By Christian Okpara
The Super Eagles of Nigeria will trade tackles with Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, as well as, old foes, Black Stars of Ghana at the 17,250-capacity Gtech Stadium, home ground of English Premier League side, Brentford.
According to the organisers, the final signatures, seals and indentures for the competition, tagged Unity Cup, were sealed on Wednesday, paving way for the clash of cultures in West London, next month.
Speaking on the international friendly football competition, AfroSport’s Rotimi Pedro said: “We are proud to bring back The Unity Cup. It’s been a long journey to revive this important community event, and we’re delighted that fans of African and Caribbean football will once again enjoy top-tier international football at Unity Cup 2025.
“We are grateful to Brentford FC for providing a home at the Gtech Community Stadium, and look forward to what, even after 20 years, remains a cultural moment for many who attended previous Unity Cup tournaments.
Unity Cup 2025 is a week-long celebration of our interconnected culture in food, music and comedy anchored around elite footballing talents from our home nations.”
The tournament will kick off with the first semifinal on May 27 when Trinidad & Tobago tackle Jamaica in the first-ever “Trini-Jam” on UK soil. The following day, three-time African champions, Nigeria, will take on four-time African champions, Ghana, in the second semifinal, which will come with all the intrigues and elements of a 74-year rivalry between the two continental giants.
All four teams will return on May 31 for the grand finale, with the losers of the semifinal fixtures featuring in the third-place game, before the final to determine The Unity Cup 2025 champions.
Speaking on the competition, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President, Ibrahim Musa Gusau, said: “We signed on to the tournament as it offers a vital opportunity for our team to bond ahead of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers in September. The Unity Cup has a special history, and the Super Eagles have always been part of that journey.”
While Super Eagles’ Head Coach, Eric Chelle, noted: “We’re looking forward to taking part in the Unity Cup as it will give us the chance to try out a few new players in different roles, helping us to strengthen our squad before the matches in September and October,” team captain, William Troost-Ekong said:
“This is a great tournament for us to reunite and continue strategising for the upcoming World Cup qualifying games.” Also speaking on the competition, Brentford FC ambassador and former Jamaican international,
Marcus Gayle, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome the Unity Cup back and to host it here at the Gtech Community Stadium. This tournament will not only showcase elite football talent from Africa and the Caribbean, but also celebrate the deep cultural and sporting ties between these regions. It’s a brilliant platform for players to shine, and we’re excited about the entertainment and community spirit the tournament brings.”
