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Sixteen teams now know their opponents after the draw for the 2026 Spires 5-Aside Street Soccer Tournament, which kicks off on October 27 at the Union Bank Sports Club in Surulere, Lagos.
Group A has Orion & Leon, Crown, Smiler All Champions and Blood & Sand. Group B is made up of Chekas Utd, Greater Tomorrow, Progidy and Diamond FC. Group C features ASD Academy, Angso Sports Club, WASOLA and EMALJUS FC while Group D pits White Tigers, New Generation, Alphas and All Saints against one another.
According to Spires Media, organizers of the tournament, it is designed as a youth development platform built around talent, community and growth that goes beyond football, with a Tech Week for participants and 50 laptops to be given away this year, backed by sponsor IHS.
According to Dr. Femi Bankole-Allibay who called in from his base in Europe during Tuesday’s event noted that the Spires Media 5-a-side tournament is about building young talent, not just lifting a trophy, and they have added a tech component with about 50 laptops to be given away this year.
Also speaking at the event, Chairman of the Lagos State Football Association Hajji Gafar Olawale Liameed said his prayer for the Spires 5 Aside is for them in the coming years to have a complex of their own with standard pitches, hostels and more for the programme.
“I’m impressed with the efforts that Spires 5 Aside is making in the area of youth development. I look forward to them building their own facility that would be all encompassing someday.”
