The Naija Drone Soccer League will begin a 15-day national combine on Monday, October 26, across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones to promote drone soccer, encourage science and technology education, and identify prospective participants.
The league disclosed this in a statement issued on October 22, 2026, and signed by its Chief Operations Officer, Orkuma Alex Mchiater. It said the programme would run until November 9, with activities scheduled for Gombe, Abuja, Kano, Uyo, Enugu and Lagos.
According to the statement, technical experts from the United States will participate in the events, demonstrating drone soccer, showcasing equipment used in the sport and sharing technical knowledge with Nigerian participants and stakeholders.
The league said the initiative was designed to introduce more young Nigerians to the sport while creating opportunities for schools and other educational stakeholders to explore emerging technologies through competitive activities.
The combine will open in Gombe, Gombe State, on October 26, before moving to Abuja on October 29. Kano will host the North-West event on November 1, followed by Uyo on November 4, Enugu on November 7 and Lagos on November 9.
The Abuja event will hold at Starville School, Jahi II, while the Gombe combine is scheduled for the Multi-Purpose Indoor Sports Hall. The league did not provide a specific venue for the Kano event in the statement.
Activities across the six locations will include drone soccer demonstrations, equipment showcases and technical engagement aimed at familiarising participants with the sport and its technological applications.
The league said the zonal programme would also provide opportunities to engage schools, identify prospective talent and establish relationships among athletes, technical experts, franchise leaders and other stakeholders.
Drone soccer combines competitive play with technology-enabled equipment, offering participants an opportunity to explore aspects of engineering, coordination, strategic thinking and problem-solving. The league said it hoped the sport would help stimulate interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education among young Nigerians.
In a related development, NDSL announced the appointments of Nasiru Bello as Team President of the Kano Cyber Eagles and Ibrahim Yunusa as Team President of the Lagos Velocity Storm.
The league said the appointments were part of efforts to strengthen its franchise structure and establish an organised, sustainable drone soccer ecosystem in Nigeria.
Bello will lead the Kano Cyber Eagles, the league’s franchise team for Kano State. His responsibilities are expected to include supporting team development, identifying prospective players and promoting participation across the North-West geopolitical zone.
Yunusa, appointed to lead the Lagos Velocity Storm, is expected to provide strategic leadership, support talent development and promote teamwork, innovation and competitive participation.
The league said the appointments were intended to strengthen local leadership and create organisational structures to support the development of teams and expansion of the franchise network.
NDSL also identified schools as important platforms for introducing students to drone soccer and encouraging practical engagement with technology. It said the sport could complement conventional learning by providing opportunities to develop coordination, teamwork and problem-solving skills.
The league added that further information on event timings, participation arrangements and access for invited guests or members of the public would be communicated through its official channels as details were confirmed.
The National Combine is part of the league’s broader effort to connect sport with technology education and youth development. By extending the programme across the six geopolitical zones, NDSL aims to widen awareness of drone soccer and build partnerships that could support its long-term growth in Nigeria.
The league invited media organisations, educational institutions, community leaders and other interested stakeholders to follow the programme and engage with the opportunities it seeks to create.