Defending Champions And Runner’s Up Hit The Ground Running As 2026 Mailafia Peace And Unity Cup Kicks off Amidst Pageantry

After distributing free match jerseys and balls to all the whole 32 participating teams as usual in the annual Mailafia Peace and Unity Football Cup, the 2026 edition finally kicked off over the weekend with some out of this world entertainment galore to the delight of all and sundry live at the GSS playground in Daddare. Nasarawa State.

In the opening ceremony of a grassroots competition sponsored by Hon. Mailafia Yakubu to keep Nasarawa State youths busy, promote peace and also give them platform to sell their talents to the world, the defending champions, Matawalle fc showed all and sundry that their winning yesterday was no fluke as they defeated Buwama fc 1-0.

Mohammed Agye scored the first goal of this year’s tournament at the 60th minute to hand his team, Matawalle fc a 1-0 win over Buwama fc.

In the second match played yesterday, 2021 Champions, Greater Tomorrow fc defeated New City fc 2-1.

Tijani Abubakar and Ubaidu Aliyu scored the goals for Greater Tomorrow fc in the 23rd and 27th minutes respectively, while Sadan Abubakar got the consolatory goal for New City fc in the 33rd minute.

The tournament continues today at the Daddare school playground as Doctor fc confront Samba fc at 4pm.

Meanwhile, as the Peace and Unity Football Cup clocks a decade this year, the brain behind this tournament and the sponsor, Chief Hon(Dr) Yakubu Mailafia has said he’s happy that the reasons for having this competition played yearly is achieving its purpose. In his words: “I am happy that the essence of having this tournament played annually is fulfilling its purpose of not only promoting peace and unity amongst communities but in Nasarawa State at large, but also giving these youths a platform of showcasing their God given talents of which many have moved to clubs both home and abroad. As we mark the 10th year of this tournament, surprise and sweet packages will be given to the standout teams and players, but I will like to keep it under wraps until the final day of this year’s tournament”.