Chukwuebuka Ugwu, Chairman of the AfriSportPro Youth League Nigeria, has announced that 72 under-19 teams, featuring over 1,000 players will compete in the nationwide league beginning Aug. 10.
The AfriSportPro Youth League aims to transform grassroots football into a powerful platform for youth empowerment, national unity, and global visibility.
Speaking at a news conference in Abuja, Ugwu described the initiative as a launchpad for international opportunities and a tool for building the nation through sport.
“The AfriSportPro Youth League was developed with a clear focus: to identify, nurture, and expose grassroots football talent, and to create real pathways to local and global opportunities for youth across the country.”
“We are currently running in six pilot states; Osun, FCT, Kaduna, Akwa Ibom, Plateau, and Imo, with a total of 72 youth teams and over 1,000 players involved.”
“We believe that for Nigerian youth, talent is not the problem but opportunity is.”
“So we’ve created a league structure that is data-driven, globally visible, and technically sound.”
“Through our partnership with Wyscout – the world’s leading football scouting and analytics platform, every match is not just recorded, but backed by comprehensive data analytics, made available to clubs and scouts anywhere in the world.”
“This means our players aren’t just playing, they’re being seen, measured, and tracked.”
Ugwu said the league also integrates youth education, social values, and crime prevention messaging.
“In partnership with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the league will promote anti-corruption messages and positive values through its nationwide activities.”
He revealed collaborations with the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy to promote the “Visit Nigeria” campaign.
“The aim is to use football to showcase Nigeria’s talent, culture, and tourism to a global audience.”
“We want to project a different narrative of Nigeria to the world, one of creativity, energy, and unity.”
On the league format, Ugwu confirmed a single round-robin structure, with each team playing 11 matches within their respective state.
“A total of 66 matches will be played per state over 11 weeks, followed by a one-week national knockout stage, completing a 12-week inaugural season.”
“This structure minimizes inter-state travel costs while ensuring fair competition and exposure for players.”