Coal City Games: Team Sports Zonal Qualifiers Kick Off Nationwide September 12
By AUGUSTUS ISICHEI
The race for places at the 23rd National Sports Festival, tagged Coal City Games 2026, will enter a decisive stage from 12 to 15 September.
During the four-day exercise, teams across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones will battle for qualification to the national festival in Enugu State.
The zonal qualifiers will cover basketball, cricket, football, volleyball and beach volleyball. Both male and female teams will compete for places at the Games.
Under the qualification rules, the top two teams from each zone in the designated team sports will secure tickets to the national competition. However, host state Enugu will qualify automatically in all the featured team sports.
Meanwhile, the Main Organising Committee (MOC) has instructed zonal coordinators to step up preparations for the qualifiers. They must also submit proposed venues for the various competitions.
In addition, the coordinators must ensure strict compliance with the competition rules. The MOC said the measure would promote fairness, transparency and a level playing field for participating teams.
The Coal City Games will carry the theme “Excellence, Sportsmanship and Unity.” Enugu will host the festival from 27 November to 11 December 2026.
With qualification places at stake, the zonal contests will provide teams with their first major test on the road to the national sports showcase.
