Player Eligibility Guidelines

Last Updated: August 18, 2025

Important Notice

All players must meet the eligibility requirements outlined in this document to participate in Naija5Fest tournaments. Teams with ineligible players may face disqualification without refund of registration fees.

1. Basic Eligibility Requirements

1.1 Age Requirements

  • All players must be at least 18 years of age as of the tournament start date.
  • There is no upper age limit for participation.
  • Players under 18 but over 16 may participate only with written parental/guardian consent and approval from tournament organizers.

1.2 Residency Requirements

  • Players must be Nigerian citizens or legal residents of Nigeria.
  • Teams must be based in one of the 16 participating states: Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Ondo, Abuja, Kaduna, Kwara, Anambra, Enugu, Rivers, Abia, Delta, Edo, Plateau, Ekiti.
  • Players must provide proof of residency in their team's state (see documentation requirements below).

1.3 Registration Requirements

  • All players must be officially registered with their team before the registration deadline.
  • Each player can only be registered with one team per monthly tournament.
  • Players cannot transfer between teams during a tournament.
  • Teams must register a minimum of 7 players and a maximum of 12 players.

2. Player Status and Restrictions

2.1 Professional Status

Naija5Fest is primarily designed for amateur and semi-professional players. The following restrictions apply:

  • Current professional players under contract with clubs in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) are not eligible to participate.
  • Players who have been under professional contract within the last 6 months are not eligible.
  • Former professional players who have been without a professional contract for more than 6 months are eligible to participate.
  • Players from lower divisions and amateur leagues are eligible to participate.

2.2 Team Composition Restrictions

  • Teams may include a maximum of 2 former professional players (those who have been without a professional contract for more than 6 months).
  • Teams must include at least 5 players who are residents of the state they are representing.
  • A maximum of 3 players may be from states other than the one the team is representing.

Note on Professional Status

For the purposes of this tournament, a "professional player" is defined as someone who has been under contract with a club in a recognized professional league and has received payment as their primary source of income for playing football.

3. Required Documentation

3.1 Personal Identification

All players must provide one of the following valid forms of identification:

Acceptable ID Documents:

  • Nigerian National ID Card
  • International Passport
  • Driver's License
  • Voter's Card
  • NIN (National Identification Number) with supporting photo ID

3.2 Proof of Residency

Players must provide at least one of the following documents as proof of residency in their team's state:

Acceptable Residency Documents:

  • Utility bill (electricity, water, etc.) from the last 3 months
  • Bank statement showing address from the last 3 months
  • Tenancy agreement or property ownership documents
  • Official government correspondence showing address
  • Employment letter or student ID with address verification

3.3 Additional Documentation

  • Former professional players must provide documentation of their last professional contract to verify the 6-month waiting period.
  • Players under 18 must provide a signed parental/guardian consent form and birth certificate.
  • Non-Nigerian citizens must provide valid residency permits or documentation proving legal residency status.

4. Verification Process

4.1 Pre-Tournament Verification

All player documentation will be verified during the registration process:

  1. Submit all required documentation during the online registration process.
  2. Tournament officials will review and verify all submitted documents.
  3. Teams will receive confirmation of eligible players or requests for additional documentation.
  4. Final team rosters will be confirmed before the tournament begins.

4.2 Tournament Day Verification

  • All players must bring their original identification documents to the tournament.
  • Random identity checks may be conducted before matches.
  • Tournament officials reserve the right to request additional verification at any time.

5. Challenges and Protests

5.1 Eligibility Challenges

  • Teams may challenge the eligibility of opposing players by submitting a formal protest to tournament officials.
  • Challenges must be submitted in writing with supporting evidence.
  • A fee of ₦10,000 must accompany each challenge (refundable if the challenge is upheld).
  • Challenges must be submitted at least 30 minutes before the match or within 15 minutes after the match's conclusion.

5.2 Consequences of Ineligibility

  • Teams fielding ineligible players will be disqualified from the tournament.
  • If discovered during the tournament, all previous match results involving the ineligible player will be forfeited (3-0 result awarded to opponents).
  • No refund of registration fees will be provided to teams disqualified for eligibility violations.
  • Teams that knowingly field ineligible players may face additional sanctions, including bans from future tournaments.

6. Special Circumstances

6.1 Injury Replacements

  • Teams may replace injured players before the tournament begins, subject to the same eligibility requirements.
  • Once the tournament has started, no player replacements are permitted.
  • Medical documentation may be required to verify injuries for replacement requests.

6.2 Hardship Exceptions

The tournament organizers may, at their discretion, grant exceptions to certain eligibility requirements in cases of demonstrated hardship or exceptional circumstances. Requests for exceptions must be submitted in writing with supporting documentation at least 14 days before the tournament registration deadline.

7. Final Authority

The tournament organizers have the final authority on all eligibility matters. Any situation not covered by these guidelines will be resolved by the tournament organizers, whose decision shall be final and binding.

Last Updated: August 18, 2025

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