1XCup2026Your community, your cup!17 July 2026 · By Admin
In football, every match needs players, coaches and fans. But it also needs people who understand the rules, manage pressure and protect the rhythm of the game.
For Yemisi Eunice Akintoye, refereeing became a way to stay close to football and help the game become more disciplined, fair and professional.
Yemisi is an ex-footballer, a graduate of the University of Lagos, where she studied Human Kinetics, and a graduate of the National Institute for Sports, where she completed Advanced Coaching and Training. She is also a photographer and the CEO of Misy Photography Studio.
Her refereeing journey started while she was a student at the National Institute for Sports. This interest later became a serious professional path.
“I chose refereeing after understanding the interpretation of the Laws of the Game. I realised that many footballers and coaches just want to play football without proper knowledge of the rules and regulations that govern the game.”
“Being a referee, I can impact the game and enforce what I have learned for the beauty of football.”
As a female referee in Nigeria, Yemisi knows that confidence on the pitch is not given automatically. It has to be shown through preparation, authority and decisions.
“Yes, as a female referee, I have had to prove myself more than male colleagues, mostly when I go for male matches.”
“Refereeing itself is physically and mentally demanding, talk more of a woman going to officiate a male match. I need to be physically and mentally ready, confident and not intimidated by the male players.”
For Yemisi, authority comes from knowing the game and staying calm under pressure.
“I need to make good decisions and manage the game with authority.”
Yemisi speaks openly about the difficulties women can face when building a career in Nigerian sport. The barriers are not only professional. They can also be social, financial and personal.
“There can be pressure from parents to get married when you reach a certain age. There can also be no financial support from home.”
“Support them morally, mentally, physically and financially. Give them equal opportunity to officiate as many matches as possible, both friendly games and league matches.”
Her story fits the spirit of 1xCup by 1xBet, the community football tournament built around the slogan “Your community, your cup.” The tournament connects local football energy with professional structure and gives players, coaches, referees and communities a stronger platform to grow. In this environment, strong officials matter as much as strong players: referees help make the competition serious, organised and fair.
1xCup by 1xBet is a football platform designed to connect local talent with a more professional environment. More than 30 players from previous editions have secured professional contracts in leagues across Nigeria, Bulgaria, Norway, Albania and other countries.
For referees like Yemisi, this kind of tournament gives officials a space to work in a competitive environment, manage real football pressure and contribute to the professional standard of local football.
Yemisi Eunice Akintoye’s journey shows another side of football development in Nigeria. It is also about creating space for referees, women in sport and professionals who help the game become more disciplined and respected.
Through 1xCup, 1xBet continues to support a football platform where local talent, community passion and professional standards can meet. For players, it is a chance to be seen. For referees like Yemisi, it is a space to lead, manage and prove that football’s future also depends on those who protect the game.
SMM
From Playing the Game to Protecting It: Yemisi’s 1xCup Story
Yemisi Eunice Akintoye’s 1xCup story is not only about football. It is about discipline, confidence and the courage to stand in the middle of the pitch and make the call.
A former footballer, Yemisi found her path in refereeing through the Laws of the Game. Today, she represents another important side of Nigerian football: the people who keep matches fair, organised and professional.
Her journey reflects the wider meaning of 1xCup by 1xBet: a community football platform where players, coaches, referees and local talents can grow in a more professional environment.