Government Day Secondary School (GDSS) Dan Turai has emerged champions of the 2026 Samuel Okwaraji Under-16 Football Tournament in Gusau, Zamfara State, after defeating GDSS Damba 1-0 in the state final.
The tournament attracted more than 40 secondary schools from across Zamfara State, with teams competing through the preliminary and knockout stages before the final match in Gusau.
The championship was organised by the Samuel Okwaraji Foundation in collaboration with the Nigeria Football Federation and the **Nigeria School Sport Federation>. The initiative is aimed at developing young football talents, promoting grassroots football and reviving competitive football in secondary schools across Nigeria.
With the victory, GDSS Dan Turai will represent Zamfara State at the Northwest zonal qualifiers scheduled to take place later this year, where they will compete against champions from other states in the region.
Speaking after the final, the Zamfara State Sports Coordinator, Sagir Sani, commended the Samuel Okwaraji Foundation for its commitment to youth football development. He described school sports as the foundation for discovering future football stars and urged stakeholders to continue supporting grassroots sports programmes across the country.
Sani also expressed appreciation to Dauda Lawal and the State Commissioner for Education, Abdulmalik Abubakar, for their continued support toward the successful organisation of the competition.
The Northwest zonal qualifiers are scheduled for August 2026, with Kano State set to host teams from Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kaduna and Jigawa States as they battle for places in the national finals.