Bayelsa begins hunt for future stars in Prosperity Cup U-15 scouting tournament

Posted : 14 July 2026

The race to discover the next generation of football talents in Bayelsa State has begun with the kick-off of the Prosperity Cup U-15 Scouting Tournament at the Samson Siasia Stadium in Yenagoa.

The two-week tournament, designed to identify players for the proposed Bayelsa Starlets U-15 Academy, an affiliate of FC Barcelona, features 18 football academies from across the state. The teams have been drawn into four groups, with the top two sides in each group advancing to the quarter-finals.

Donbai United made an emphatic start to the competition by thrashing Ebiede FA of Amassoma 5-0 to move to the summit of Group A. The second Group A fixture saw Starlight FA and Opokuma FA share the spoils in an entertaining 2-2 draw.

In Group B, Jebz International Soccer School secured a comfortable 3-0 victory over Dimaro FC, while Stardom Life FA recorded the biggest win of the opening day, crushing Rising Stars FA 7-0 to take command of the group.

Tournament Director, Mr. Ebi Avi, said the initiative was focused on identifying genuine U-15 players who would form the foundation of the Bayelsa Starlets Academy, noting that the academy's U-19 programme is already operational.

He explained that all the participating teams are Bayelsa-based academies and expressed optimism that the project would help produce players capable of competing at the highest level internationally.

Avi also revealed that organisers had taken deliberate measures to eliminate age cheating by working closely with academy owners to verify the eligibility of participating players before the tournament commenced.

Reacting to his team's impressive opening victory, Donbai United coach Emmanuel Donbai praised the organisers for creating what he described as a life-changing platform for young footballers, adding that the competition would positively engage youths across the state.

Also speaking, Chairman of the Bayelsa State Grassroots Coaches Association, Anthony Fouye, commended Governor Douye Diri for his continued investment in grassroots sports development, saying the tournament would provide talented youngsters with opportunities to fulfil their football dreams.

Action continues on Tuesday with Kingdom Stars taking on Oyis FA at 9:00 a.m., while King Warriors will face Winchester FC at 10:00 a.m. Dominion City will meet Bayelsa Stars at noon before Osaro FA battle Solid Stars in the day's final fixture at 1:30 p.m.

All matches will be played at the Samson Siasia Stadium, Yenagoa.

The tournament is expected to provide a strong platform for identifying young talents as Bayelsa continues to strengthen its grassroots football development programme through the proposed Bayelsa Starlets U-15 Academy.

Bayelsa begins hunt for future stars in Prosperity Cup U-15 scouting tournament

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