The 2025 season of the Abia State Fifty1 Alliance 5 A Side Supalig got off to a flying start on
Wednesday, 7 May 2025 at the Fifty1 Alliance Sports Complex in Umuafor, Aba. After a year of
preparations, the Abia State Government, through its Ministry of Sport, and in partnership with
Fifty1 Alliance, a sports asset management company, created history as nine teams gathered to
Take part in the first-ever 5-A-Side Football Supalig season.
Spanning fourteen weeks, the league has a N10M prize money shared between the teams
depending on their league standing at the season’s close. According to the league
schedule, each team will play eight matches, playing each other once during the season. The
thirty-six matches of the league will take place every Wednesday starting May 7 to August 6.
2025, with two matches played on each match day.
The nine participating teams were determined after a strong bidding process overseen by the
Abia State Commissioner for Sports, Sir, Nwaobilor Ananaba. The football teams that emerged
include Young Abians, Forster Academy, Dreamland Academy, GT Warriors, Izima FC, and Ohanze
All Stars, Uchecaria FC, Nagotex FC. Match officiating during the Supalig will be handled by
referees from the Abia State Referees Association, led by its Secretary, Mr. Chukwuemeka
Iheanacho.
Among the interesting features of the 5 A Side Supalig is the existence of a transfer or
replacement window after five match days. Also, teams whose players get sold at any point in
the league can apply for a replacement. Other features include a one and a half minute time-
out for each team, which must be enforced by the referee in the second half if no team has
utilized it at that point. Also, no matches can end in draws and must be decided by penalties in
the event that the match is stalemated. Each team is allowed to register a maximum of nine
players, and in-game substitutions are limitless.
