Dugout Battle: Who Wins President Federation Cup Between Kabiru Dogo and Bright Ozegbabe?

Dugout Battle: Who Wins President Federation Cup Between Kabiru Dogo and Bright Ozegbabe?



By Yemi Sodeeq

Today marks the final of the 2026 President Federation Cup, with El-Kanemi Warriors taking on Ikorodu City FC in the men's category. Coaches Kabiru Dogo and Bright Ozegbabe will lead their respective teams from the dugout as they chase both club and personal glory.


For the two coaches, it is their first appearance in the final of Nigeria's oldest football competition and they will throw all their tactical prowess into the contest in a bid to make history. A victory for either coach would etch his name in the history books as a President Federation Cup winner.

Historically, the two sides have met four times in all competitions, with each club recording one victory while the remaining two encounters ended in draws.

In November 2024, The Lagos side secured a 2-0 home victory against Warriors in their first top-flight meeting in before the return fixture in Maiduguri ended 1-1. 

In the just concluded season, Elkanemi defeated Ikorodu City 1-0 in their most recent encounter on January 25, 2026, during the 2025/26 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season. The reverse fixture earlier in the campaign ended in a goalless draw in Lagos.

In terms of credentials, Coach Dogo's résumé speaks louder than that of his opponent. The Ilorin-born Kabiru Dogo, who is also a traditional title holder, has managed several top-flight clubs in Nigeria and is widely regarded as one of the country's elite coaches.

Dogo has previously handled clubs such as ABS Ilorin FC, Nasarawa United, Sunshine Stars, Lobi Stars, Kwara United and now El-Kanemi Warriors. In what was considered unusual in Nigerian football, he was recently unveiled as the Technical Adviser of Niger Tornadoes while still in charge of El-Kanemi Warriors.

Today's final is expected to be his last game in charge of the Maiduguri-based club, which was relegated from the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) at the end of the just-concluded season. Dogo will be eager to leave on a high by leading the club to another Federation Cup triumph, following in the footsteps of his fellow Kwara indigene, Coach Aliyu Zubair, who guided El-Kanemi Warriors to the title in 2024.

Coach Bright Ozegbabe rose to national prominence in 2024 when he guided the Lagos-based side to promotion to the NPFL. He later left the club for Ijebu United before returning to Ikorodu City in 2025. He is regarded as one of the fastest-rising coaches in Nigerian football.

Apart from stabilising the team and helping it maintain its top-flight status, Ozegbabe has also built a strong and competitive side that cannot be underestimated by the more established clubs in the league, despite his relative experience in top flight football.

Although Ikorodu City came close to securing a CAF Confederation Cup ticket through the NPFL, their defeat to eventual champions Rangers on the final day ended those hopes as they finished fourth in the standings. With victory in today's final guaranteeing continental football next season, Coach Ozegbabe will approach the game with a clear sense of purpose as he aims to cap off an impressive campaign with silverware.

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