2017 AITEO Cup champions Akwa United have been drawn against non-league side Hope of Glory in the opening game of their title defense on Sunday.
In the round of 64 draws held at the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Secretariat in Abuja on Thursday, the Promise Keepers – as Akwa United are known – will come up against the team which won the 2018 Cross River FA Cup final at a venue in Southern Nigeria on Sunday.
United won last year’s title after beating Niger Tornadoes on penalties in the final in Lagos and were second on the league log before it was discontinued last week. Last year’s beaten finalists, Tornadoes will face Chief of Staff Football Club of Yola in their own round of 64 tie.
All Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) sides in the draws were kept apart with CAF Confederation Cup hopeful Enyimba drawn against Wasiu Alabelewe FC of Ifon Osun who edged their rookie playoff encounter against Akure City FC on Wednesday.
The thirty-two matches will be played on Sunday, 9th September 2018 with venues announced later on Thursday. Winners of the round of sixty four games will then be drawn for another knock out round to hold on Sunday, September 16, 2018.
FULL DRAW
Smart City (of Lagos) vs Abia Warriors
Rivers Utd (Rivers) Vs Gusau Eleven (Zamfara)
Wasiu Alabelewe (Osun) Vs Enyimba FC (Abia)
Sokoto Utd ( Sokoto) Vs MFM FC (Lagos)
Yobe stars Vs DMD FC (Borno)
Akwa Utd (Akwa-Ibom) Vs Hope of Glory (Calabar)
Kano Pillars Feeders Vs Crown FC (Oyo)
Ngwa FC (Abakaliki) Vs Kano Pillars
Nyasagwana FC (Taraba) Vs FC Ifeanyi Ubah
Doma Utd (Gombe) Vs J. Atete (Delta)
Zabgai FC (Bauchi) vs Plateau United)
Gombe Utd Vs Dynamite FC (Edo)
Dan Masari (Kebbi) Vs Go Round FC
Cofine FC (Akwa Ibom) Vs Heartland
Wikki Tourists Vs Crime Busters (Enugu)
George Turnah (of Yenagoa) vs Nasarawa utd
Katsina Feeders vs Jigawa Golden Stars
Aklosendi (of Nasarawa) vs FRSC FC (of Abuja)
Delta Stars vs Kogi United FC
Samba FC (of Jigawa) vs Elkanemi Fc
Bayelsa United vs Fasbir FC (of Sokoto)
Bendel Insurance vs Remo Stars Junior
Ekiti United vs Mighty Jets (of Jos)
FC Minda (of Gboko) vs Osun United
Chief of Staff (of Yola) vs Niger Tornadoes
Gombe United vs Dynamite FC (Edo).
3SC vs Supreme Court (Abuja).
Lobi Stars vs Standard FC ( of Kaduna)
ABS Ilorin FC vs Kebbi United
Kwara Utd vs All Stars FC (of Abeokuta)
Rangers Int vs Niger Tornadoes Feeders
