All is set for the kick-off of the expanded second edition of the Sheriff Junior Oborevwori Soccer Tournament, following the successful conduct of the official draw ceremony, which drew together football stakeholders, coaches, and community representatives from across Delta State.
The much-anticipated grassroots football showpiece will officially kick off on November 16 and run through to December 21, 2025, featuring a wider participation base that extends beyond the Osubi community to other parts of Delta Central and neighboring areas.
Declaring the draws open, the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), Uruemu Oghenede-Roy, said the expanded tournament reflects the vision of the organisers to use football as a tool to foster peace, unity, and community development among youths.
He expressed gratitude to Sheriff Junior Oborevwori for his steadfast commitment to sustaining and growing the competition, describing him as “a young man whose passion for community progress through sports continues to inspire hope and opportunity for many.”
Oghenede-Roy revealed that this edition will feature teams from Ikpe, Sapele, Uvwie, Ughelli North, Ughelli South, Udu, Ethiope-West, Ethiope-East, Urhobo in Patani, and Urhobo in Warri-South, assuring that the LOC is fully prepared to deliver a tournament of top standard, fairness, and full of excitement.
Meanwhile, the Delta State Sports Commission, a key partner of the Sheriff Jnr Care Foundation, has pledged to sponsor the overall best coach of the tournament on a fully funded international coaching scholarship.
Representing the commission’s Executive Chairman, Onoriode Oborevwori, at the ceremony, Festus Owhojerho and Paul Ojo, reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to grassroots sports development and coaching excellence across Delta State.
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Oborevwori, in his goodwill message, said the scholarship initiative was designed to empower outstanding local coaches with global exposure and professional certification, reinforcing Delta’s status as the pacesetter in sports innovation and talent development in Nigeria.
The draw ceremony also attracted distinguished international guests, including Nikita Poliakov, Head of Scouting, Elite Football Group (Riga FC, Latvia and Dubai United), and Alexandr Blagonravov, Head of Scouting, Pafos FC (Cyprus).
Both lauded the organisers for expanding the tournament and positioning Delta State as a rising hub for football scouting and youth empowerment.
Also present was the Chairman of the Delta State Football Association, Chief Godwin Adode, who commended the Sheriff Jnr Care Foundation for its consistency and alignment with the state’s broader vision of discovering and nurturing football talents from the grassroots.
With the draws concluded, teams placed, and expectations high, attention now turns to November 16, when the whistle will blow to signal the start of what promises to be the most exciting and competitive edition yet of the Sheriff Jnr Oborevwori Soccer Tournament, a celebration of football, unity, and community pride in Delta State.
