Hosts Nigeria will square off with Malawi, DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo) and Rwanda in Group A of the male category of the second Airtel Rising Stars Championship holding in Nigeria’s economic capital city, Lagos, from today. And in the female category, the hosts are to battle DRC, Kenya and Gabon.

Fixtures for championship were released last night at a classy ceremony that attracted several corporate bigwigs and ex-international footballers.

Sixteen boys’ teams are drawn in four groups and twelve girls’ teams in three groups of four teams each. Twelve female teams and 16 male teams are participating in the tournament.

The preliminary rounds of the tourney would be in a league format.

Boys’ Teams

Group A - Nigeria, Malawi, DRC, Rwanda

Group B - Niger, Gabon, Burkina Faso and Chad

Group C - Kenya, Uganda, Madagascar and Congo Brazzaville

Group D - Zambia, Ghana, Sierra Leone and Tanzania

Girls’ Teams

Group A - Nigeria, DRC, Kenya and Gabon

Group B - Ghana, Burkina Faso, Chad and Zambia.

Group C - Uganda, Sierra Leone, Malawi and Tanzania.

A company of ex-international footballers conducted the draws. They include former Nigerian Super Eagles captain and coach, Augustine Eguavoen, and another Super Eagles great, Mutiu Adepoju. There were also ex-Falcons’s stars Ann Chiejinne, Mercy Akide and Ann Okunwa. Lagos FA Chairman, Barr. Seyi Akinwunmi, and CEO/MD, Airtel Nigeria, Segun Ogunsanya, supported the ex-internationals to make the draws.

Hostilities will begin with the Nigerian ARS male team testing the might of their counterparts from Democratic Republic of Congo in the first match for Group A while the female team comes up against the Kenyan female team in the first match for Group A.

•Photo shows action from the qualifying series.

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