Sunshine Stars begin open screening for new players as Duke Udi leads recruitment drive ahead of the 2026/27 NNL season

Nigeria National League side Sunshine Stars Football Club have commenced an open screening exercise aimed at strengthening their squad ahead of the 2026/27 season, with experienced tactician Duke Udi overseeing the selection process.

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The exercise is scheduled to begin on Friday, June 5, at the ODSFA Games Village along Oda Road in Akure, where aspiring players will be assessed for potential inclusion in the team.

Club officials confirmed that interested players are expected to report for training sessions on weekdays from 8:00 a.m., as the screening process gets underway.

The initiative is part of Sunshine Stars’ broader strategy to rebuild and reinforce the squad following their push to return to the Nigeria Premier Football League.

Selected players from the screening will be integrated with retained members of the squad ahead of the upcoming 2026/27 Nigeria National League campaign.

The Akure-based side, popularly known as the Owena Waves, finished fifth in Conference A last season with 25 points, a result that fell short of their promotion ambitions.

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The new recruitment drive signals a determined and structured effort by the club to improve performance and mount a stronger challenge in the coming season.