Lagos State Gears Up for Historic Head of Service Games as 103 Teams Join Football Competition

LAGOS — The anticipation surrounding this year’s Head of Service (HOS) Games reached new heights today as the official draw ceremony was held at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium inside the Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja. With an impressive and unprecedented turnout of 103 football teams — 82 men’s teams and 21 women’s teams — this 19th edition is shaping up to be the biggest in the tournament’s history.

During the draw, Mr. Uthman Okunu, Chairman of the Technical Committee, expressed delight at the overwhelming interest in the football category. He confirmed that for the first time, teams will now enjoy home and away matches, a request that many participants had made in previous editions.

Read Also: Unification FC Boss Oyekan Oluwatobi Assesses Super Falcons, Mission X, and WAFCON Surprises

Okunu further explained the structure of the competition. After the two-legged fixtures in the group stage, male teams will be ranked from 1 to 82, while female teams will be ranked from 1 to 21. The top 64 men’s teams and 16 women’s teams will qualify for the second round of the football tournament.

In a major development, Okunu announced that the Head of Service Premier League is in the pipeline. Backed by the Head of Service, Mr. Bode Agoro, the league is set to begin soon and will feature the top 20 male teams and top 10 female teams from this year’s HOS Games. This initiative aims to further institutionalize sporting excellence within the civil service structure.

Read Also: Comedy Meets Football: Akpororo Leads Roro House FC in Thrilling 1XBet Showdown

But it is not just football that is drawing attention this year. The HOS Games continue to celebrate a diverse sporting culture, with events including Chess, Ayo, Scrabble, Table Tennis, Tennis, and Tug of War all scheduled for competition.

The Health Service Commission (HSC) and the Public Service Office (PSO) are returning as defending champions in the men’s and women’s football categories, respectively, setting the stage for fierce title defenses.

Read Also: WAFCON 2024 Reality Check: Super Falcons Progress Without Statistical Spark

The 2025 Head of Service Games not only highlights the growing popularity of intra-service sports but also reflects a broader vision of promoting unity, wellness, and excellence within the Lagos State public sector.

Picture Credit: Public Service Office Facebook Page