Photo Courtesy: nenews
Kohima: Nagaland United Sports Club will step onto the national pitch for the first time on October 30. The team faces Real Kashmir at Srinagar’s TRC Stadium. This match ends a 78-year wait for the state. The club honors Talimeren Ao, the first captain of the Indian national team.
Founded in 2024 in Chumoukedima, the club bypassed the lower divisions through a goodwill agreement with Aizawl FC. The All India Football Federation approved the deal on September 9. Aizawl FC promised technical support for the transition. Abu Metha, a board member, clarified the strategy. “Whenever you enter any arena, you enter to win,” he said.
The team has built momentum quickly. Their first match on January 28, 2025, ended in a 2-3 loss to Barak FC, coinciding with what would have been Ao’s 107th birthday. They finished the league phase second among seven teams, conceding only nine goals in 12 games before taking third in the playoffs. Nisede Peseyie hit a hat-trick against 27 United, while Khogen Singh earned coach of the season honors.
Success continued in October 2025. The squad beat Chedema Village Youth Organisation 3-1 to win the NSF Martyrs’ Memorial Trophy on October 18. Arap Konyak, Joel Haokip, and Manton Konyak scored in the final. The club swept individual awards for player of the tournament, goalkeeper, and defender, with Singh repeating as best coach.
Talimeren Ao remains a central figure for local football. He grew up playing with balls made of rags and cane in Impur. On July 31, 1948, he captained India against France at the London Olympics. The team played barefoot in parts, losing to a late goal. Ao later served as Nagaland’s first Director of Health Services.
Aizawl FC maintains a deep connection to this project. William Koso, the first Naga coach with an AFC A license, served as an assistant during Aizawl’s 2017 national title run. In June, Aizawl played a benefit match in Nagaland to support local entry into the league. Tickets cost Rs 20 to aid an orphanage.
The club has received coaching applications from Argentina, Spain, and Brazil, but will prioritize local talent. Ghuqhe Chishi and Vinato Achumi are among the local players picked for the roster. Coordinator Gentleson Vashum expects 20 league matches. The team will play on new FIFA-approved artificial turf in Chumoukedima. Their home schedule begins against Gokulam Kerala on November 14, followed by Dempo and Mohammedan Sporting in late 2025.
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