The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced that the grand finale of the country’s oldest cup competition will now take place at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos on Saturday, June 29.

This year’s final will feature Abia Warriors against El-Kanemi Warriors in the men’s event, while Rivers Angels will confront Naija Ratels in the women’s event.

Bendel Insurance are winners of the 2023 Federation Cup.

Originally scheduled for the MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, which would have marked the first time the city hosted the final in the competition’s history.

However, the NFF announced on Sunday that they have opted for the historic venue on Lagos Island, which hosted the final consecutively from 1945 to 1972.

Initially known as Association Ground, and later King George V, then Lagos City Ground, and was eventually renamed Onikan Stadium after it was rebuilt in the 1980s.

It has been known as Mobolaji Johnson Arena since 2021.

Lagos’ History in Hosting Finals

Lagos has a rich history of hosting this competition. The National Stadium in Surulere, built for the 2nd All-Africa Games in 1973, hosted the final from 1974 to 1987, and again in 1990, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002.

Teslim Balogun Stadium hosted the finals in 2007, 2009, and consecutively from 2011 to 2016. The Agege City Stadium hosted the final in 2017.