The draw for the first round matches of this year’s AITEO Cup competition will hold in Lagos
on Friday.
Thenff.com gathered that the first round matches, which will involve the 64 surviving teams
following the Preliminary Round played last week, will hold on Wednesday, 16th August 2017.
The draw for the second round matches will take place on Friday, 18th August while the
matches will come up on 30th August. The draw for the third round matches will be conducted
on 31st August, while the matches will be played on 13th and 16th September.
The draw for the quarter –finals and semi –final matches will hold on 14th September, with
the quarter –final matches to come up on 20th and 23rd September. The semi –final matches
are scheduled for 27th September and 4th October.
The grand final for the men’s event will take place on Sunday, 8th October, while the grand
final for the women’s event has been scheduled for 2nd October.
As part of innovations to restore the glamour of the oldest football competition in the
land, now bankrolled by Nigeria’s leading energy solutions company, AITEO, matches that end
in a draw, from the first round, would not go into penalties as has been the case over the
years.
NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, who is also secretary of the Organizing
Committee explained to thenff.com: “From the first round stage, teams would be designated A
and B. Team A will have the prerogative to choose the centre for the match against Team B,
from the pool of designated centres. If the match ends in a draw, Team B will now have the
prerogative to pick a venue from the designated centres as its ‘home’ for the replay.
“This will apply to all matches from the first round stage.”
