By Tolulope Oguntimehin 

Defending champions Abuja All Stars and City Gate All Stars are set to ignite the opening day of the fourth edition of the Abuja Veterans Tournament. This was announced during the world press conference and draws held Wednesday at the FIFA Goal Project Center in Abuja.

The tournament, which now features 20 teams vying for the ultimate prize and bragging rights for the next year, has seen significant growth since its first edition, which only had 8 teams. Speaking at the event, Abuja All Stars President, Nasir Jubril, emphasized the importance of participation, networking, and fostering camaraderie among former international and retiring footballers.

“Abuja All Stars won the last edition of the competition, but I truly hope another team can claim the title this year. The goal should go beyond winning; it should be about participating, building new networks, and creating a spirit of camaraderie among members. I hope everyone keeps this in mind,” Jubril stated.

Patrick Bassey, Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) and national U15 coach, highlighted the unprecedented increase in participants for this edition. He also mentioned that, due to capacity constraints, some teams had to be turned away. To address this issue, a qualifying round will be introduced in the next edition to determine the final participants.

The competition kicks off on August 31, with six matches scheduled for Saturday and four for Sunday. The winner will take home one million naira, while the runner-up will receive seven hundred and fifty thousand naira, the third-place team five hundred thousand naira, and the fourth-place team two hundred and fifty thousand naira.
Here’s the grouping for the fourth edition of the Abuja Veterans Tournament:

Group A

Abuja All Stars (Champions)
City Gate All Stars
Corporate Kickers
Jabi All Stars
Group B

Nyanya All Stars
University of Abuja
Mark Steve
Lugbe All Stars
Group C

Gwagwalada All Stars
Unity Foundation All Stars
Like Minds All Stars
Capital Sportif
Group D

Apo Fitness Club
Kuje All Stars
Police Machines Legends
Nurudeen Veterans Cup
Group E

Games Village FC
Karu All Stars
Ex-Professionals
Capital City Club