Akwa United Football Club will step up their pre-season preparations for the upcoming 2025/26 Nigeria National League (NNL) season with a high-profile friendly match against Heartland FC of Owerri.
The encounter is scheduled for Saturday, September 20, 2025, at the Uyo Township Stadium, with kickoff set for 1:00 PM.
This match will mark Coach Paul Offor’s first Grade A friendly since taking charge of Akwa United. The tactician is expected to use the game to assess his squad, test tactical setups, and enhance team chemistry ahead of the new campaign.
Both Akwa United and Heartland FC, two former Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) clubs, were drawn in separate groups in the Southern Conference of the upcoming NNL season, following the league's Annual General Meeting held on Tuesday.
In their last NPFL meetings during the 2024/25 season, Akwa United secured a 2-0 win in Uyo, while Heartland edged the return fixture 2-1 in Owerri on the final day of the season.
With the new NNL season set to kick off on November 8, 2025, Saturday’s friendly presents a vital opportunity for both teams to fine-tune their strategies and gain momentum ahead of the league campaign.
