DAILY COURIER - The maiden edition of the Rauf Badamosi Football Championship 2025 began with much fanfare on Saturday, March 22, 2025, at the Rauf Badamosi Stadium, Ibagwa-Aka, Igboeze South Local Government Area, Enugu State.
The tournament, organized for the 17 Local Government Areas of Enugu State, is sponsored by JRB Group in collaboration with the Rauf Badamosi Foundation as part of their corporate social responsibility efforts.
The opening ceremony featured a vibrant display of march-pasts, dance performances, and cultural showcases, setting the tone for an exciting competition. The first match saw Igboeze South LGA thrash Igboeze North LGA in a commanding 5-1 victory. Ebuka Kingsley opened the scoring in the third minute and later bagged a brace, while Chinonso EggKoll and Abubakar Sadiq added one goal each before halftime. Igboeze North struggled to keep up, missing a penalty in the second half, but Odinaka Ossai eventually scored their only goal in the 70th minute. Usman Salisu sealed Igboeze South's triumph with a fifth goal.
With ₦35 million set aside for the tournament champion, ₦20 million for the runner-up, and ₦10 million for the third-place team, the competition is expected to be fiercely contested.
The grand finale is scheduled for April 1, 2025, and excitement is already building as teams battle for glory in what promises to be an unforgettable championship.
