The Draw Ceremony for this year’s Men and Women Federation Cup competitions will hold in Abuja on Thursday.
In a statement to the Football Associations of the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory, NFF’s Head of Federation Cup Unit, Ruth David said the Draw Ceremony will begin at 1pm.
Already, all 64 teams for the Men’s Draw and 18 teams for the Women’s Draw have emerged, setting the stage for the colourful event that will herald the national finals of the most prestigious football competition in the land.
David has also disclosed that of the 64 teams in the Men’s draw, 19 are Premier League clubs (Warri Wolves the only Premier League cut out after it lost to God’s Time FC in the Delta State preliminaries), 14 are from the second tier National League, 16 belong to the Nationwide League and an impressive 15 are non-League.
The two teams that reached the final of the preliminaries in each State and the FCT have been considered, except Yobe State that failed to register any club for the competition. Of the remaining 72 clubs, eight were eliminated in last Tuesday’s play-off round.
In the Women’s draw, usual suspects Rivers Angels, Bayelsa Queens, Sunshine Queens, Delta Queens, Ibom Angels, Nasarawa Amazons and Kogi Confluence Queens make the cut. There are four non-League teams in the Women’s draw, namely Golden Babes of Ebonyi State, Moje Queens of Kwara State, Fortress Ladies of Edo State and Alberto Queens of Akwa Ibom State.
MEN’S DRAW
Caliphate Stars (Sokoto State); Kaduna United and A.B.U. FC (Kaduna State); New Stars and Zara FC (Kebbi State); Nasarawa United and Nasarawa Feeders (Nasarawa State); Rangers FC and Inter FC (Enugu State); Akampa United (Cross River State); Chuson FC (Ebonyi State); Makwada Warriors and Binani FC (Adamawa State); Akwa United and Akwa Starlets (Akwa Ibom State); Lobi Stars (Benue State); Gateway FC and Remo Stars (Ogun State); FRSC FC and FC Abuja (FCT); Bayelsa United and Nembe City (Bayelsa State); Wikki Tourists and Zabgai FC (Bauchi State); El-Kanemi Warriors and El-Kanemi Babes (Borno State); Kwara United and Kwara Academy (Kwara State); Heartland FC and Papilo FC (Imo State); New Vision FC (Ekiti State); 3SC and Crown FC (Oyo State); Idah United (Kogi State); Niger Tornadoes and Tornadoes Feeders (Niger State); Dallatu United and Shinkafi United (Zamfara State); Dolphins FC and Sharks FC (Rivers State); Plateau United and Giwa FC (Plateau State); Prime FC and Ajiroba FC (Osun State); Junior Spotlight and Spotlight FC (Katsina State); Sunshine Stars and Peacemaker FC (Ondo State); Jalingo United and FC Taraba (Taraba State); Golden Stars and Bizi Cashless (Jigawa State); Christ Ambassadors (Lagos State); Kukuruku Dragons and BJ Foundation (Edo State); J. Atete FC (Delta State); Kano Pillars and Kurmi Market (Kano State); Enyimba and Abia Warriors (Abia State); Gabros FC and Cardinal FC (Anambra State); Gombe United and Doma United FC (Gombe State)
WOMEN’S DRAW
Bayelsa Queens (Bayelsa State); Rivers Angels (Rivers State); Confluence Queens (Kogi State); Nasarawa Amazons (Nasarawa State); Delta Queens (Delta State); Beautiful Tour Angels (FCT); Edo Queens and Fortress Ladies (Edo State); FC Robo and COD United Ladies (Lagos State); Sunshine Queens and Rising Queens (Ondo State); Ibom Angels and Alberto Queens (Akwa Ibom State); Osun Babes and Oginni Queens (Osun State); Golden Babes (Ebonyi State); Moje Queens (Kwara State).