The 2026 ValueJet Cup will usher in a new Nigeria Premier Football League season with its biggest edition yet, featuring a record ₦14 million prize fund, an expanded nine-team field and a new league format. The fifth edition of the pre-season tournament, which runs from August 9 to 16 at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, is also dedicated to the memory of late organizing committee chairman Otunba Tade Azeez.
While the tournament offers clubs an opportunity to fine-tune their squads and compete for one of the biggest prize pools in Nigerian pre-season football, it could carry even greater significance for reigning NPFL champions Rangers International, whose preparations for the CAF Champions League may begin at the same venue.
Scheduled to take place at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, Ogun State, the competition returns for its fifth edition after organizers confirmed that this year’s tournament will honor the memory of Otunba Tade Azeez, the former chairman of the organizing committee who passed away in April 2025.
What began in 2022 as an off-season invitational has steadily evolved into one of the country’s premier football showcases, providing clubs with a platform to sharpen tactics, integrate new signings and build match fitness before the start of a demanding campaign.
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For the first time, the ValueJet Cup will feature nine clubs competing in a league format, replacing the previous knockout structure.
The official draw will be conducted on August 8, with every participating team guaranteed a minimum of four matches before the standings determine the four semi finalists.
The revised format offers coaches significantly more opportunities to test formations, assess squad depth and build competitive rhythm ahead of the new season NPFL season.
For clubs preparing for continental football, those additional matches could prove invaluable.
₦14 million prize pool at stake
The organisers have also announced a ₦14 million prize fund, underlining ValueJet Airline’s continued investment in Nigerian club football.
Each of the nine participating clubs will receive a ₦1 million appearance fee, ensuring every team benefits financially simply by taking part.
The eventual champions will pocket an additional ₦3 million, while the runners-up will earn ₦2 million, making it one of the most lucrative pre-season competitions in the country.
Beyond rewarding success, the financial support helps clubs offset preparations for the new campaign, particularly those facing the demands of continental football.
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Among the clubs already confirmed are Rangers International, Rivers United, Shooting Stars and newcomers Inter Lagos.
Rivers United will make their fifth appearance at the competition, while former champions Shooting Stars return hoping to reclaim the title they won in 2023.
Inter Lagos, meanwhile, will use the tournament to prepare for their maiden Nigeria Premier Football League campaign after securing promotion.
Why Rangers’ participation carries extra significance
Unlike most clubs using the competition simply to prepare for the domestic season, Rangers could be rehearsing for something much bigger.
The NPFL champions have already confirmed that Remo Stars Stadium will serve as their temporary home for CAF Champions League matches should renovation work at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu not be completed before September.
That contingency plan immediately transforms the ValueJet Cup into more than a pre-season exercise.
Participating in the tournament will allow Fidelis Ilechukwu’s side to become familiar with one of Nigeria’s finest football venues before potentially hosting Africa’s elite clubs there just weeks later.
From understanding the dimensions of the FIFA-certified playing surface to adapting to the stadium environment, facilities and match-day conditions, Rangers stand to gain a practical advantage that cannot easily be replicated in training sessions.
Should they eventually begin their continental campaign in Ikenne, the Flying Antelopes would already have valuable competitive experience on the same pitch.
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The timing of the tournament could hardly be better. CAF’s preliminary rounds begin in early September, leaving little room for participating clubs to experiment once competitive fixtures arrive.
For Rangers and Rivers United, who will represent Nigeria in the CAF Champions League, every opportunity to finetune tactics and improve cohesion could prove decisive.
Shooting Stars, Nigeria’s representatives in the CAF Confederation Cup alongside El-Kanemi Warriors, also stand to benefit from facing quality opposition before continental football begins.
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The ValueJet Cup has steadily grown in stature since its inception, attracting some of the country’s biggest clubs while maintaining its reputation as a competitive rather than ceremonial pre-season tournament.
The introduction of a league format increased financial incentives and stronger club participation reflects that evolution.
At the heart of this year’s competition, however, is a desire to celebrate the legacy of Otunba Tade Azeez, whose commitment helped establish the tournament as an important fixture on Nigeria’s football calendar.
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As clubs fine-tune their squads ahead of the new season, the 2026 ValueJet Cup offers far more than prize money and silverware, it provides the perfect platform to build momentum. For Rangers, it could prove the ideal dress rehearsal for a CAF Champions League campaign that may begin on familiar ground in Ikenne.
