Sporting Lagos were crowned champions of the 2026 NNL Super Four after edging rivals Inter Lagos on goal difference in a dramatic final day showdown at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne Remo.
The “Noisy Lagosians” went into the final round of fixtures knowing that only a point was needed to secure the title. Although a 1-0 defeat was suffered against Inter Lagos in the much anticipated Lagos derby, Sporting Lagos still finished top of the standings thanks to their superior goals record across the tournament.
The title triumph capped an impressive campaign for Sporting Lagos, who had opened the competition with a narrow 1-0 victory over Ranchers Bees before producing a commanding 4-0 demolition of Doma United on Matchday Two. Those results proved decisive in the end as they finished with six points from three matches and lifted the trophy alongside the ₦10 million prize money attached to the championship.
Inter Lagos also finished the tournament with six points after bouncing back strongly from their opening day defeat to Doma United. They defeated Ranchers Bees 2-0 before securing a derby victory against Sporting Lagos in the final game. However, the margin of goals scored across the competition handed Sporting Lagos the edge in the final standings.
The decisive moment in the derby arrived as early as the seventh minute. Gafar showed great composure down the right flank after receiving a pass before drawing three Sporting Lagos defenders toward him. A clever pass was then slipped into the path of Bashiru, who cut inside onto his right foot before firing beyond Clinton Lawani to score what turned out to be the winning goal. The strike also ended Lawani’s remarkable run of five consecutive clean sheets.
Sporting Lagos pushed hard for an equaliser and came close in the 23rd minute when Aliyu Baba’s dangerous free kick was brilliantly pushed away by goalkeeper Saviour for a corner. Several opportunities continued to be created by both teams throughout the contest.
Inter Lagos looked threatening on the counterattack and could have extended their advantage, but chances fell away as Bayo, Gafar and Bashiru all missed opportunities while the Sporting Lagos defence struggled under pressure. At the other end, Sporting Lagos also created moments of danger, but poor final deliveries denied them an equaliser. Shola, Victor and tournament MVP Seun Akanji all came close but failed to hit the target.
Despite the defeat, Sporting Lagos celebrated at full time after being officially confirmed as champions of the Super Four competition. The victory underlined the club’s rapid growth since its formation and reinforced belief that they are ready for life in the Nigeria Premier Football League next season.
Inter Lagos, Ranchers Bees and Doma United also concluded the tournament with positives to take into the upcoming NPFL campaign after all four clubs secured promotion.
Several outstanding performers and teams were recognised at the end of the tournament with individual awards presented for excellence throughout the competition.
Ranchers Bees were named Best Behaved Team, while Sporting Lagos coach Jeffery Buter won the Best Coach award after guiding his side to the title. Sporting Lagos goalkeeper Clinton Lawani was rewarded with the Best Goalkeeper prize following a string of impressive displays.
Aminun Yakubu from Niger State received the Best Referee award, while Sporting Lagos captain Solomon Uloko won Best Goal for his stunning strike against Doma United. Seun Akanji of Sporting Lagos was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament after consistently delivering standout performances.
At the broader NNL 2025/2026 season awards sponsored by BetPawa, Paul Offor of Akwa United emerged as Best Coach and received ₦880,000. Daniel Aiyenugba of Beyond Limits won the Best Goalkeeper award alongside ₦880,000 prize money.
Yahaya Husseini of Sokoto FC was named the league’s Most Valuable Player, while Inter Lagos striker Adebayo Oyedele finished as Highest Goal Scorer with 10 goals and also earned ₦880,000.
Barnabas Imenge of Lobi Stars claimed the Goal of the Season award, while Inter Lagos received recognition as the Best Supporters Club. Smart City were named Best Behaved Team and received ₦400,000, while Sporting Lagos were honoured as Team of the Season with an additional ₦2.5 million reward. The Anambra Football Association was also recognised as the Best State Football Association.
