30 under-15 male teams compete for 2025 Cohesion football tournament

L-R: Francis Gomez, CEO, Floors Africa; Hakeem Olatunji, CEO, Kymokr8tiv; Damilare Obagbemi, convener, Cohesion Football Tournament initiative; Okunoye Kayode Yussuf, assistant secretary, Lagos State Football Association and Adeshina Yusuf, coach & head of football, Lagos State, during the official draw of the 7th edition of the Cohesion Football Tournament in Lagos recently.

30 under-15 male teams, 10 under-13 male teams, and eight female teams, will battle it out in the 7th edition of the Cohesion Football Tournament in Lagos.

“As we prepare for the 7th edition, we remain committed to giving these young athletes a platform to shine, grow, and dream bigger,” Damilare Obagbemi, convener, Cohesion Football Tournament, said during the official draws for the 2025 edition.

According fo him, the tournament said the 2-days grassroots football initiative scheduled for Wednesday December 17, and Thursday, December 18, 2025, will bring together coaches, team representatives, and community stakeholders to deepen football at the grassroots.

“With every edition, we see more talent, more hope, and more communities believing in the power of football to change lives,” Obagbemi said.

Since its inaugural edition in December 2019, when only 12 teams from Mushin and Surulere LGAs participated, the tournament has grown steadily, both in scale and influence.

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“We are excited to see an event focused on discovering and developing young talents, as this aligns deeply with our commitment to youth growth and empowerment. You can count on our continued support for your tournament,” Dotun Coker, vice chairman, Lagos State Football Association, said.

The draws also featured the presentation of prize money to the winners of the maiden edition of the Cohesion Challenge Football Game Show.

Adegbaju Samuel clinched the top spot, earning a cash prize of ₦250,000, while Timileyin Awokoya secured second place and received ₦150,000.

Their achievements added excitement and celebration to the day, further showcasing the growing opportunities the tournament continues to create for young talents.

According to organisers, the draw is not only a symbolic gesture to begin the new season but a reaffirmation of the tournament’s mission to provide underserved grass root teams from various communities across Lagos and Ogun states with structured, positive platform to harness their talents, build character, and embrace values like teamwork, discipline, and leadership.

Seyi John Salau is a BusinessDay Correspondent with interest in development journalism, which tells stories that connect the people, brands, and the government. SeyiJohn is also a media professional with BSc, Mass Communition (ACU); Masters of School Media (MSM, Ibadan) & MSc, Mass Communication (Caleb).

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