The Handball Federation of Nigeria has confirmed that the 2026 National Under 12 and Under 15 Handball Championship for boys and girls will take place in Umuahia, Abia State, following a slight adjustment to the competition schedule Trybal News reports.
Secretary General of the federation, Monica Otumala, announced that participating teams are expected to arrive on March 23, 2026. Player screening will be conducted on March 24 at 9:30 a.m., with matches scheduled to run from March 24 to April 1. Teams will depart on April 2, 2026.
Otumala explained that the change in dates was necessary because the earlier schedule clashed with the Sallah holiday. She clarified that aside from the revised timing, all other arrangements for the championship remain unchanged.
The federation stressed the importance of strict adherence to eligibility rules. All players must fall within the approved age categories and present their National Identification Number certificates along with passport photographs during the screening exercise.
Otumala also warned coaches and officials against the transfer or poaching of underage players between teams or states, describing such actions as unacceptable. She emphasized that any breach of the federation’s regulations would result in severe sanctions.
“The decision of the Handball Federation of Nigeria on all matters concerning screening and technical issues shall be final,” she stated, adding that the federation will not tolerate violations of its guidelines.
She further directed that final registration lists, including players’ biometric data and NIN details, must be submitted to the HFN secretariat on or before March 10, 2026. Alternatively, the required documents may be presented at the pre match meeting scheduled for March 24. Any submission made after that meeting will attract penalties.
As an added incentive, the federation revealed that winners and runners up in both age categories will represent Nigeria at the Partille Cup in Sweden and the Teramo Cup in Italy, offering young players valuable international exposure.
Otumala called on stakeholders to support the championship, describing it as an important platform for grassroots development and a key step in strengthening the future of handball in Nigeria.
