Preparations for the fourth season of the 1xCup are already underway, and the new edition of the tournament promises significant changes to the format. One thing has already been confirmed: in the 2026 season, there will no longer be the usual scenario where teams share points following a draw in regular time.
According to Dimeji Adedapo, general manager of the 1xCup, the new approach should make every game more intense and add a competitive edge to the tournament.
No more draws
The biggest change to the 1xCup 2026 rules is the abolition of draws. In every match of the tournament’s fourth season, suspense and tension will remain right to the final whistle. This innovation will make the qualification and knockout matches more exciting and intriguing.
“Fighting for victory and giving it your all from the first to the last second of the match will create a unique atmosphere that will provide a powerful boost to the development of young talent,” said Dimeji Adedapo, commenting on the tournament’s new format.
A similar experiment has proved highly successful in Japan’s J1 League. Teams focus less on maintaining the score and are more motivated to take risks in the closing stages of matches to snatch victory in regular time and earn maximum points. If the score is level after 90 minutes, the magic of penalty shootouts comes into play. This is a key element of a thrilling encounter, adding drama and unexpected twists to every game.
The organizers of the 1xCup will use Japan’s experience to make the tournament’s matches more entertaining. The more dramatic the show on the pitch, the greater the interest from spectators. Therefore, revamping the format of the competition will benefit both players and fans and attract more new sponsors.
Every match turns into a fierce battle for your neighborhood
Elegant dribbling and powerful strikes win matches, while giving your all from the very first second until the final whistle helps you win titles. In the fourth season of the 1xCup, the intrigue will reach its peak: for the first time, the teams taking part in the qualification will be assigned to divisions based on Lagos’s districts. Following the qualifiers, the group stage will feature 6 teams from Ikeja, 6 from Lagos, 5 from Ikorodu, 5 from Badagry, and 2 from Epe.
In the 1xCup 2026, every district will have its representatives at every key stage of the competition. The new format will heighten the thrill and make the outcome of every match feel even more personal. From now on, players will be fighting on the pitch for their communities, close friends and neighborhoods.
The synergy between players and fans will form the foundation for the dynamic development of the local football culture: “The tournament gives local football clubs, grassroots academies and amateur teams the opportunity to take part in an organized football competition,” emphasized Dimeji Adedapo, the project’s general manager.
What else can we expect from 1xCup 2026?
Dimeji Adedapo, general manager of the 1xCup, has given fans a few hot insights into the fourth season of the tournament, but he surely has a few more trump cards up his sleeve that will ignite the fans’ passion with even greater vigour. All the improvements are aimed at making the games more entertaining so that fans can enjoy their favorite sport.
The revamped tournament format will also accelerate the implementation of the 1xCup scaling strategy devised by Dimeji Adedapo: “The only improvement I would like to achieve as general manager of this tournament is to make it a national competition so that grassroots teams from all six geopolitical regions of Nigeria can take part in it.”
The fourth season of the 1xCup will be the most spectacular and thrilling in the tournament’s history. The battle for victory in every match and the intense local derbies will fire up the fans’ enthusiasm and give the players an extra boost of energy. The competition kicks off very soon, and the organizers have a few more exciting surprises in store. Be at the heart of the epic football battle and follow the latest updates on instagram 1xcup!
