NFA conducts fixture draw for 5th Nagaland Futsal Club C’ship

KOHIMA, JUN 12 (NPN): The Nagaland Football Association (NFA) on Friday conducted the official draw of fixtures for the 5th Nagaland Futsal Club Championship 2026, scheduled to be hosted by the Football Association Tseminyu District (FATD) from June 18 to 21 at Riga Turf, New Terogvunyu Village, Tseminyu.
Addressing a press conference at the NFA office in Kohima, NFA president K. Neibou Sekhose described the tournament as the fifth edition of the state-level futsal championship and the official qualifier for the National Futsal Championship. He highlighted futsal’s growing popularity across Nagaland, calling it the “school of football” where players sharpen technical skills, tactical awareness and game intelligence.
Sekhose expressed gratitude to the State Government for establishing futsal grounds in several districts, enabling wider participation. He commended FATD for hosting the event, noting it would be the first time Tseminyu hosts a state-level football tournament. He emphasized that the championship is not only a sporting event but also a platform to unite youth and showcase Naga unity. All matches will be telecast live, allowing fans across the state and beyond to follow the competition.
On player development, Sekhose informed that participants will be registered under the All India Football Federation (AIFF), opening opportunities for national trials. He recalled that seven Naga girls were invited for national trials in 2024, while two boys attended national-level trials last year. He assured that the draw was conducted transparently to avoid grievances among teams.
The championship will feature 10 teams in a league-cum-knockout format. Winners will receive a cash prize of Rs. 1 lakh, while runners-up will be awarded Rs. 50,000. Sekhose reiterated that futsal and football fall under AIFF jurisdiction, cautioning that participation in unauthorised tournaments could invite disciplinary action under AIFF regulations and Supreme Court directives.
Responding to queries on the reported sale of alcohol during a sporting event in Dimapur, Sekhose said the NFA was unaware of the incident, describing it as unfortunate. He assured that preventive measures would be taken to avoid such occurrences in future tournaments.
Meanwhile, FATD technical director Hethanglo Kath expressed gratitude to the NFA for entrusting the young district with the responsibility of hosting the championship. NFA joint secretary Chenonlo Woch explained that this year’s edition introduced a new qualification system, requiring districts to conduct their own futsal championships before earning slots. Eight districts qualified through this process, while defending champions Aphuyemi FC (Zunheboto) secured direct entry. The host district was granted an additional slot for its runner-up team.
The tournament will feature two groups of five teams each – Group A: RN Boys FC (Dimapur), Vanguard Academy (Tseminyu), Aphuyemi FC (Zunheboto), Vanguard FC (Tseminyu), TRS FC (Tuensang).
Group B: Aspirants FC (Kohima), Ipuing FC (Peren), SC Nagaland (Mon), Legacy FC (Wokha), CTYC (Chümoukedima).
The inaugural programme will be held on June 18 at 3 pm, with secretary general of the Nagaland Olympic Association and advisor to the Chief Minister, Abu Metha, as the special guest and chairman of DPDB Tseminyu, Jwenga Seb, MLA and as the chief host. The champions will earn the right to represent Nagaland at the National Futsal Championship, providing a major platform for local players to showcase their talent at the national level.