Sixteen football teams from Lagos and Ogun States have been drawn into four groups for the 2025 edition of the 9ja Cafe Rhum/Late Pa Ayo Rosiji football tournament. Organised by AYSON Promotions, the tournament aims to promote, develop, and discover new talent in grassroots football and is scheduled to take place from 2nd October 2025.
The teams have been divided into four groups of four, with the top two from each group advancing to the quarter-finals. Group A features NDL FC, Hayfash FC, Acme Dynamites, and Hope FC, while Group B includes Hephzibar FC, Panthers FC, Capstone FC, and Glamour FC. Group C consists of Agada FC, Great Vision FC, Community FC, and Ona-Ara FC, and Group D comprises Excel FC, Daylight FC, Da Faria FC, and Gunners FC.
Following the draw, Mufutau Abolade, one of the organisers, announced that the opening match will see host team NDL FC face off against Hayfash FC. He described the tournament as a grassroots competition aimed at nurturing football talent across the two states, urging players and officials to embrace sportsmanship and camaraderie throughout the event.
Mr. Tayo Rabiu, representing NDL, assured that robust security measures have been implemented at the NDL sports ground to ensure the safety of players, organisers, and guests during the competition.
The 9ja Cafe Rhum / Late Pa Ayo Rosiji tournament continues to be a vital platform for discovering emerging football stars while fostering community engagement in Lagos and Ogun States. Abolade expressed gratitude to Nigeria Distilleries Limited (NDL) for sponsoring this year’s edition and promised that the competition will meet expectations in terms of talent discovery.
High Chief Abolade reiterated that the 9ja Cafe Rhum / Late Pa Ayo Rosiji football tournament is a grassroots competition for teams from across Ogun and Lagos States, appealing to the participating teams to embody the spirit of sportsmanship and friendliness throughout the event. The Human Resources Manager, represented by Mr. Tayo Rabiu, expressed the company’s delight in supporting the competition and assured that adequate security measures are in place at the NDL sports ground for all those involved.
