The 2026 President Federation Cup Round of 32 gets underway on Monday with 16 fixtures spread across the country, and the most anticipated clash sends record champions Rivers Angels into battle with NAF Queens in Makurdi as their quest for an 11th title begins.
The Nigeria Football Federation has released the full programme for the women’s Round of 32, with all fixtures scheduled for May 25, 2026, across designated venues nationwide, as reported by FootballInNigeria.com.ng. Rivers Angels, who won their 10th title in dramatic fashion last year after recovering from a 2-0 deficit to draw 2-2 with Nasarawa Amazons before winning 4-2 on penalties in the Lagos final, bring the weight of that experience and pedigree into every round they play.
The full fixture list spans the length and breadth of the country, taking in venues from Enugu to Akure and Lafia to Awka, with several of the matches carrying genuine intrigue beyond the Rivers Angels story. The most eye-catching of the supporting fixtures sends newcomers Ghetto Tigers straight into a contest against Edo Queens in Benin, a fixture that will test every bit of ambition the debutant side has brought to the competition.
Rivers Angels: The Weight of Ten Titles and What Comes Next
No club in the history of the President Federation Cup women’s competition has won the trophy more times than Rivers Angels. Their tenth title last year was completed in a fashion that encapsulated everything the Port Harcourt club represent in Nigerian women’s football resilience, quality when it matters, and an ability to produce when the pressure is highest. Taiwo Ajibade and Taiwo Afolabi scored the goals that dragged them back into the match against Nasarawa Amazons before goalkeeper Anderline Mgbechi and her teammates held their nerve from the spot.
Coach Tosan Blankson heads into the 2026 campaign knowing that NAF Queens, their Round of 32 opponents, will arrive in Makurdi with nothing to lose and every reason to try and produce the kind of shock that cup competitions occasionally deliver. NAF Queens are associated with the Nigerian Air Force and have a history of competitive performances in the domestic women’s game, even if the gap between them and the country’s leading NWFL sides remains significant. Rivers Angels’ superior fitness, depth and tactical organisation should see them through, but no cup tie is a formality. Fans backing Rivers Angels on Monday can check the Bet9ja YOHAIG welcome code ahead of kick-off.
Ghetto Tigers Walk Straight Into the Fire
The fixture that will draw the second most attention on Monday sends Ghetto Tigers into a contest with Edo Queens, the Benin based giants who have been one of the defining clubs in NWFL football across the past decade. For a side making their President Federation Cup debut, the draw could not have been more demanding. Edo Queens have been finalists and strong contenders in recent editions of the competition and bring a squad depth and collective organisation that will challenge Ghetto Tigers in every department.
Cup football has a habit of producing surprises, and the fact that this match is being played in Benin, close to Edo Queens’ home environment, adds another layer of difficulty for the newcomers. Ghetto Tigers will need to be tactically disciplined and mentally strong to stay in the contest. The match is also being watched closely by coaches and scouts, given the attention that both sides have attracted in their respective circles of the domestic game.
Other Fixtures Worth Watching
Beyond the two headline fixtures, the Round of 32 programme is packed with competitive encounters that will shape the bracket heading into the last sixteen. Bayelsa Queens, one of the more dangerous sides in the NWFL, face Pace-setters Queens in Awka in what is likely to be a physically demanding contest between two well-organised outfits. FC Robo Queens, who have been among Nigeria’s most productive development clubs in recent seasons and supplied the Flamingos’ Oluwakemi Adegbuyi with a brace in the U-17 World Cup qualifier this week, take on Rangers Women in Benin. In Ibadan, Remo Stars Ladies face Onimarg FC as the Ogun State side look to build on a domestic season that included a relegation scare at the senior level. New Bet9ja users wanting to follow the full Round of 32 programme can explore Bet9ja’s latest registration offer before Monday’s fixtures.
Heartland Queens meet Dragon Fury Ladies in Benin, while Ibom Angels face Fortress Ladies in Enugu in a cross-regional tie that gives the Akwa Ibom State side the challenge of travelling to the Southeast. Delta Queens tackle Royal Queens in Akure, Sunshine Queens face Solo Wonders in Awka, and Naija Ratels meet Mighty Jets Mata in Lafia in what will be a lively fixture in the North-Central region. Osklean FC and Nasarawa Amazons round out the sixteen fixtures, a match that will attract interest given the Amazons’ runner-up finish in last year’s final and their determination to go one better in 2026.
2026 President Federation Cup — Women’s Round of 32 Fixtures (May 25)
Rivers Angels FC vs NAF Queens FC — Makurdi
Abia Angels FC vs Ikukuoma Queens FC
FC Robo Queens vs Rangers Women — Benin
Remo Stars Ladies FC vs Onimarg FC — Ibadan
Ahudiyannem Queens FC vs Moje Queens FC
Heartland Queens FC vs Dragon Fury Ladies FC — Benin
Ibom Angels FC vs Fortress Ladies FC — Enugu
Pace-setters Queens FC vs Bayelsa Queens FC — Awka
Osun Babes FC vs Plateau United Queens FC
Sunshine Queens FC vs Solo Wonders FC — Awka
Confluence Queens FC vs Gallant Queens FC
Fouye Queens FC vs Esthington FC
Delta Queens FC vs Royal Queens FC — Akure
Edo Queens FC vs Ghetto Tigers FC — Benin
Naija Ratels FC vs Mighty Jets Mata — Lafia
Osklean FC vs Nasarawa Amazons FC
With Eric Chelle known to monitor the President Federation Cup for talent, the competition also carries a secondary significance for players hoping to force their way into national team conversations. Fans following the full Cup campaign can find all available promotions at Bet9ja’s sports jackpot page ahead of Monday’s Round of 32.
📌 Did You Know?
- Rivers Angels’ 10 President Federation Cup titles in the women’s competition make them the most decorated club in the tournament’s history. They have won the cup in multiple decades, a consistency that reflects the depth of the club’s development infrastructure in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
- Last year’s President Federation Cup women’s final was one of the most dramatic in recent memory. Rivers Angels came back from 2-0 down against Nasarawa Amazons to draw 2-2, with goals from Taiwo Ajibade and Taiwo Afolabi, before winning 4-2 on penalties at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos.
- Edo Queens, who face Ghetto Tigers in Monday’s most intimidating fixture, are based in Benin City, the capital of Edo State. They are one of the most consistently competitive clubs in the Nigeria Women Football League and have been regular participants at the latter stages of the President Federation Cup in recent editions.
- FC Robo Queens, who take on Rangers Women in Benin, are based in Lagos and have produced several players who have graduated to the Super Falcons. Oluwakemi Adegbuyi, who scored for the Flamingos in this week’s U-17 World Cup qualifier against Guinea, is a Robo Queens player.
- The President Federation Cup is the women’s equivalent of the men’s Federation Cup, Nigeria’s premier domestic knockout competition. The women’s edition has been running since 1993 and has grown significantly in profile since the NFF began investing more resources into the competition’s organisation and prize money.
- Nasarawa Amazons, who face Osklean FC in Monday’s Round of 32, are based in Lafia, Nasarawa State, and were runners up in last year’s final after suffering a penalty shootout defeat to Rivers Angels. They are expected to be among the strongest contenders again this year alongside the defending champions.
- Bayelsa Queens, who face Pace setters Queens in Awka, have won the President Federation Cup twice, most recently in 2023. The club from Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, is also home to Super Falcons captain Asisat Oshoala’s former teammates and has been one of the more ambitious clubs in the NWFL development landscape in recent seasons.
