Correspondent
KOHIMA, MAY 11 (NPN): The three-day 2nd Nagaland Women Futsal League commenced at the Indira Gandhi Stadium, Kohima on May 11, with a call to empower girls through sports and strengthen women’s participation in competitive games.
Special guest, secretary to the Government of Nagaland, Women Resource Development Department, Zhothisa Dawhuo, in his address emphasized that “when you empower a girl, you empower a nation,” adding that sports remain one of the most dynamic tools for empowerment. He highlighted three crucial areas where women’s participation in sports matters – fostering personal growth, breaking stereotypes and driving social change. Dawhuo urged continued support, investment and equal access to training and resources for female athletes, stressing that “when the playing field is levelled for women, everyone wins.”
President of the Nagaland Football Association (NFA), K. Neibou Sekhose, in his welcome speech traced the history of women’s football, noting that the first women’s match was held in Edinburgh in 1881, while the Women Football Federation of India was founded in 1975 and later merged with the AIFF in 1990. He expressed pride that Nagaland is now hosting its second women’s futsal league, with teams from across the state, licensed coaches and certified referees, including women officials.
Sekhose described futsal as “the school of football,” where skills such as quick feet, fast thinking and discipline prepare players for higher tournaments and potentially the national women’s team. Addressing players, he called them pioneers, encouraging them to play with passion and respect, while reminding parents that their support is vital in breaking the notion that football is only for boys. “A Naga girl with a football is a Naga girl with a future,” he remarked.
The tournament offers attractive prizes – Champion – Rs. 60,000; Runner-up – Rs. 50,000; 3rd Place – Rs. 40,000; 4th Place – Rs. 20,000. Individual awards of Rs. 5,000 each will be given for Player of the Tournament, Best Goalkeeper and Top Scorer, while the Best Disciplined Team will receive Rs. 10,000.
The programme was blessed with an invocation by pastor of PCRC, Vikhoto Zao and was jointly organised by the Department of Youth Resources and Sports, Government of Nagaland, in collaboration with the Nagaland Football Association.