1st July, 2023
Super Eagles legends have been assigned to mentor the eight teams that will be playing at the Naija Super 8 finals in Lagos.
The announcement was made via a statement by the tournament organisers, Flykite Productions, on Saturday.
As contained in the statement, current Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) champions, Enyimba, will be mentored by former Ajax winger, Tijani Babangida, and one of the wildcard teams, Sporting Lagos, will be mentored by former VFL Wolfsburg striker, Jonathan Akpoborie.
Super Eagles 2002 World Cup goalkeeper, Ike Shorunmu, will mentor the other wildcard team, Akwa United, with Mutiu Adepoju, assigned to mentor Lobi Stars.
Remo Stars of Ikenne have been assigned former FC Shakhtar Donetsk and Wigan Athletic striker, Julius Aghahowa, as mentor, while Victor Ikpeba, 1997 African Player of the Year will mentor giant killers, Yobe Desert Stars. Katsina United will be mentored by NPFL legend, Victor Ezeji, while Rivers United got former Super Eagles captain, Garba Lawal.
The mentors, who have been appointed as the ceremonial heads of the clubs, are expected to motivate, advise and support their teams throughout the tournament, to be held at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos from 7-16 July.
Naija Super 8 teams have been paired into two groups of four each. South-East zonal champions, Enyimba, Sporting Lagos, South-West representatives, Remo Stars and North-West zonal champions, Katsina United will trade tackles in group A, while Akwa United will slug it out with South-South zonal champions, Rivers United, North-East representatives Yobe Desert Stars and Lobi Stars from the North-Central in group B.
The top two teams in each group will go into the semi-finals, with the winners proceeding to the final. Each club will earn N3 million per match at the group stage, with semi-finalists also earning an additional N3 million for qualifying. The runners-up will earn N9 million, while the winners will go home with N25 million.
All Naija Super 8 matches will be broadcast live on SuperSport Football (DStv ch 205 & GOtv ch 61). Naija Super 8 is organised by Flykite Productions in partnership with MultiChoice Nigeria and sponsors, MTN, Hero Lager, DStv, GOtv, SuperSport, Moniepoint, Pepsi and Custodian Assurance.