Lagos State Football Association Chairman, Hajji Gafar Liameed, has emphasised the importance of the new broadcast deal signed by the football body in an exclusive interview with www.aclsports.com.
Just three days ago, reports emerged that the LSFA had sealed a ₦100 million, three-year, exclusive broadcast rights agreement with Cloud Sports Limited for the Lagos FA Cup—a development widely praised as a major step toward raising the competition’s profile and overall standard.
”This agreement is set to enhance the visibility of the Lagos FA Cup and generate increased revenue,” Hajji Gafar exclusively informed www.aclsports.com from Senegal, where he had gone to watch the Falconets reach the next round of the World Cup qualifiers.
”For the participating teams, it will foster greater fan engagement, which in turn contributes to economic growth for the clubs. Additionally, all participating clubs will receive three footballs each as a gift, and each club’s media officers will be given free training one day before the FA Cup draws,” the football chief added about the benefits of the deal to the member clubs.
As part of its drive to enhance the image of the competition, the LSFA also announced the introduction of a new trophy for the winners going forward, a move expected to add greater colour, prestige, and glamour to the tournament.
Meanwhile, with a new sponsor now in place, it is expected that the improved backing will also be reflected in the prize money for the champions, with the chairman confirming the new prize package. In both categories, the winners will take ₦1.5 Million, while the runners-up will take home ₦500,000.
Late kick-off of the Federation Cup
It has long been a recurring issue with the national cup competition, which has often kicked off late over the years. As a result, teams regularly face fixture congestion and player fatigue toward the closing stages of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) and Nigeria National League (NNL) seasons.
”The Exclusive Broadcast Rights and Production Agreement does not affect the kick-off date. At Lagos FA, we follow the schedule set by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), which owns the Federation Cup. Any perceived drop in teams’ performances is largely due to global financial challenges affecting football clubs and players, rather than the timing of the sponsorship or broadcast deal,” the chairman said about the organisation of the Federation Cup.
Lack of football facilities in Lagos
Despite its vast population of football enthusiasts, academies, and clubs, Lagos continues to grapple with a severe shortage of functional football facilities. Agege Stadium and Teslim Balogun Stadium have remained unused for several years, while Mobolaji Johnson Arena is increasingly overstretched due to the volume of activities hosted there.
”As end users, the Lagos FA is in continuous dialogue with the Lagos State Government regarding stadium developments. Construction is in advanced stages, and football activities are expected to return to these stadia by August 2026, providing players and fans with improved facilities,” Hajji Gafar concluded.
