The Lagos FA State League is set to commence its 2025/2026 season on April 21, following a successful press briefing, draw ceremony, and seminar held on Friday at the Teslim Balogun Stadium.
The well-attended event brought together key stakeholders across the football ecosystem and featured interactive sessions focused on modern club administration, governance, and development.
Speaking after the draw, the league’s Chief Executive Officer, Wale Joseph, expressed satisfaction with the previous season, highlighting the absence of major incidents as a key milestone. He noted, however, that the progress recorded places greater responsibility on organizers ahead of the new campaign.
Joseph also revealed a significant expansion in participation. The men’s category will feature 20 teams this season, up from 14 last term, while the women’s category is expected to include between 14 and 16 teams, compared to 12 teams in the previous edition.
As part of efforts to improve standards, clubs were taken through a series of educational sessions. FIFA referee Olayinka Olajide delivered a lecture on the laws of the modern game, while PR expert Toyosi Oyetunji spoke on leveraging social media for club growth and visibility. Medical and first aid practices were addressed by Tajudeen Sule, and Femi Abioye provided insights on the importance of insurance coverage for players and officials in contemporary football.
Following the draw, participating teams were grouped into Mainland and Atlantic Conferences across both the men’s and women’s categories.
The Mainland Conference in Men category are Arubinjaga FA, Unizee FC, Ibeju Lekki United, AMA Smile FC, Top FC, Prodigy FC, Valour 1107 FC, Utmost FC, FC Brave SI and Tuto Atlanta FC.
Atlantic Conference had Team 360, Chekas Feeders, Emajus FC, Young Strikers FC, Olufunke FA, Bucknor FC, FC Germstone, Heipziban SC, Power of the Cross FC and Ecas FC.
Fixtures for the new season are expected to be released in the coming days, with the league set to officially kick off on April 21 with headline fixtures.
The Lagos FA State League continues to serve as a key platform for grassroots football development in Nigeria, providing opportunities for emerging talents and clubs to grow within a structured competitive environment.
