1X CUP 2025: Weeks after grand finale, Lagos football community still reverberates with excitement

1X CUP 2025:
Weeks after grand finale, Lagos football community still reverberates with excitement

By Lateef Adekola

The 2025 edition of the prestigious 1X Cup football championship was concluded several weeks ago, with Ikorodu City emerging the new champions and going home with the giant trophy, as well as, the mouth-watering prize of N10million, at the finals played at the iconic Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, Lagos.

Same as the previous two editions of the 1X cup which has somewhat become the benchmark for grassroots football development in Lagos, this year’s edition has continued to elicit rave reviews, from all stakeholders and larger members of the business world and the Lagos football community.

The football championship has now become an annual ritual for petty traders, hawkers, foods and drinks sellers to do business and make money.

Iya Kafila, a popular buka owner in Oshodi, expressed her disappointment when the semi-finals of the championship was moved away to Lagos Island. However, she was quick to thank the organisers of the 1X cup for bringing the games to the Inspire Sports Arena, Oshodi, where herself and other traders and businesses enjoyed the opportunities to make good money throughout the period.

The 2025 1X cup, more than the previous editions produced astounding football spectacles, untold and impressive statistics in grassroots football, as well as, the discovery of fresher, younger and talented footballers, many who have been scouted for local and foreign teams.

Feelers from the grassroots football community have also revealed that individual prize winners and particularly, teams that have received prizes in all editions so far, have judiciously utilised the monies to improve their welfare, as well as, their technical growth.

Much more, the highly-rated grassroots football championship equally kept the many football referees involved, very active for the over 3 months duration of the football festival.

Head coach of the 2025 champions, Ikorodu City, Wellington Egor, praised the sponsors and the organisers for a near-flawless football championship, that gave him the opportunity to expose his young players to tough and intense games that would of course, help the growth of their football careers.

Uche Emeribe who emerged the highest goals scorer of the championship, cannot thank the organisers enough for the exposure to top class grassroots football he experienced. According to the Vinmo Energy young striker, he has gained more confidence and ready to take his game to higher levels.

Many football enthusiasts have turned to gatewatchers who are keenly interested in the future fortunes of the young lads who participated in the championship, as they look forward to seeing them take their games to the next levels.

Still basking in the euphoria of the successful 1X football championship, a member of the technical committee, Wale Joseph, expressed his happiness that the annual football show become a mainstay in the development of football in Lagos and Nigeria, even as noted that it is in tandem with the T.H.E.M.E.S+ agenda of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu.