MFM, First Bank Set Up Blockbuster Zenith Bank League Final

ASO SKY Queens, Customs battle for bronze as women’s basketball season reaches climax

MFM and First Bank will face off in the final of the 2026 NBBF/Zenith Bank Women’s Basketball League after both teams survived hard-fought semi-final encounters in Lagos on Friday.

The final, which pits two Atlantic Conference sides against each other, promises a thrilling contest when the teams meet on Saturday at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Surulere.

Nine-time champions First Bank booked their place in the title decider with a narrow 61-57 victory over debutants ASO SKY Queens in the opening semi-final.

MFM then secured the second final ticket after edging Nigeria Customs 64-61 in another closely contested encounter.

The results set up a final between two teams with contrasting ambitions.

First Bank will be chasing a record-extending 10th league title, while MFM will be aiming to reclaim the championship they won back-to-back in 2023 and 2024.

The Lagos-based side will therefore be seeking to add another title to its recent success, while First Bank will be determined to restore their dominance at the summit of Nigerian women’s basketball.

The final will also provide an opportunity for both teams to underline their credentials after negotiating the semi-finals by slim margins.

Meanwhile, ASO SKY Queens and Nigeria Customs will battle for third place, with the encounter scheduled to tip off at 2pm on Saturday.

ASO, who impressed on their debut campaign by reaching the Final 8, narrowly missed out on a place in the championship match after their four-point defeat by First Bank.

Customs also pushed MFM all the way before eventually losing by three points.

Defending champions Dolphins failed to reach the Final 8 after only narrowly avoiding relegation on the final day of the second phase of the Atlantic Conference.

The third-place play-off will begin at 2pm, while the championship final is scheduled for 4pm, bringing the 2026 Zenith Bank Women’s Basketball League campaign to a climax.