Bayelsa United Turns to Grassroots Talents in Bid for Immediate NPFL Return

Posted : 22 July 2026

Bayelsa United have intensified efforts to secure an immediate return to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) by launching a one-week preseason football tournament to discover and recruit promising grassroots players.

The initiative, organised by the club's interim board in partnership with the Bayelsa Governor's Football Tournament, popularly known as the Prosperity Cup, will feature 14 teams competing for an opportunity to impress the club's technical crew.

Speaking on the initiative, Bayelsa United Chairman Peter Singabele and Prosperity Cup Director-General Ono Akpe, who also serves on the club's board, said the tournament was designed to identify exceptional talents for integration into the club ahead of the new Nigeria National League (NNL) season.

According to them, grassroots football remains the most reliable source of quality players capable of strengthening the squad.

"We want Bayelsa United to return to the NPFL immediately, and we believe the surest way to achieve that is by discovering and developing talents from the grassroots through competitions like this," they said.

The competition will feature Prosperity Cup quarter-finalists, clubs based in Yenagoa, and three invited sides from outside Bayelsa — Ereme Jackson of Port Harcourt, Excellent FC of Ughelli, and 36 Lions of Sapele.

Other participating teams include Prosperity Cup finalists Akinima/Biogbo, MLDM FC, Krosaders FC, Brazil FC, MFM FC, Bayelsa United Feeders, FUO Kings, Otuoke Grassroots FC, NDU Oilers, Orange Boys, and Bayelsa Starlets Academy.

The organisers said the tournament aligns with the vision of Gov. Douye Diri to develop home-grown footballers capable of representing Bayelsa United at the highest level.

They noted that the exercise would also expose talented players from the state to wider opportunities beyond Bayelsa.

The preseason tournament, which began on Wednesday, will run until July 29 at the Samson Siasia Stadium in Yenagoa, with matches scheduled daily from 10 a.m.

The competition will be supervised by Bayelsa United's newly appointed technical crew, led by Technical Adviser Abdul Maikaba and Chief Coach Ngozi Elechi, alongside members of the Prosperity Cup technical team, as the club prepares for the 2026/27 NNL campaign.

The organisers expressed confidence that the initiative would mark the beginning of a renewed focus on grassroots development and provide a pathway for talented young footballers to realise their professional ambitions.

With promotion back to the NPFL as the club's primary objective, Bayelsa United will be hoping the tournament uncovers the quality and depth needed to build a competitive squad capable of achieving an immediate top-flight return.

Bayelsa United Turns to Grassroots Talents in Bid for Immediate NPFL Return

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