The 26th NSF Martyrs Memorial Trophy will feature 22 teams and an INR 8.8 lakh prize pool in Kohima from November 13.
Kohima, Nov. 11 (EMN): The 26th edition of the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) Martyrs Memorial Trophy will feature 22 teams and carry a total prize pool of INR 8.8 lakh, with the tournament scheduled to be held at Indira Gandhi Stadium, Kohima, from November 13 to December 3.
The Angami Students’ Union (ASU), which is organising the tournament, announced this during a press conference at its headquarters in Kohima on Wednesday. The tournament is being organised in support of the Nagaland Olympic Association (NOA) and in collaboration with the Hornbill Festival.
The participating teams include former champions Newmarket FC, Sechu-Zubza FC, Lamkang Students’ Union (LSU), All Zeliangrong Students’ Union (AZSU) and HeadHunters FC. Defending champions Nagaland United Sports Club (NUSC) will not participate this year as the club is prioritising its participation in the I-League.
ASU Games and Sports Secretary Seyielhousa Keyho said the inaugural ceremony would be held on November 13 at 4 pm, with Speaker of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, Sharingain Longkumer, as the special guest. The 17 tribal presidents of the NSF federating units will also attend the programme, which will feature special presentations and participation from college students and football enthusiasts.
Keyho informed that the official fixtures had been drawn and released on Monday. He said the semi-finals would be played in a double-legged format, with four matches involving the four qualifying teams. The format was introduced to identify the best team among the four semi-finalists within the available 17 playing days. The winners will be determined based on goals scored across the two legs, while the home and away arrangements will be decided by the technical committee.
Matches during the league and knockout rounds will be 80 minutes long, with a 15-minute interval. From the quarter-finals onwards, matches will be played under floodlights, with kick-off scheduled for 4 pm.
Organising Committee Convenor Kesosul Christopher Ltu attributed the lower number of participating teams compared to previous editions partly to the timing of the tournament, which coincides with academic examinations in November and the first week of December. He said several clubs, particularly college teams that had participated in previous editions, were unable to take part due to examinations.
Ltu said the organisers would assess the outcome of this edition before deciding the tournament schedule in future, adding that consideration would also be given to accommodating more clubs and teams.
He expressed regret over the absence of defending champions NUSC but said the club’s participation in the I-League was a positive development for Nagaland football. According to him, NUSC had conveyed its inability to participate as it would be focusing on the national league, including a home match scheduled for November 14.
The champions will receive INR 3.5 lakh along with citations and medals, while the runners-up will receive INR 2 lakh. The two losing semi-finalists will receive INR 60,000 each and the four losing quarter-finalists INR 30,000 each.
Individual awards of INR 10,000 each will be presented to the Best Custodian, Best Defender, Best Midfielder, Golden Boot/Top Scorer, Fair Play Award and Most Promising Player Under-19, along with citations. The Player of the Tournament will receive INR 30,000 and a citation, while a Player of the Match award will be presented after every match.
Students in uniform and invited guests will be allowed free entry on the opening day, while other spectators will be charged INR 50. Entry for night matches from the quarter-finals onwards will cost INR 100.
YES Coffee, Progressive Motors, PepsiCo, Nagaland State Rural Livelihood Mission (NSRLM), G-Sports, Polo Hotel Kohima and Fun Plaza are the official partners for the tournament. Ground management will be handled by the Northern Angami Students’ Union (NASU), through its ground management sub-committee, with assistance from the tendering party.
The inaugural match will be played between D Block Youth Organisation and Ward 19.