Winners and runners-up from the 36 states plus FCT FA Cups, will proceed to play at the 2023 Federation Cup.
Thirty-six states and the Federal Capital Territory will come alive this weekend as the race for this year's Federation Cup winners, in both the men's and women's categories, will begin with the State FA Cups.
The 2023 edition of Nigeria's oldest club competition would see over 70 clubs from 36 states and the FCT, qualify for the competition by winning, or finishing as runner-ups in their domestic cups.
According to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Competitions Department, all state FA Cup finals are to take place on March 19, with states and the FCT, submitting their two participants for the national competition on March 20.
The NFF will then decide on a date for the draw to kick off the national competition following the conclusion of the competitions in the corresponding states.
Federation Cup final scheduled for May
Following an executive meeting on Monday, the NFF announced that a development aimed at becoming the new norm would see the Federation Cup's finals always played a week before the final games in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
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With the final week of the 2023 NPFL regular season slated for May 14, the Federation Cup final will hold on May 7.
The objective, according to the NFF Board, is to “allow the winner to prepare adequately for the task of flying the country’s flag creditably at the CAF Confederation Cup.”
According to custom, Nigeria would send two teams to the 2024 CAF Confederation Cup: the competition's winner and the NPFL's third-place club.
Bayelsa United defending champions of men, women's title
Bayelsa United were the last winner of the men's cup, having won the competition in 2021. The 2022 edition was cancelled after the quarter-finals.
With Bayelsa United and Bayelsa Queens winning the men and women's cup titles in 2021, Bayelsa became the first state to have two clubs win the men's and women's editions in the same year.
Although the most successful team in the competition with 8 titles, Shooting Stars have failed to emerge as Nigeria's Cup winners since 1995.
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