Ahead of the 2025/26 season, Gateway United of Abeokuta has officially changed its name to Gateway FC. The club’s management stated that the move forms part of a broad restructuring effort aimed at modernising its identity and aligning with international football standards.
Gateway FC are set to kick off their campaign in the Nigeria National League (NNL) on Saturday, November 15, 2025, hosting Inter Lagos FC at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena in Kuto, Abeokuta.
Editorial
In football, rebranding a club is never merely cosmetic—it is a statement of ambition, intent and renewal. For Gateway United, now Gateway FC, this name change signals a self-acknowledged moment of transition. The club recognises that past glories, local affection and familiar titles, while precious, offer no guarantee of progress.
The journey ahead demands coherence. A new name opens possibility but what must follow is performance. The supporters will expect more than re-lettered shirts; they will demand renewed energy, sharper recruitment, a clearer system and tangible improvement. The challenge lies in alignment name, culture, squad and results.
For the football ecosystem in Ogun State and Nigeria at large, Gateway’s move may serve as a model or a caution. Clubs seeking reinvention must ask: does the name reflect the ambition? Are the structures behind it aligned? If not, the rebrand risks being a veneer rather than a vehicle.
Gateway FC must now harness this moment. The starting whistle in November will do more than open a season it will test the validity of this restructure. The name is changed. The expectation is raised. The opportunity is there. The question will the club reflect the change, or merely bear it?
Did You Know?
The club’s rebrand to Gateway FC was officially confirmed in an announcement ahead of the 2025/26 NNL season.
Their first match under the new name is scheduled to be at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena in Kuto, Abeokuta, on Saturday, November 15, 2025.
Gateway United had been a fixture in the second-tier of Nigerian football the NNL for approximately 15 years before recent relegation challenges.
The club’s name change coincides with their restructuring efforts aimed at modernising identity and aligning with international benchmarks.
The comes at a moment of transition for the club, offering a chance to reset, re-energise and build a new chapter in their history.
