Hockey excluded from 23rd National Sports Festival

The 23rd National Sports Festival, also known as Enugu 2026, has been announced to exclude hockey from its schedule. In a letter sent to zonal coordinators on August 24, the Main Organising Committee announced that the zonal eliminations for the Games would commence on September 12 across six geopolitical zones. However, only five sports - basketball, cricket, football, volleyball, and beach volleyball - will be represented in the qualifiers for both male and female athletes.

Hockey and abula, sports that were part of the previous edition in Ogun State, have been dropped from consideration. The top two teams from the zonal competitions will advance to the main events of the National Sports Festival, set to take place in Enugu in November 2024, though the exact dates have not been confirmed. The decision to omit hockey is reportedly due to the lack of a suitable facility in Enugu, with Delta State being considered as an alternative location.

The National Sports Commission confirmed in May that the Games would feature only 20 sports, down from 39 in the last two editions. Enugu State's Commissioner for Sports, Lloyd Ekweremadu, stated that the reduction to 20 sports aligns with international practice and that Enugu is prepared to host the 2026 NSF in the fourth quarter of the year.