The 2026 Akwa Ibom State Sports Festival begins today, Tuesday, September 22, with more than 4,000 indigenous athletes from the 31 Local Government Areas expected to compete for medals and the overall title.
The festival will feature 27 sports, with competitions taking place at venues across Uyo and its environs.
The opening ceremony will be held at the Uyo Township Stadium by 2pm, where athletes, officials and spectators will gather to officially mark the beginning of the state-wide sporting event.
The competitions will then move to various venues, including the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, West Itam Sports Centre, Ibom Hotels & Golf Resort, Nigerian Christian Institute (NCI), Uyo Sports Club and other designated centres.
Football will be played at the Uyo Township Stadium and Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly.
The sports approved for the festival include athletics, para-athletics, weightlifting, boxing, kickboxing, chess, scrabble, ayo, para-powerlifting, basketball, volleyball, handball, tennis, badminton, wrestling, taekwondo, judo, rugby, table tennis, karate, kung-fu, squash, cricket and baseball.
The Chairman of the Main Organising Committee and Commissioner for Sports, Elder Paul Bassey, said the festival is designed to provide opportunities for athletes from all 31 LGAs to showcase their talents and compete at state level.
Beyond the medals and competition, the festival is expected to help discover new talents and promote unity, sportsmanship and tourism across Akwa Ibom State.
Team Itu, which won the overall title at the 2025 edition, will be seeking to defend its crown as other Local Government Areas battle for the top position.
The festival will run through September 27, with the closing ceremony scheduled to take place at the Uyo Township Stadium.
With athletes from all 31 LGAs ready to compete, Akwa Ibom is set for days of sporting action, rivalry and celebration.
Akwa Ibom Sports Festival: Nurturing Talents, Promoting Tourism.
