The Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Abubakar Shehu-Abubakar, has urged young footballers participating in the 2026 Gombe Emir’s Cup competition to seize the opportunity of the tournament as a platform to showcase their talents and pursue opportunities on the global stage.
The monarch made the call at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Gombe Emir’s Cup, tagged the “King’s Cup,” held at the Pantami Stadium in Gombe on Saturday.
Represented by the Wakilin Birnin Gombe, Alhaji Dalhatu Babayo, the Emir described the competition as an important avenue for discovering and nurturing football talents capable of building successful careers both within and outside Nigeria.
“This competition provides our young people with a rare opportunity to demonstrate their abilities before a wider audience. Some of them can go on to become professional footballers and represent Nigeria with pride across the world,” he said.
He urged participants drawn from across the different emirates in the state to uphold discipline, sportsmanship and unity throughout the tournament.
“I encourage all players to exhibit discipline and respect for one another. These values are essential to the success of this championship and to your growth as future ambassadors of our state and country,” the Emir added.
The monarch also commended the sponsor of the tournament, Shuaibu Gara, Chief Executive Officer of Green White Green, for investing in youth development through sports.
He called for the organisation of more sporting activities to engage young people positively while promoting peace and social cohesion across Gombe State.
Also speaking at the event, the President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Ibrahim Musa Gusau, represented by NFF Executive Committee member Timothy Magaji, described the Emir’s Cup as a significant grassroots football competition.
He pledged the federation’s support for the organisers and reaffirmed its commitment to working with stakeholders to advance football development across the country.
“The NFF recognises the importance of competitions like this in identifying and developing young talents. We will continue to support initiatives that contribute to the growth of football in Nigeria,” he assured the audience.
Earlier in his welcome address, the tournament sponsor, Shuaibu Gara, expressed appreciation to the Gombe State Government, the Gombe Emirate Council and other stakeholders for their support in ensuring a successful opening ceremony.
He appealed for sustained support as the competition progresses through the preliminary and knockout stages.
“We are committed to sustaining this tournament as an annual event because it goes beyond football. It promotes unity, peace, healthy competition and provides opportunities for our young people to realise their dreams,” Gara stated.
He noted that the championship forms part of broader efforts to promote grassroots football development while fostering peaceful co-existence among communities across the state.
The opening ceremony attracted prominent personalities, traditional title holders and football stakeholders from within and outside Gombe State.
Arewa reports that during the opening match, Gombe Emirate and Nafada Emirate settled for a goalless draw, while organisers announced that preliminary matches would commence in the coming days.