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The 13th West African Deaf Football Tournament and the 3rd West African Deaf Athletics Championships.

From 18 to 30 August 2025, the 13th West African Deaf Football Tournament and the 3rd West African Deaf Athletics Championships were held in Abuja. These joint competitions, organised by the ECOWAS Centre for Youth and Sports Development in collaboration with the West African Deaf Sports Union (WADSU), formed part of the activities marking the 50th anniversary of ECOWAS. Six countries took part in the football tournament: Nigeria, Niger, Liberia, The Gambia, Côte d’Ivoire and Togo. In the final, Nigeria beat The Gambia on penalties, whilst Niger secured third place by defeating Liberia. In athletics, the men’s and women’s 100m, 200m and 400m finals provided a high-calibre, diverse and inclusive spectacle. In this discipline, Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire finished first and second respectively, followed by Niger. The staging of these competitions to mark the 50th anniversary of ECOWAS provided a unique opportunity to celebrate regional integration through sport. The closing ceremony took place on Saturday 30 August at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, in the presence of high-ranking dignitaries, including Mallam Shehu Diko, Chairman of the National Sports Commission; Amuda Yusuf Ibrahim, President of WADSU; Alhaji Sule Saka Dagbo, President of the Nigeria Deaf Sports Federation, as well as ECOWAS representatives Sadeck Tchagnaou and Mariame Koné. On this occasion, WADSU presented a symbolic gift to the Centre for Youth and Sports Development, in recognition of its ongoing support for the development of sports for the deaf and its commitment to regional inclusion and integration. This partnership between the CDJS and WADSU perfectly illustrates the objectives of peace, inclusion and regional cohesion that ECOWAS promotes through sport. These competitions have helped to strengthen the bonds of fellowship between West African athletes and demonstrate that deaf athletes, whilst overcoming the challenges posed by their condition, can excel in competition and embody the values of solidarity, perseverance and unity.