The tournament at a glance
36 Teams. Six Zones. One National Champion.
Teams At The Zonal Stage
36
Geopolitical Zones
6
Teams Per Zone
6
National Champion
1
About the cup
More Than a Tournament. An Opportunity to Be Seen.
The Bet9ja Foundation Cup is a grassroots football tournament bringing teams together from across Nigeria to compete, showcase talent and create opportunities through sport.
With six teams selected from each of Nigeria's six geopolitical zones, 36 teams will compete in the zonal stage for the chance to advance to the Super 6 Finals.
Through the tournament, we are creating a platform where talent can be seen, communities can connect and people can experience the power of sport.
The Tournament Format
Six Zones. Six Winners. One Final Showdown.
The competition is built around two connected stages, a nationwide zonal stage and a national final that crowns the champion.
Stage 1 - Zonal Competition
Six Teams Per Zone. Thirty-Six Teams Nationwide.
Six teams will be selected from each of Nigeria's six geopolitical zones, giving a total of 36 teams across the country. The zonal competition, a league phase within each zone, will determine one qualifying winner from each zone.
Stage 2 - The Super 6 Finals
Six Zonal Champions. One National Title.
The six zonal winners advance to the Super 6 Finals at Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, Ogun State. The finalists will compete in the approved group-stage and knockout format to determine the overall Bet9ja Foundation Cup champion.
The Six Geopolitical Zones
Football Talent Across Nigeria.
Teams will represent the geopolitical zone in which they are physically based and operate.
North Central
North East
North West
South East
South South
South West
Eligibility
Is Your Team Ready for the Challenge?
The Tournament is open to grassroots football teams and academies. Applications are reviewed against these criteria.
Team Requirements
- Teams must be genuine, registered grassroots football organisations..
- Teams must represent the geopolitical zone in which they are physically based.
- Applications must be complete and accurate, with the required supporting documentation.
- Teams must agree to comply with the official tournament rules and code of conduct.
Player Requirements
- Players must be between 19 and 21 years old at the time of registration.
- Each team may register a maximum of 20 players.
- Every player must present a valid, government-recognised means of identification.
- Players must be non-professional.
- Players currently registered with the NPFL, NNL or NLO are ineligible.
Technical Staff
- Each participating team may have a maximum of five technical staff on the bench during matches.
- This includes coaches, medics and other team officials.
Supporting documents
- Information about the club or academy and its official team representative.
- Technical staff details.
- Registered players and their identification.
- Team and player photographs, as required.
The Road to the Cup
From Application to National Champion.
1
Applications Open
Teams submit applications.
2
Review and Verification
The Foundation reviews applications and verifies eligibility.
3
Team Selection
Six teams are selected per geopolitical zone.
4
Zonal Competition
Participating teams compete within their respective zones.
5
Six Zonal Winners
The winning team from each zone advances to the Super 6 Finals.
6
The Super 6
The six zonal winners compete for the national title at Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne.
7
National Champion
The tournament concludes with the crowning of the Bet9ja Foundation Cup champion.
Frequently Asked Questions
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