Tonic FC emerged champions of the 2026 1XCup on Saturday, defeating Young Strikers FC 4–2 on penalties to claim the trophy and ₦10 million cash prize, as former Super Eagles striker, Odion Ighalo, called for greater investment in grassroots football and sporting facilities across Nigeria.

The final, played at the Inspire Sports Arena, Cappa, Oshodi, Lagos, ended goalless in regulation time before Tonic prevailed in the shootout to crown their first appearance in the tournament’s final.

Young Strikers missed two good opportunities in the first half and were unable to find a breakthrough after the interval, leaving the title to be decided from the penalty spot.

In the third-place match, JP Young Stars defeated Collins Edwin SC 4–2 on penalties after a 2–2 draw to secure the ₦3 million prize. Collins Edwin fought back from two goals down but failed to convert two of their penalties in the shootout.

Among those who attended the event were Former Super Eagles striker, Odion Ighalo, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro; Director-General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Lekan Fatodu; former Chairman of Bariga Local Council Development Area, Kolade Alabi; and Chief Yemi Idowu, proprietor of Maracana, Lagos.

Tonic’s victory completed a successful knockout campaign that included a 2–1 quarter-final win over Joy Cometh FC and another 2–1 triumph against JP Young Stars in the semi-finals.

Young Strikers had demonstrated their attacking strength with a 4–1 defeat of Emiloju FC in the quarter-finals. However, they could not reproduce that finishing in a cautious final in which both sides remained defensively organised.

Speaking at the event, Ighalo said he had come hoping to see promising players and had been impressed by some of the performances.

“I was expecting to see exciting talents, and I have seen a couple of players performing well, especially from the blue team,” he said.

“They are a very confident side, and there are some good players among them.”

The former Manchester United striker said competitions such as the 1XCup could help identify players capable of becoming the next generation of Nigerian internationals.

“We need tournaments like this to identify good players and discover the next Victor Osimhen, the next strikers and the next midfielders from Nigeria,” Ighalo said.

“I appreciate the people organising this tournament for what they are doing, and hopefully, we will see future stars emerging from this competition.”

He urged government at all levels to support football and other sports through regular competitions, community teams and improved infrastructure.

“I want the government to invest more in football and sports generally in Nigeria. Every community, state and local government should have a team and organise tournaments for young people,” he said.

“I believe this will help take many young people off the streets. We also need more stadiums, sporting facilities and support for football academies so they can properly groom players and provide them with a comfortable environment to play and develop.”

Idowu also stressed the importance of sustained competition, saying young players needed opportunities to test themselves against their peers and progress through the football system.

“Football is like a pyramid. At the end of the day, everybody has to be able to participate in competitions to progress to the final stages,” he said.

“It gives players an opportunity to measure themselves against their peers. This is one of the competitions that brings teams and academies together to compete on the same level.”

Assessing the programme before the final, Idowu said the earlier match had been encouraging and expressed confidence that the finalists would deliver a competitive encounter following their semi-final performances.

He encouraged young people to remain involved in sport, highlighting its benefits for health, discipline and personal development.

“Football keeps you healthy, keeps you occupied and helps you stay out of trouble. You can achieve something through football and sports generally. So, I encourage young people to participate in sports,” he said.

The Compliance Manager of 1xBet Nigeria, Ewuzie Nnanna Chigozie, said the organisers intended to sustain the tournament annually and expand its reach beyond Lagos.

Describing the competition as its fourth edition, Chigozie said its objectives included bringing communities together and providing a platform through which players could attract professional opportunities.

He said scouts had attended matches the previous week to assess players for possible opportunities abroad.

“Last week, when the matches were played, scouts were present to watch the players and identify talents they could take abroad to play professionally,” he said.

“The main aim of the 1xCup is to unite Nigeria, attract scouts and put Nigerian players on the global stage so they can have opportunities to play professionally abroad.”

Chigozie echoed Ighalo’s call for more sporting infrastructure, saying accessible football fields would give aspiring players places to train and improve their chances of being discovered.

“My recommendation to the government is to provide more football fields and sporting facilities for Nigerians. This will give young people places to train and play, while also creating opportunities for scouts to discover them,” he said.

On the tournament’s future, he said: “We are going to organise this competition every year, and we plan to expand beyond Lagos. We want to take it across Nigeria, not just Lagos.”

Asked about opportunities for female footballers, Chigozie pointed to the involvement of women among the officials in the third-place match and said the organisers hoped to broaden women’s participation as the competition expanded.

“We will try to integrate women into the competition as well, but that will come with time as we expand across Nigeria,” he said.

“We want this competition to become like the Nigerian Federation Cup.”

He also advised players to approach their careers with discipline, consistent training and attention to their diet.

“My advice to players is that discipline is essential if you want to become a professional footballer,” he said.

“You have to be disciplined, watch what you eat, train consistently and understand that there is time for everybody. However, you must not waste your own time.”

The event’s host, Babajide Guerrero, who said he was hosting the competition for the fourth consecutive year, urged more corporate organisations to support grassroots sport.

He described his experience with the tournament as rewarding and encouraged participating teams to represent their communities responsibly.

“Teams need to represent themselves well, remain disciplined, apply themselves and participate in competitions like the 1xCup,” he said.

Guerrero said the sponsor’s contribution extended beyond cash prizes to the provision of playing equipment, including jerseys and boots that players were allowed to retain.

He called on other businesses to make similar investments in young people and create opportunities in communities across the country.

“My charge to other corporate organisations is to emulate what 1xBet has done by putting their money where their mouth is and supporting young people and their communities,” he said.

“The slogan of 1xCup is ‘Your Community, Your Cup.’”

“It would be beautiful to see more corporate brands take up similar initiatives in other locations and parts of the country.”