Sporting Lagos is a professional football club in Lagos that was founded in 2022.
They're the newest side in Nigeria domestic top-flight league after gaining promotion from the Nigeria National League (NNL) to the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) from the 2022/23 campaign.
The Lagos-based club is one of few privately owned sides featuring in the league having shown tremendous growth within just one year of its creation.
The club, alongside Heartland FC gained promotion to the NPFL after finishing as the top two teams in the Southern Conference Super 8 playoffs held in July at the Stephen Keshi International Stadium in Delta State.
They'd go on to upset the odds after beating the league big boys to emerge champions of the Naija Super 8 pre-season tournament and are now expected to ride off their first title in Nigerian football to cause a stir in the upcoming NPFL season.
Sporting Lagos owner
The Lagos-based club is owned by tech millionaire Shola Akinlade and chaired by Nigeria football news journalist and analyst, Godwin Enakhena.
Shola Akinlade is a Nigerian software engineer and entrepreneur who loves the sport, investing and improving the face of Nigerian football.
Akinlade was the co-founder and CEO of Paystack, the company that was acquired by Stripe in 2020 for US $200 million.
Sporting Lagos coach – Paul Offor
Sporting Lagos announced the appointment of Paul Offor as the club's new head coach ahead of the 2023 NNL.
Offor replicated his performance in his time at Warri Wolves for Sporting Lagos. In 2019 while working as an assistant coach at the Warri club, Wolves gained promotion to the NPFL.
In the same vein, Offor as coach, brought the Lagos side into their maiden appearance in the NPFL, and also masterminded the team's success at the concluded Naija Super 8 pre-season tourney.
They beat big teams like nine-time NPFL champions Enyimba, Akwa United, Lobi Stars and the exciting Remo Stars to win their first-ever trophy since their formation in 2022.
The tactician will be looking to oversee a memorable 2023/24 season with the league newcomers, as they aim to challenge for the league title.
Sporting Lagos players
Goalkeepers
Agbor Ekoi, Christian Nwoke, Emmanuel Nasamu
Defenders
Aliu Salawudeen, Abiodun Balogun, Oluwafemi Ladeinde, Segun Daniel, Chiemeka Nwokeji, Ugochukwu Okafor, Patrick Egeonu, Oluwayemi Afere, Raji Usman
Midfielders
Vincent Akpikpi, Temidayo Akanlawon, Henry Ndedi, Rivio Ayemwenre, Emmanuel Odafi, Akeem Akanni
Forwards
Oluwaseun Taro, Saturday Okon, Wisdom Samuel, Clement Naantaum, Bartholomew Daniel
Sporting Lagos Stadium
Football⚽️+ Entertainment💃🏾+ Unbeatable fan energy⚡️
We can’t wait to bring the #SundayswithSporting energy to the NPFL 😻. pic.twitter.com/THJ1sBB9dg
— Sporting Lagos (@SportingLagos) August 13, 2023
Sporting Lagos plays their home games at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Onikan, Lagos State.
The stadium has a seating capacity of 23,325 and is also co-used by other Lagos teams, most notably Ikorodu United F.C, Stationery Stores F.C, First Bank FC and Julius Berger FC.
Sporting Lagos latest news
Joseph Loro transfer
Newly Promoted NPFL side, Sporting Lagos, are looking to complete the signature of a South-Sudanese youngster on Monday, 14 August.
South-Sudanese wunderkind Joseph Loro, whose contract expired at the end of the season with his club side, Munuki SCSC, will be in Lagos to finalize the proceeds of his move to the Lagos base NPFL team.
The 18-month-old team will be hoping to kick-start the new NPFL season, which commences later this month, on a good note as they await the official list of fixtures from the League Management Committee.
This article was most recently revised and updated 1 year ago
