Ayegba: FCT Women’s Inter-Area Council League A Talent Pipeline For Super Falcons

Ayegba: FCT Women’s Inter-Area Council League A Talent Pipeline For Super Falcons 

By Our Reporter 

Chairman of the FCT Football Association (FCT FA) Women’s Football Committee, Dr Pat Ajuma Ayegba, has said that the FCT Inter Area Council women's football competition will peoduce stars that will migrate to play for the Super.Falcoms in the future, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the second edition of the FCT FA Women’s Inter-Area Council Football Tournament on Friday, Ayegba said the competition was established to give young girls across the Federal Capital Territory an opportunity to showcase their talent and pursue careers in football.

She said the tournament was already producing encouraging results, noting that several players who participated in the inaugural edition had returned this year stronger, more confident and better prepared.

“We see girls that played the same tournament with us last year that have come up better and stronger this year. This gives us immense joy that we are doing something good,” Ayegba said.

According to her, the decision to adopt a home-and-away format was strategic, as it would take the competition closer to communities and create opportunities for more girls to participate.

She added that bringing matches closer to the players’ communities could also help address concerns among parents who might otherwise be reluctant to allow their daughters to pursue football.

“Our main objective is to get more girls from the street while they see the beauty of the game,” she said. “We intend to make a lot of girls build a career out of this and groom them for future and better opportunities.”

From grassroots to national teams

Ayegba, who is also a board member of the FCT FA and the President and Founder of HerGame Foundation, said the pathway from grassroots football to elite competition was already yielding tangible results.

She disclosed that players who had benefited from the foundation’s grassroots programmes had progressed to Nigeria’s youth national teams, describing the development as evidence of the importance of creating structured opportunities for young female players.

Recalling a recent visit to a training session of Nigeria’s Under-17 women’s national team, Ayegba said she was encouraged to find several players who had previously participated in the HerGame Foundation programme.

“We didn’t push, we didn’t do anything. All we needed to do was give them the platform to showcase their talent. The coaches were here to select these players, and they are doing fantastically well,” she said.

Her comments highlight the importance of grassroots competitions as a scouting pathway, particularly for talented players who may not have access to established football academies or professional clubs.

Six Area Councils compete

The second edition of the tournament features teams representing all six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory, providing a broader platform for young female footballers to compete and attract the attention of coaches and scouts.

Organisers are also providing transportation and other logistical support to participating teams, measures aimed at reducing some of the financial and practical barriers that can prevent girls from taking part in organised football.

Ayegba expressed confidence that sustained investment in grassroots women’s football would strengthen the talent pool available to clubs and national youth teams while giving more girls a realistic pathway into professional football.

She stressed that the objective extends beyond winning trophies, with the organisers seeking to develop players, increase participation and create long-term opportunities for young women through the sport.

AMAC make emphatic opening

Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) made an emphatic start to the tournament on Friday, defeating Gwagwalada Area Council 7-0 in the opening match.

The commanding victory immediately positioned AMAC as one of the early teams to watch in the competition and provided an impressive opening statement as the six Area Councils begin their campaign.

With the tournament now underway, attention will turn to whether the competition can continue to uncover emerging talents capable of progressing to professional clubs and Nigeria’s youth national teams.

For Ayegba and the FCT FA Women’s Football Committee, however, the bigger objective remains clear: to make grassroots football a sustainable pathway through which talented girls can develop their skills, build careers and ultimately represent the country at the highest level.