the tournament, which will take place at Offa Local Government Area, Kwara State from March 9 to 24.

The draws, which had in attendance the Olofa of Offa, His Royal Majesty, Oba Mufutau Muhammed Oloyede Gbadamosi (Okikiola Ajagungbade I, Esuwoye II), saw the participating teams been drawn into a four groups format of A, B, C and D, while the two top teams from each group will faceoff in the quarter-finals.

Four teams from the last eight will advance to the semis, while winners from both fixtures will meet in the grand finale. The two losing semi-finalists will meet in the third-place match to determine which team takes home the bronze medal prize.

Moremi High School, Offa, Marks Secondary School, Offa, Government Secondary School, Ilorin and Comprehensive High School, Ajase Ipo make up Group A.

Group B will witness a meeting for two Ansarul Islam schools, as Ansarul Islam Secondary School, Offa and Ansarul Islam College. Ikotun-Ile will square things up with Ira Grammar School, Ira and Government Secondary School, Offa.

Olalomi Comprehensive College, Offa, Offa Grammar School, Offa, Government Day Secondary School, Ilorin and Unique International School, Ikirun are in Group C.

The last group is made up of Iludun-Oro Comprehensive High School, Oro and three former missionary schools, Anglican Comprehensive College, Offa, ECWA Secondary School, Igbaja and Ansarul-deen College, Offa.

Opening fixture of the Olofa Cup is an Offa Derby as Moremi High School will trade tackles with St Marks Secondary School for the first 3points of the championship.

Gene6 Beginners Football Academy, the proud sponsor of Olofa Cup and the Local Organizing Committee  (LOC) jointly posited: “We are delighted that the programme for the tournament is going as planned. The teams have known their groupings as well as the fixtures, next is for the matches to kickoff on Wednesday next week.

“I want to urge all the teams to play by the rules and also win their matches fairly as the LOC will not hesitate to sanction any team found to have used mercenaries during the tourney.”

The championship which had earlier received the royal blessings of the Olofa of Offa, is aimed at discovering talented footballers and promote the game of soccer at the grassroot level.