By Ikemefuna Asika

Delta State through its Sports Commission has reaffirmed that it will not accept any decision by the National Sports Commission (NSC) to hand over hosting rights of the 2026 National Youth Games (NYG) to Lagos.

Briefing newsmen at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, the Director General of the Commission, Ms. Muobo Igalase, said Delta State remains bound by the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) it signed in 2023 with the then Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, now NSC, to host four consecutive editions of the Games.

According to her, Delta’s contributions to Nigerian sports cannot be undermined, as the state has over the years produced champions across athletics, football, boxing, swimming, and weightlifting, many of whom have gone on to shine at continental and global stages.

“Delta has demonstrated capacity, infrastructure, and passion to nurture raw talents into national treasures.

“From the school sports festivals to grassroots tournaments, the State has built a system that keeps Nigeria’s sporting dreams alive.”

Ms. Igalase further revealed that beyond the Asaba facilities, Delta State is already remodelling and upgrading the Warri City Stadium into a brand-new ultra-modern sports complex, billed for commissioning later this year. She noted that the new arena is part of the state government’s long-term commitment to sports excellence and is projected to serve as one of the venues for the 2026 Youth Games.

“With Asaba already proven as a reliable host city, and Warri preparing to unveil a world-class stadium, Delta is not just ready but strategically positioned to elevate the next edition of the Games.”

She added that the renaming of the federal ministry to the NSC does not invalidate the MoU, describing any attempt to strip Delta of the hosting rights as “a breach of trust and disregard for a binding agreement.”

She maintained that Delta remains fully prepared to welcome the rest of the country in September 2026, confident of once again setting the pace in talent discovery.

Meanwhile, the Delta State Sports Commission, advised the NSC to consider Lagos as host of the maiden edition of the proposed National Intermediate Games, a new platform designed to bridge the transition of young athletes discovered at the NYG into senior careers. She said Lagos, as Nigeria’s commercial hub, is well positioned to pioneer the competition just as it did for several national sporting innovations in the past.

Delta State, widely regarded as the country’s sporting heartbeat, has hosted the last three editions of the Youth Games, and officials insist that its unbroken pipeline of talent discovery and expanding sports infrastructure make it the natural home of the cadet championship.

It will be recalled that Delta State took over the hosting of NYG from Kwara State.

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