Kano State is set to host the 2026 edition of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Renewed Hope Football Cup, a tournament designed to promote peace, youth development and grassroots football across Northern Nigeria.
The Special Adviser to the Kano State Governor on Sports and Youth Development, Sani Musa-Danja, announced this at a press briefing in Kano, where he unveiled the tournament, tagged “The Game Changer.”
Musa-Danja said the competition would bring together young footballers from the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), using sports as a platform to foster unity, social interaction and peaceful coexistence.
He said the initiative was also aimed at engaging young people positively and discouraging them from activities capable of undermining peace and development in the region.
According to him, the tournament is the first of its kind and has received the backing of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf because of his commitment to youth development, peace and unity.
“We want to bring the youths of the 19 northern states together on this very special football tournament, the Game Changer Tournament,” he said.
Musa-Danja added that the state government was supporting the competition to ensure that it commenced and concluded peacefully while providing young people with an opportunity to showcase their talents.
Also speaking, the Technical Director of the competition, Abdulgafar Oladimeji, said the tournament would provide a platform for developing the capacity of footballers and technical support staff, while strengthening grassroots sports development across Northern Nigeria.
Oladimeji said the competition would also promote peace, encourage social interaction, identify emerging football talents and contribute to economic activities in Kano State.
He mentioned that the tournament was designed to project the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government in line with its sports development policy.
The two-week interstate competition is expected to attract youths from the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, with Kano serving as the host state.
