…as Naija Ratels, Confluence Queens, Honey Badgers, others crash out, get consolation prize

Edo Queens, Robo FC, Bayelsa Queens, and Delta Queens have secured spots in the quarterfinals of the ongoing Betsy Obaseki Women Football Tournament (BOWFT), emerging as the top teams in their respective groups during the group stage of the competition.

Edo Queens demonstrated their dominance in Group A to stay atop the table with six points, while Bayelsa Queens secured the lead in Group B with an equal six points. Robo FC dominated Group C with an impressive nine points, and Delta Queens emerged as the leader of Group D with four points, setting the stage for an exciting journey in the knockout rounds.

Other teams that made it to the next stage of the tournament include Remo Star Ladies, Nasarawa Amazons, Heartland Queens and Ekiti Queens.

However, Naija Ratels Confluence Queens, Fortress Ladies, Royal Queens and Honey Badgers couldn't advance in the tournament and were presented with consolation prizes.

Presenting a cheque of N750,000 each to the teams, the Edo First Lady, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki, commended the efforts of the teams, noting that the prize money was increased in this year’s edition to motivate the participating teams.

The teams are battling for the N60 million aggregate prize for the 2023 Betsy Obaseki Women's Football Tournament (BOWFT). The matches are played at four sports facilities in the State, including the magnificent Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, University of Benin Sports Complex, Western Boys Mini-Stadium and the Edo State College of Nursing and Health Sciences Mini-Stadium.

BOWFT is an initiative of Mrs. Betsy Obaseki in collaboration with private sector partners to groom and empower the girl-child, and engender grassroots sports development in Edo State and Nigeria, while promoting causes that raise awareness about and discourage social vices.

In its third edition, the 2023 Betsy Obaseki Women Football Tournament with the theme, “End Gender-Based Violence,” is taking place in Benin City, the Edo State capital, between Monday, 23rd of October and Wednesday 1st of November, 2023.

This year’s edition is targeted at raising awareness and generating public interest in the need to eradicate gender-based violence in all its forms and spotlight the efforts undertaken by the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led State Government over the past seven years to combat gender-based violence in the State.

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Edo State First Lady, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki (middle) presenting consolation prize to Honey Badgers FC, after the team crashed out from the third edition of the Betsy Obaseki Women Football Tournament, at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, in Benin City, on Friday, October 27, 2023.

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Edo State First Lady, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki (middle) presenting consolation prize to Fortress Ladies FC, after the team crashed out from the third edition of the Betsy Obaseki Women Football Tournament, at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, in Benin City, on Friday, October 27, 2023.