U-19 Showdown: Nigeria and Ghana Face-off in Game-On Afrika Tournament 2025

By Akagha Christopher


Game-On Afrika Limited, a non-governmental organization that promotes football, has announced the 2025 U-19 Game-On Afrika Tournament (G.O.A.T.), a football competition between qualified clubs from Nigeria and Ghana. The tournament, sponsored by Afreximbank, aims to discover and showcase young football talents from both countries to the world.

The competition will kick off on October 4, 2025, in Nigeria, with matches taking place across four zones: Imo, Enugu, Lagos, and Abuja. Ghana will follow suit on October 7, 2025, with matches in the Greater Accra, Oti, Central, and Ashanti regions. The best teams from each country will compete in a home and away faceoff, with the overall champion earning an all-expenses-paid trip to the United Kingdom to play against renowned English clubs in front of international scouts.

The winner of the Nigerian leg will receive ₦1 million, while the runner-up will get ₦500,000. In Ghana, the winner will receive 5,000 CFA, and the runner-up will get 3,000 CFA.

According to Prince Emeka Nwankwo, CEO of Game-On Africa, the tournament’s mission is to give back to society, end youth restiveness, and promote community development and nation-building. “We want to connect tribes through football and give back to society,” he said.

The GOAT 2025 Project Coordinator, Lady Jennifer Anusiem, described the tournament as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for young footballers.” She emphasized that the competition is designed to create impact and that the best teams from Nigeria and Ghana will compete in a home and away final to qualify for the UK-Africa exchange.

Lady Anusiem also disclosed that the registration deadline for Nigeria is September 30, 2025, and October 2, 2025, for Ghana. The Imo State Coordinator, Melvin Okore, and Enugu counterpart, Coach Felis Nwosu, noted that the tournament is open to football talents across Nigeria and Ghana, with holistic measures in place to ensure fairness, transparency, and grassroots focus.

The tournament promises to be an exciting platform for young footballers to showcase their skills and potentially launch their careers on the international stage.