Countdown To EKO 2026 Begins As NSC Inspects Competition Venues Across Lagos

Countdown To EKO 2026 Begins As NSC Inspects Competition Venues Across Lagos

By BSN Sports 

The National Sports Commission (NSC) has intensified preparations for the inaugural National Intermediate Games, with officials conducting a comprehensive inspection of competition and accommodation facilities across Lagos ahead of the October 2026 event, BSNSports.com.ng reports. 

The inspection, carried out on Saturday, involved members of the Main Organising Committee (MOC) and Local Organising Committee (LOC) as organisers assessed the readiness of venues that will host the Games from October 1 to 15, 2026.

The tour commenced at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, where the delegation evaluated the condition of the playing turf, indoor sports hall and other sporting infrastructure designated for the competition. The inspection was led by the NSC Head of Grassroots Development, Niyi Beyioku, while the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Grassroots Development, Adeyinka Anthony Adeboye, represented the Director-General of the NSC.

The delegation also visited several key venues across Lagos, including the National Stadium Complex, Surulere, the National Institute for Sports (NIS), Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba College of Technology, the University of Lagos sports facilities and hostels, Elegbata Sports Centre, the Cricket Oval at Tafawa Balewa Square, and the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, which is being considered for the opening and closing ceremonies.

Following the inspections, members of the MOC and LOC held a technical meeting to review operational plans and address critical logistical and technical issues ahead of the competition.

The maiden National Intermediate Games will feature 28 sports, with athletes expected to arrive in Lagos from October 1, while the official opening ceremony is slated for October 5.

Organised by the National Sports Commission, the Games are designed as a nationwide talent discovery and development platform for Under-19 athletes. Eligible participants must have been born between January 1, 2008, and September 30, 2011.

The competition will bring together athletes from Nigeria’s 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory, and a Diaspora contingent, making it one of the country’s largest youth multi-sport events.

Among officials on the inspection tour were former Nigerian long jump great Yusuf Alli, Olalekan Alabi, Kola Daniel (Special Assistant on Media to the NSC Director-General), alongside other NSC, MOC and LOC officials.

The latest inspection reflects the Commission’s commitment to ensuring that all competition venues, accommodation facilities and operational structures meet the standards required for a successful first edition of the National Intermediate Games.