By Gabriel Ameh
The Nigeria Rugby Football Federation (NRFF) has released its 2026 calendar of activities, outlining an expanded domestic competition structure and a renewed focus on strengthening women’s rugby at the continental level.
The federation’s roadmap covers grassroots development, youth engagement, high-performance pathways, and increased participation in both the 7s and 15s formats of the game.
Expanded Domestic Structure
According to the NRFF, the 2026 season will feature one of its most comprehensive domestic lineups in recent years.
Planned competitions include:
A National 7s Circuit (Men’s and Women’s) across host states such as Kano, Lagos, Delta, and Edo.
A zonal National 15s League structure culminating in national finals in Abuja.
Youth competitions under the Get Into Rugby 2.0 initiative (U13 and U18) and Rugby 7s at the National Youth Games (U15).
School and community tournaments, including the Golden 7s Schools Tournament and National Open 7s (U18).
The federation says the framework is designed to increase match exposure, deepen talent identification, and broaden nationwide participation.
Renewed Push for Women’s Rugby
A central feature of the 2026 agenda is the repositioning of Nigeria’s women’s rugby programme.
The NRFF has submitted a bid to host the Africa Women’s 7s Regional Qualifier in Lagos or Ogun, a move aimed at restoring Nigeria’s women’s team to active continental competition and opening a pathway to qualification for the Africa Women’s Cup 7s.
The federation is also exploring participation in the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup Division 1 (15s) in Tunisia as part of a broader strategy to strengthen competitiveness in the traditional 15-a-side format.
Officials say the dual focus on 7s and 15s is intended to create a more sustainable women’s rugby structure.
Capacity Building and Governance
Beyond competitions, the 2026 calendar includes World Rugby-accredited training courses for coaches, medical staff, match officials, and strength and conditioning professionals.
The federation also plans anti-doping education programmes and structured school engagement initiatives as part of its governance and development framework.
International Outlook
On the international stage, Nigeria is set to compete in the Africa Cup 7s (Men’s) in Mauritius and pursue additional test opportunities, while strengthening regional collaboration under the Rugby Africa framework.
The NRFF described the 2026 season as a pivotal period for consolidating domestic growth and improving international competitiveness.
With expanded competitions, renewed attention to women’s qualification pathways, and structured development programmes, the federation says it aims to lay the foundation for long-term sustainability and performance growth in Nigerian rugby.
