Nagaland: Kohima Village Sports Association meet 2026 to begin on January 10

The 67th Kohima Village Sports Association (KVSA) Meet 2026 will be held from January 10 to January 16 across six venues in Kohima, with the Kohima Village Youth Organisation (KVYO) as the host.
Announcing this during a press conference at Khuochiezie Kohima local ground, KVYO president Er. Medozhazo Rutsa informed that the KVSA, established in 1944, has completed 82 years, and the upcoming edition would be organised as a major multi-sport event bringing together athletes and spectators from across Kohima Village.
He said the theme for the 67th KVSA Meet is “Kevimerü”, chosen to foster unity among the people of Kohima Village and to inspire collective hope and progress. The mascot for the meet is the Great Indian Barbet, selected for its vibrant colours and distinctive call, symbolising energy, resilience and harmony with nature. Commonly found in the forests of Kohima and Nagaland, the bird reflects the close relationship between sports, environment and community life, while its echoing call represents unity, strength and celebration of local identity.
The meet will feature competitions in athletics, cricket, football, volleyball, basketball, table tennis, badminton, shooting and wrestling. Athletics events will be held at IG Stadium, Rüleizou and Khuochiezie (Kohima Local Ground).
Cricket matches will take place at Meriema Village Ground, while football will be played at IG Stadium, Rüleizou. Volleyball and basketball matches are scheduled at Don Bosco Higher Secondary School Ground, Kohima. Table tennis and badminton competitions will be conducted at the State Indoor Stadium, Thegabakha. The 10-metre air rifle shooting events will be held at Seikhazou Indoor Stadium, Kohima Village, while Naga wrestling will take place at Khuochiezie, Kohima Local Ground.
The inaugural programme will be held on January 10 at 10 am. The ceremonial torch lighting will begin at Thevokemouzie, L Khel, after which the torch will be carried by sportspersons to Khuochiezie and handed over to the reigning best male and female athletes of the 66th KVSA Meet.
The torch will then be passed to the 66th KVSA Meet wrestling champion, who, along with the athletes, will lead the lighting of the cauldron to mark the opening of the 67th KVSA Meet.
The organisers have invited all citizens of Kohima, young and old, to attend the inaugural and be part of the event. Rutsa announced that a total of 124 medals will be awarded, comprising 53 gold, 53 silver and 38 bronze medals, with total prize money amounting to Rs. 13 lakh.
The meet will be conducted in nine disciplines and is an open event, with competitions in both men’s and women’s categories, except for wrestling and cricket. Wrestling and the cross-country race will be held on the final day, January 16.
An additional rule has been introduced in football this year, requiring two under-19 players to be on the field for the entire 90 minutes of each match.
The chief host of the meet will be Advisor for School Education, SCERT, Dr. Kekhrielhoulie Yhome, while the guest of honour on the concluding day will be Dr. Tseilhoutuo Rhetso, MLA, 9 Kohima Town AC.
Detailing the prize structure, Rutsa said that for athletics individual events, both men and women, prize money will be Rs. 7,000 for gold, Rs. 5,000 for silver and Rs. 3,000 for bronze, along with citations and the mascot. Relay events will carry Rs. 10,000 for gold and Rs. 5,000 for silver. In football, the champions will receive Rs 40,000 and runners-up Rs 25,000, while cricket champions will also receive Rs. 40,000 and runners-up Rs. 25,000. Volleyball and basketball champions, in both men’s and women’s categories, will be awarded Rs. 30,000, with Rs. 15,000 for silver.
In badminton, the team event champions will receive Rs. 20,000 and runners-up Rs. 15,000. For singles events, both men and women, gold will carry Rs. 7,000 and silver Rs. 5,000, while doubles and mixed doubles events will carry Rs. 10,000 for gold and Rs. 5,000 for silver. In table tennis, the team event will carry Rs. 20,000 for gold and Rs. 15,000 for silver, while individual men’s events will award Rs. 7,000 for gold and Rs. 5,000 for silver, with doubles events carrying Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 5,000 respectively. In the 10-metre air rifle shooting event, prize money will be Rs. 7,000 for gold, Rs. 5,000 for silver and Rs. 3,000 for bronze.
For wrestling, the individual event will carry Rs. 60,000 for gold, Rs. 40,000 for silver, Rs. 30,000 for bronze and Rs. 20,000 for fourth place, while the wrestling team event will award Rs. 30,000 for first position and Rs. 20,000 for second. A point-based system has also been introduced in wrestling, with Rs 300 awarded per point, up to a maximum of nine points over three rounds. In addition, Rs. 10,000 will be awarded for each new KVSA meet record, while the best male and female athletes overall will receive Rs. 50,000 each.
Rutsa said one of the highlights of this year’s meet is the reopening of the Kohima Local Ground, which has remained unused for the past three years, marking a positive development for sports lovers in the capital.
He informed that around 650 to 700 participants are expected, including coaches and managers, and the total number is likely to rise to about 900, with approximately 150 to 175 participants from each khel.
Preparations and coaching camps are currently underway at various venues, including IG Stadium, Seikhazou, Christ King and Mission Compound.
He also highlighted the progress made by athletes through previous coaching initiatives, noting that three women players are currently part of the state cricket team, while two women shooters recently represented Nagaland at the national level, with one already selected as a shooter eligible to participate directly in national competitions without undergoing trials.