The curtain fell on the second edition of the Dreamland-Abia State U19 Cup on Friday July 10, 2026 at the Enyimba International Stadium, Aba, with Forster Football Academy crowned champions following a hard fought 1–0 victory over Traveling Football Club.

Forster underlined their quality from the outset, dominating possession and creating a series of clear-cut opportunities. Although several promising attacks were ruled out for offside, their persistence eventually paid off in the second half when a defence splitting pass released their left winger, who calmly slotted home the decisive goal.

The final whistle sparked jubilant celebrations among the Forster players and supporters, while Traveling Football Club were left to reflect on a spirited campaign that ended just short of the title.

Beyond the trophy, the tournament fulfilled its primary objective of identifying young football talents for greater opportunities. At the conclusion of the championship, six players were selected by the international scouting team as the standout prospects of the competition. They are Alfa Mohammed of Abia Warriors U19, Uche Ukpai, Barnabas Chichi and Jacob Emmanuel of Forster Football Academy, Uche Agwu of Mecha FC, and Victory Obughikem of Dreamland Academy.

Barnabas Chichi capped an outstanding tournament by winning the Most Valuable Player award, while his teammate Osaro Peters claimed the Golden Glove. Forster’s striker finished as the tournament’s top scorer, and Dreamland Academy’s Ernest Attah was recognised as the Best Coach.

Speaking during the closing ceremony, Tournament Director and Chairman of the Planning Committee, Mr Ndudi Edede, expressed satisfaction with the successful staging of the championship. He thanked the Governor Alex Otti-led administration for fully sponsoring the tournament and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to sustainable sports and youth development in Abia State.

He also commended the Honourable Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Sir Nwaobilor Nwadinma Ananaba, for providing the leadership that has helped revive sports in the state. Edede reiterated that, with continued government support, Dreamland Football Academy remains committed to discovering, nurturing and creating pathways for young football talents to reach the professional stage.