CNS Cup 2026: Abia, NYSA, Plateau, Anambra, Ondo shine in opener
Hosts Abia State made a winning start to the 2026 Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Cup, defeating Rivers State 3-0 as the youth football competition continued in Umuahia, Abia State, on Monday.
The tournament, organised as part of efforts to promote youth football development, is being staged with the Nigerian Navy and the Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria (YSFON) reaffirming their commitment to providing young footballers with opportunities to develop and showcase their talents.
Playing at the Government College Field, Abia produced a commanding performance to dispatch Rivers 3-0 and set the pace for an exciting day of action.
NYSA recorded the biggest victory of the day, defeating Kano State 4-0, while Plateau State secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Cross River State.
Anambra State were involved in one of the day’s most entertaining encounters, edging Imo State 3-2 in a five-goal thriller.
Ondo State also claimed maximum points after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
In another closely contested fixture, Kaduna State and Akwa Ibom State shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw, while Delta State edged Ebonyi State 1-0.
The encounter between Benue and Ekiti, however, could not reach its conclusion after a heavy downpour forced the match to be stopped in the 18th minute.
Benue were leading 2-1 at the time of the interruption, with the remaining minutes of the encounter scheduled to be played on Tuesday from 8:30 a.m.
All the matches are being played at the Government College Field in Umuahia, which is hosting the 2026 CNS Cup.
Beyond the competition for honours, the tournament is expected to serve as another platform for identifying and nurturing emerging football talents, in line with the renewed emphasis on grassroots development.
The partnership between the Nigerian Navy and YSFON also underlines the broader objective of using football to promote youth development, discipline, sporting excellence and opportunities for young players.
The CNS Cup has therefore provided participating states and teams with an avenue to compete while giving promising youngsters the opportunity to gain valuable competitive experience.
With several teams already recording victories on the opening day of the latest round of fixtures, attention now shifts to Tuesday’s matches as the battle for supremacy in Umuahia intensifies.
The resumption of the Benue-Ekiti encounter at 8:30 a.m. will also provide an early opportunity for both sides to complete a match that was interrupted by the weather.
The 2026 CNS Cup continues at the Government College Field, Umuahia, with participating teams seeking to combine results with the tournament’s wider objective of advancing youth football development.
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