Over 1,000 Young Players Set for Inaugural AfriSportPro Youth League Kick-Off

The maiden edition of the AfriSportPro Youth League is set to begin on August 10, 2025, with 72 under-19 teams and more than 1,000 players confirmed to participate across six Nigerian states, Sport360NG reports.

Founded by Chukwuebuka Ugwu, the AfriSportPro Youth League aims to redefine grassroots football as a vehicle for national unity, youth empowerment, and international exposure.

Speaking during a press conference in Abuja on Monday, Ugwu, who also serves as the chairman and CEO of AfriSportPro, described the league as more than just a sporting competition. He called it a strategic platform for nation-building and a launchpad for young talents seeking opportunities beyond Nigeria.

“This league is not just about playing football,” Ugwu said. “It’s about creating a data-driven, globally visible, and technically sound ecosystem where young talents can be discovered and nurtured.”

To that end, the league has partnered with Wyscout, a global scouting and analytics platform. Every match will be recorded and analysed, with detailed player statistics made accessible to clubs and scouts around the world. This, according to Ugwu, will ensure that players are not only competing but are also being monitored and evaluated for potential career advancement.

The competition will be held in six pilot states: Osun, FCT, Kaduna, Akwa Ibom, Plateau, and Imo. Each team will play 11 matches in a single round-robin format within their respective states. A total of 66 matches will be played in each state over 11 weeks, culminating in a national knockout stage in the final week, rounding off a 12-week inaugural season.

Ugwu stressed that team selection was conducted in collaboration with state football associations to ensure structure, quality, and fair representation.

Beyond football, the league is also positioned as a tool for social development. The organisers have incorporated youth education, positive value orientation, and crime prevention into the programme.

“We’re working with the EFCC to promote anti-corruption campaigns throughout the league,” Ugwu revealed. “Football is a universal language, and we’re using it to teach integrity and responsibility.”

The AfriSportPro Youth League has also teamed up with the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy to support the “Visit Nigeria” campaign, aiming to showcase the country’s rich culture and talent to the world through sports.

“We want to tell a new story about Nigeria, one of innovation, energy, and unity,” Ugwu added.

The league’s format has been designed to reduce the financial burden of interstate travel while still ensuring strong competition and meaningful exposure for participating players.

“In a country as divided as ours, football remains one of the few things that brings us together,” Ugwu said. “Through this league, we hope to foster values like honesty, hard work, and dignity, and above all, national cohesion.”