…..As Aare TAT Flags Off Eight-Day Street Soccer To Discover Grassroot Talents
Emmanuel Ikpeama
Ejigbo is set to roar with excitementhe Lagos Street Soccer Stars 3.0 — Ejigbo 1st Edition kicks off on Saturday, 17th October 2026, in a spectacular eight-day fiesta that will turn streets into stadiums of hope.
The grassroots football carnival, which promises 30 explosive matches and only one ultimate champion, will run from 17th to 25th October across strategic streets in Ejigbo Local Council Development Area (LCDA).
According to the official fixtures released by the organisers, the tournament will open with preliminary matches on 17th, 19th and 20th October at Double Stars Road, Jakande Estate, Oke-Afa, where budding street talents will battle for qualification.
The tempo will rise as the competition moves to Ailegun Road, Ejigbo, on 21st and 22nd October for the Round of 16,followed by the quarter-finals on Friday, 23rd October at Allah Lane, Ifoshi Ward.
The semi-final clash will hold on Saturday, 24th October at Moshalashi Street, Fadu Ward, while the grand climax Third-Place Match and Final will take centre stage on Sunday, 25th October at Ilufunmi Street, Aigbaka Ward by 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM respectively.
Speaking ahead of the kick-off, the Executive Chairman of Ejigbo LCDA,Aare Taoheed Adebayo Taiwo (TAT),said the tournament is a deliberate strategy to discover grassroots talents, positively engage youths and foster unity across all wards.
“We are flagging off this eight-day street soccer fiesta because we believe talent lives in our streets. From Jakande Estate to Ilufunmi, from Ifoshi to Ailegun, we have the next generation of football stars waiting to be discovered,”Aare TAT said.
“In Ejigbo, football is more than a game; it is a language that unites us. It is a tool to take our youths off the streets and put them on the global stage,” he added.
The council boss noted that the tournament, organized in collaboration with the Lagos State Government, aligns with his administration’s commitment to sports development, youth empowerment and community engagement.
“When our youths are busy playing football, they have no time for crime or restiveness. We are using sports to promote discipline, sportsmanship, teamwork and the true Ejigbo spirit of resilience,”The Chairman stated.
“This is just the beginning. We are building a pathway from the streets of Ejigbo to national stadiums and international clubs. If Okocha and Osimhen could come from the streets, the next world star can come from Ejigbo,”he declared.
Aare TAT urged residents, community leaders, youth associations, artisans, market women and football enthusiasts to troop out en masse to support their ward teams and make the tournament a memorable celebration.
He assured that adequate security, medical support and fair officiating have been put in place to ensure a hitch-free, fair and exciting competition.
With preparations in top gear, Ejigbo is agog and ready. The jerseys are ready, the streets are ready, the goals are set — all is now set for the biggest grassroots football fiesta ever witnessed in Ejigbo LCDA.
