The Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) has confirmed that the 2026 NWFL Championship will take place in Calabar, Cross River State, from July 9 to 16, with 16 clubs set to compete for promotion to the top-flight NWFL Premiership.

The announcement was made on Thursday by the league’s spokesperson, Samuel Ahmadu, who said the second-tier competition would return to Calabar two years after the city successfully hosted the tournament in 2024.

The week-long championship will see participating clubs battle for two promotion spots to the NWFL Premiership, while the three lowest-ranked teams at the end of the competition will be relegated to the NWFL Nationwide division.

Speaking on the tournament arrangements, NWFL Chief Operating Officer, Ms. Modupe Shabi, disclosed that teams are expected to arrive in Calabar on Thursday, July 9, ahead of the commencement of activities. She added that the official draw to determine the groupings will hold on June 29, with the 16 teams divided into four groups.

According to the schedule released by the league, a pre-match meeting will take place on Friday, July 10, before Matchday One begins on Saturday, July 11, with eight matches to be played across two venues.

Following a rest day on July 12, Matchday 2 will be held on Monday, July 13, while the final round of group matches is scheduled for Tuesday, July 14. After another rest day on July 15, the decisive Matchday Four play-off fixtures will be played on July 16 to determine the teams that secure promotion.