• Winners take home N500,000
Heritage Football Academy and FC Phoenix Queens emerged winners of the fifth edition of the Cohesion Football Tournament recently concluded in Lagos.
The annual community tournament aimed at engaging talented grassroots children across different local government areas in Lagos and Ogun States competition was held at the Union Bank Stable in Surulere between December 19th and 20th.
This year, the competition broadened its scope to include 42 teams, incorporating 16 new male teams, and marking a historic moment with the introduction of 10 female teams for the first time in the tournament’s history.
In the male category, Heritage Football Academy from Abule Egba claimed the top spot, securing a prize of N500,000, Ablaze Football Academy from Ikorodu came second and won a sum of N300,000, in third place was Unstoppable FA from Makoko who went home with the sum of N200,000.
FC Phoenix Queens from Orile won the inaugural female competition and walked home with the sum of N500,000, Wazbak International Queens came second with a gift prize of N300,000 and Unification Ladies came third and won a sum of N200,000.
The tournament’s most valuable player for female was Taiwo Ayomide of ‘Ablaze FC who went home with a school scholarship prize of N100,000.
The tournament drew the presence of football enthusiasts and celebrities, including former Super Eagles player Victor Agali and popular social media personality Adebowale “Debo” Adedayo known as Mr Macaroni.
Cohesion Football Tournament, which launched in December 2019 with only 12 teams from Mushin and Surulere LGA, has grown to become one of the biggest and most impactful youth focused, grassroots football initiatives in Nigeria over the years.