The group stage of the Bamenda III Council Inclusive Royal Tournament 2026 has come to an end, with the competition now moving into its knockout phase after 20 group matches produced 67 goals, only one draw and several closely contested encounters.
The final group fixtures have also sharpened the picture ahead of the quarter finals, with Sporting FC dominating Pool A and Nibung FC producing an equally impressive campaign in Pool B.
Both sides finished with perfect records of four wins from four matches, collecting the maximum 12 points available.
But while the football on the pitch has produced clear leaders, the final standings remain subject to homologation, particularly if player eligibility issues and protests may require consideration by the organising committee.
Sporting FC were the outstanding team in Pool A.
They won all four matches, scoring 10 goals and conceding just four for a goal difference of +6.
Their campaign included victories over Bayelle FC, Mbefi FC, Tipper Park FC and Ngweh Ngweh FC. Their latest result, a 3–0 victory over Ngweh Ngweh, confirmed their position at the top.
Behind them, the battle was much closer.
Tipper Park FC finished second with five points, including two draws, while Bayelle FC and Mbefi FC both ended on four points. Bayelle took third place on the basis of the applicable ranking criteria, with Ngweh Ngweh completing the pool on three points.
Pool A standings
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sporting FC | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 4 | +6 | 12 |
| 2 | Tipper Park FC | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 6 | +1 | 5 |
| 3 | Bayelle FC | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 9 | +1 | 4 |
| 4 | Mbefi FC | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 7 | -2 | 4 |
| 5 | Ngweh Ngweh FC | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 10 | -6 | 3 |
The pool produced one of the most entertaining results of the competition when Bayelle FC drew 3–3 with Tipper Park FC, while Bayelle also recorded a 3–0 opening victory over Mbefi before suffering defeats to Sporting and Ngweh Ngweh.
If Sporting were dominant in Pool A, Nibung FC were equally impressive in Pool B.
Nibung FC won all four matches, scoring 12 goals and conceding only two.
Their final statement came against Young Classic FC, whom they defeated 4–1 in the closing Pool B fixture on Wednesday 12 August 2026.
The victory gave Nibung 12 points and a remarkable +10 goal difference, making them the highest scoring and best defensive team in either pool.
Revenge FC finished second with six points, ahead of Olympic FC of Teken on goal difference. Sunday Sharp FC and Young Classic FC both ended on three points.
Pool B standings
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nibung FC | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 2 | +10 | 12 |
| 2 | Revenge FC | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 5 | +2 | 6 |
| 3 | Olympic FC Teken | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 7 | -3 | 6 |
| 4 | Sunday Sharp FC | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 8 | -4 | 3 |
| 5 | Young Classic FC | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 9 | -5 | 3 |
The latest result was particularly significant for Young Classic, whose 4–1 defeat ended their group campaign and confirmed Nibung's unbeaten finish easing the way for Sunday Sharp FC of Ntene Netene to progress to the next round.
The first round has delivered an average of 3.35 goals per match, with 67 goals scored in 20 matches.
The competition has also produced only one draw, the 1–1 stalemate between Mbefi FC and Tipper Park FC earlier in the group stage.
That makes the first round of the tournament notable for its attacking character and willingness of teams to take risks.
Nibung lead the scoring charts with 12 goals, followed by Sporting and Bayelle on 10 each.
At the other end, Niboung have conceded only two goals, making them the strongest defensive unit so far.
The biggest defensive struggles have been recorded by Ngweh Ngweh, who conceded 10 goals, and Young Classic, who allowed nine.
The group stage has provided an opportunity for teams to find their rhythm. The quarter finals offer no such luxury.
With the tournament now entering the knockout phase, the pressure changes. A team can no longer recover from a bad result with another group match.
For Sporting and Nibung, the challenge is to convert dominant group stage performances into knockout success.
For the teams that qualified with narrower margins, the quarter finals provide an opportunity to reset and produce a different level of performance.
The tournament has also demonstrated its wider value during the long holidays, keeping young people engaged through competitive sport while drawing supporters, businesses, volunteers, referees, medical teams and communities together.
Under the 2026 theme, “youth at the heart of inclusion and community development”, the competition has become a contest for the bragging rights.
The reigning champions, King City FC of Mbefi, are no longer defending their title in the group stage story. The question now is whether Sporting, Nibung or one of the other surviving teams can write their own name into the history of the tournament.
The group stage has produced the contenders. The quarter finals will begin separating them from the champions this Friday 14 August 2026.
Note: The standings above are calculated from the results obtained from the field and should be treated as provisional pending official homologation by the competition committee.
By Bakah Derick for Hilltopvoices web
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