1,000 Players To Compete in AfriSportPro Youth League

‎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, Chairman of the League, Chukwuebuka 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.”