MTN Nigeria brought the excitement of the Premier League to Lagos fans on Sunday, hosting two watch parties for the fiery 1-1 draw between Arsenal and Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea finished the game with ten men yet held the league leaders to a tense draw, a result that triggered emotional reactions among the passionate supporters gathered at Cubana, Ikeja, and Johnny Rocket, Victoria Island.
Chelsea fans erupted in celebration after Trevoh Chalobah’s opener, briefly silencing the dominant Arsenal crowd and showcasing the EPL’s deep-rooted influence on Nigerian football culture.
The match carried an unusually aggressive edge from kickoff. The turning point came midway through the first half when Chelsea midfielder Moisés Caicedo was sent off after a VAR review for a studs-up challenge on Arsenal’s stand-in striker Mikel Merino, shifting momentum and heightening the atmosphere across both venues.
The dual watch party highlighted not just the intensity of Premier League fandom in Nigeria but also the growing corporate commitment to building community experiences around the game.
Speaking during the event, MTN Nigeria’s Chief Marketing Officer, Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, said, ‘At MTN, we believe every Nigerian deserves to be connected, seen, heard, and celebrated. That’s why we’re taking this experience across the country, from bustling cities to remote communities, ensuring no youth is left behind’.
