By The Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN) has announced that the 2026 National Under-12 and Under-15 Handball Championship for boys and girls will take place in Umuahia, the Abbia State capital, following a minor adjustment to the competition schedule.
According to the federation’s Secretary General, Mrs. Monica Otumala, participating teams are expected to arrive on March 23, 2026. Screening of players will be conducted on March 24 at 9:30 a.m., while matches will run from March 24 to April 1. Teams are scheduled to depart on April 2.
Otumala warned coaches and team officials against the poaching or transfer of underage players between states, describing the act as unacceptable. She emphasized that any breach of the federation’s rules would attract strict sanctions.
“The decision of the Handball Federation of Nigeria on all matters concerning screening and technical issues shall be final,” she said.
Otumala stressed that the body would not condone violations of its regulations. The federation also has directed teams to submit their final registration lists, including players’ biometric data and National Identification Number (NIN) details to the HFN secretariat on or before March 10, 2026.
Alternatively, the documents may be presented at the pre-match meeting on March 24. Any submission made after the meeting will attract penalties.
As part of efforts to motivate young athletes, the federation revealed that winners and runners-up in both age categories will represent Nigeria at the “Partille Cup” in Sweden and the “Teramo Cup” in Italy, offering them valuable international exposure.
Otumala called on stakeholders to support the championship, describing it as a crucial platform for grassroots development and a foundation for strengthening the future of handball in Nigeria.
