Kaduna State has further cemented its reputation as Nigeria’s undisputed hockey powerhouse after Kada Stars and Kada Queens continued their remarkable dominance on both the national and West African stages.
The two teams once again underlined their supremacy at the 2026 National Hockey Super League finals, held at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, by successfully defending their respective titles.
Kada Stars retained the men’s crown after a thrilling 3-2 victory over Plateau Tigers, securing an unprecedented fifth consecutive National Hockey Super League title.
In the women’s competition, Kada Queens defeated Plateau Queens 2-0 to lift their fourth successive league trophy, extending an impressive run that has firmly established them as the country’s leading female hockey side.
Earlier this year, both teams also conquered the regional stage by winning the men’s and women’s titles respectively at the 2026 Median HFS West Africa Invitational Challenge Cup in Accra, Ghana.
Their double success further strengthened Kaduna State’s growing reputation as the leading force in West African hockey.
Since the 2023 National Hockey Super League season, Kada Stars and Kada Queens have remained unbeaten champions in their respective divisions, a testament to their consistency, resilience and winning culture.
Kaduna’s influence extends well beyond club competition, with the state continuing to serve as the backbone of Nigeria’s national hockey teams. Currently, eight players in the Nigerian women’s team and 10 players in the men’s national team are products of Team Kaduna, underlining the state’s pivotal role in developing elite hockey talent.
Reacting to the achievements, the Permanent Secretary and Overseer of the Kaduna State Ministry of Sports Development, Mrs Dorcas I. B. Tanko, praised the players, coaches and technical officials for their outstanding commitment and dedication.
She described the victories as another proud milestone for Kaduna State and attributed the sustained success to the visionary leadership of Governor Senator Uba Sani, whose administration has consistently prioritised sports development through strategic investment in athlete welfare, coaching, infrastructure and grassroots talent identification.
According to Mrs Tanko, the Governor’s commitment has created an enabling environment for athletes to excel, resulting in sustained success at national and international competitions while producing a significant number of players who continue to represent Nigeria with distinction on the global stage.
She reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to consolidating these achievements by strengthening talent development programmes and providing the necessary support to ensure Kaduna State remains the home of hockey in Nigeria and a benchmark for sporting excellence across the country.
