Credit Direct Finance Clinch 2026 Corporate Stars League Title After Dramatic Final

Credit Direct Finance emerged champions of the 2026 Corporate Stars League (CSL) Lagos after defeating TotalEnergies in a dramatic penalty shootout final held as part of activities commemorating International Workers’ Day.

The fiercely contested tournament once again lived up to its reputation as one of Nigeria’s most entertaining corporate football competitions, with leading organisations displaying impressive quality, tactical discipline and competitive spirit throughout.

Credit Direct Finance sealed the title after edging TotalEnergies in a tense finale that captivated spectators and provided a fitting climax to the annual corporate football spectacle.

Their road to glory was anything but straightforward. The eventual champions showed resilience and determination from the group stages through to the knockout rounds, overcoming several difficult opponents along the way.

In the semi-finals, Credit Direct battled past Sohcahtoa Holdings in a closely fought encounter. After both sides had earlier played out a stalemate during the group phase, Credit Direct produced a composed performance to secure a narrow 1-0 victory and book their place in the final.

The second semi-final also delivered plenty of drama as oil and gas heavyweights International Energy Services and TotalEnergies went head-to-head in another tightly contested fixture. TotalEnergies emerged victorious by the same 1-0 scoreline to advance to the championship match.

Sohcahtoa Holdings bounced back strongly in the third-place play-off, defeating International Energy Services to claim the bronze medal and finish the tournament on a positive note.

Individual and team awards were presented at the end of the competition in recognition of outstanding performances.

Joseph Karina of Credit Direct Finance finished as the tournament’s highest goalscorer, while the club also claimed the Best Manager award following their successful campaign.

Elena Kura was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament after impressing consistently for TotalEnergies throughout the competition.

Meanwhile, Red Bull Nigeria received the Fair Play Award for their exemplary conduct during the tournament, with all participating organisations also recognised with participation awards.

The event attracted several notable personalities from Nigeria’s entertainment and media industries, including music stars M’kido and Chinko Ekun, as well as public relations strategist Dami Adenuga.

With their hard-earned triumph over TotalEnergies, Credit Direct Finance closed the 2026 edition of the Corporate Stars League Lagos in memorable fashion, further cementing their place in the growing history of corporate football excellence in Nigeria.