Chairman and sponsor of the Abuja Unity Pre-season Tournament, Patrick Ngwaogu, has said the 2025 Unity Pre-season Tournament will be hosted by Nasarawa State.

Mr Ngwaogu, who made the disclosure in an interview with journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, said that it would be held precisely in Lafia Township Stadium.

He said that the state government had given a nod to their request to host next year’s tournament.

The tournament is an annual football event to prepare football clubs for the new season.

“It is meant to build teams within the northern conference for the new football season, especially the Nigeria Premier Football League,” he said.

He said that if the participating teams made good use of their experiences at the tournament, they would be able to perform well during the new season.

According to him, most of the clubs use the preseason tournament to make adjustments and watch out for good players that can help them perform well as a team.

Mr Ngwaogu said that not less than six players from the junior clubs that participated in this year`s edition of the tournament were billed to be signed by NPFL clubs.

“Two of the players are from the Likeminds Football Club of Gwagwalada and the other four players are from 2K19 Football Club of Abuja,” he said.

The 2024 Preseason Tournament ended with Likeminds Football Club of Gwagwalada emerging as winners of the tournament.

Likeminds FC defeated Niger Tornadoes of Minna 1-0 to emerge as the winners of this year’s tournament.

Lucky Ojukwu scored the only goal of the game in the 72nd minute, before a handful of guests and spectators.

Eleven teams, including Nasarawa United and Plateau United, participated in this year’s tournament held at the Area 3 football stadium from August 12 to Augusr18. 

(NAN)