Organizers seal partnership with Barcelona for Prosperity Cup  

Ahead of the 2026 edition of o the Bayelsa Governor’s Football Tournament, also known as the Prosperity Cup, Organisers have signed a huge partnership deal with Spanish giants, Barcelona.

Director General of the Prosperity Cup, Ono Akpe , disclosed this while briefing journalists at a pre-event Press Conference held at the Golden Tulip Resort in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State’s  capital.   

Akpe noted that officials of FC Barcelona will arrive Yenagoa on Monday, February 23 through Wednesday, 25, for an international coaching clinic to be organized in collaboration with the Bayelsa State Ministry of Sports Development and the Bayelsa State Football Association (BFA).

‎The DG hinted that the UEFA-certified capacity building training, which would comprise theoretical as well as practical sessions, is intended for 50 coaches, out of which 40 would be Bayelsa-based grassroots football coaches while 10 slots would be left open for coaches from outside the state.

The coaching clinic, according to the DG, would focus on the coaching methodology and philosophy of Barcelona FC, adding it will be coordinated by Bernard Villa Boas, the Technical Director for Africa Project.

Akpe  equally  said the programme will dovetail into another coaching programme to be organized in conjunction with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) with the Federation’s Technical Director, Austine Eguavoen, as the focal person.

‎The DG also hinted that the Prosperity Cup-Barcelona FC partnership, which was facilitated by Whiz-kid Ventures of the Netherlands, will culminate into the establishment of a world-class football academy in Yenagoa, where products of the Bayelsa Governor’s Football Tournament, unarguably the biggest grassroots football spectacle in Nigeria, would be nurtured and mentored.

He  said plans are being intensified for a hitch-free tournament, saying  that the signing of the partnership agreement with Barcelona FC was coming at a time that Bayelsa State was celebrating its  30 years of its creation, pointing out that the 2026 edition of the tournament would be de dedicated  to the state’s 30^th  anniversary.

Other capacity development initiatives packaged along with the tournament include a referees ‘ refresher programme, a 3-day intensive training programme for medical personnel as well as a one-day intensive training for Media personnel and coordinators of the various match centres.

The essence of the capacity building programmes for the various cadres of officials of the competition was acquaint them with modern trends, explaining that over the years, the training programmes have impacted positively on the career of football referees and grassroots football coaches in the state.

Akpe further explained that in commemoration of the state’s 30^th  anniversary celebration, the prize money for the male category of the competition has been increased to N30 million while the female category was jack up to N10 million, pointing out that after this year’s special edition, the prize money would revert to its old amount of N10 million and five million Naira for the male and female categories respectively.

‎While appreciating the Bayelsa State Government, grassroots football coaches in the state, the Bayelsa State Football Association, sponsors Premium Trust Bank, the DG called on multi-national oil companies operating in the state, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board as well as the Niger Delta Development Commission align with the vision of the state governor, Senator Douye Diri by co-sponsoring the competition.

‎Also speaking, the Tournament Director, Ebi Avi, said 30 centres across the State have been approved for the preliminary rounds, pointing out that the competition will kick-off at the Brass centre on March 1, 2026.

Avi, who gave a rundown of the various kick-off dates of the various local government areas, informed the gathering that the local government area finals will run from 8^th through 20^th  of April, Round of 32 will be from 22^nd  to 24^th , Round of 16 will be on 25^th  and 26^th , quarter-finals will start on the 28^th  of April, semi-finals 30th, while the third place match and grand finale will come up on the 1^st  and 2^nd  of May.

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‎The organisers used the opportunity to announce the winners of the individual awards in the last edition. In the male category, Elton Mina of Movers FC, Otuasega won the golden boot with seven goals, Precious Abidde and Prince Jacob both of Advanced Dreams FA went home with the golden glove and Most Valuable Player awards of the tournament.

‎In the female category, Marian Edward and Korlu Godgift both from Afini Ladies FC won the best goalkeeper and tournament’s Most Valuable Player while Mary Ayeloh of Crystal Stars FA won the golden boot with each individual awards winner smiling to the bank with the sum of N50,000 each.