Beach Soccer: Triumphs, Challenges In Anambra And Power Of One Man
Anambra is gradually becoming the Beach Soccer hub of Southeast with the Anambra Beach Soccer Warriors performing wonderfully well on the national stage.
The game which was birthed in 2023 with the formation of Anambra Beach Soccer Association (ABSA), a brainchild of Prof. Victor Madubuko is now one of the most popular and active in the state in spite obvious challenges.
The club has not only consistently placed Anambra on the national map as one of the best teams in the country since it debuted in 2023, it has also made the sand game popular in Anambra within a very short time of its existence.
The Anambra Beach Soccer Club stunned bookmakers and old horses in the game in their third outing at the Nigeria Beach Soccer League by finishing top on that table first and winning the coveted trophy in 2025.
The profile of beach soccer has continued to rise steadily with the Anambra Beach Soccer Association winning the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) award for the most active sports association in Anambra also in 2025.
With a standard beach Soccer pitch and beautifully constructed in the industrial town of Nnewi, the Anambra has played host to the Nigeria Beach Soccer League twice with top clubs from across coming to thrill sand soccer enthusiasts in the State.
All this achievement has been made possible through the efforts of one, Prof. Victor Madubuko who is the founder and financier of all Beach Soccer activities in Anambra obviously with the support of few individuals.
The National League is a four-stage championship played across Nigeria from Kebbi to Kaduna to Akwa Ibom states and Abuja, the Federal capital territory.
It is noteworthy that the huge burden of transportation, accommodation, feeding and registration for participation rests on the shoulder of Madubuko, yet Anambra has not missed out in the fiesta since 2023 when the game was born.
Though Beach Soccer has done well in actively engaging administrators and youths, the association is yet to receive the attention of Anambra State government.
At the moment, Anambra Beach Soccer Association is the body in its mould that recognised and registered with the Ministry of Sports and Youth Development, a condition that is necessary for it to get sponsorship from the state government.
On a rather unfortunate note, the NBSL trophy the team won in 2025 which was the first for Anambra and in the entire South East, was not celebrated by the state government.
In spite the unsupportive environment, Madubuko remains undaunted and determined to empower youths by giving them opportunities through beach soccer as well as lifting the banner of Anambra high on the sports stage.
The music of beach soccer in Anambra is a melodious tune that should be sustained for the good of players and delight of sports lovers
It also provides a veritable platform for corporate and brand image building and marketing.
