LOC announces new kickoff date for Aisha Buhari Cup

To ensure that all the invited teams arrive at the venue of the Aisha Buhari Invitational Women’s Football Tournament (Aisha Buhari Cup) with their best players, the local organising committee for the competition has shifted the kickoff date by two days.

The maiden Aisha Buhari Cup was earlier scheduled to officially begin on Monday, September 13, but will now commence on Wednesday, September 15 and end on Tuesday, September 21, 2021.

The LOC said in a statement, yesterday, that the slight shift in kickoff date was necessitated by a request by some of the participating teams that their foreign-based players would not be able to arrive in Lagos for the football showpiece any time earlier than September 14, adding that the world football governing body, FIFA’s Type 1 window stipulation that teams shall play two matches each with two full rest days between each match to possibly allow for players’ recovery in case of injury.

According to the Director of Organisation for the Aisha Buhari Cup, Aisha Falode, the LOC acceded to the teams’ request and FIFA’s requirement due to the committee’s respect for the nation’s First Lady, Aisha Buhari, in whose name the high profile football showpiece wishes to honour as well avail the teams the necessary ambience and opportunity to hit the tournament’s venues with their various best legs.

“The teams want to have their best legs available for the tournament especially as almost the teams are using the invitational tournament as preparations for the upcoming qualifiers for the Nation’s Cup.

“The LOC has utmost respect for the nation’s First Lady, Aisha Buhari, in whose name and honour the invitational tournament is instituted and will key into measures and requests toward making it big for the teams,” she said.

Teams listed for the competition are Nigeria, Cameroun, Ghana, South Africa, Mali and Morocco.

The matches will hold from September 15 to 21 at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan and the ‘Soccer Temple’ Agege Stadium, both in Lagos.