Nagaland Super League gets green signal for season two after award-winning debut, says Abu Metha, highlighting football growth.
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DIMAPUR — Advisor to the Chief Minister and Chairman of Investment and Development Authority of Nagaland (IDAN), Abu Metha, on Saturday confirmed that the second season of the Nagaland Super League (NSL) will be held, following the success of its inaugural edition.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of an event at Chümoukedima, Metha maintained that the first season of NSL witnessed overwhelming public support across Kohima, Dimapur and other venues.
He said that the league was recognised nationally, winning the Best League in India award from the All India Football Federation, and added that the NSL had a direct impact on improving Nagaland’s football performance.
Selected players from the league were sent to the Inspire Institute of Sport for advanced training, while the state team registered improved results in the Santosh Trophy qualifiers, including wins against strong teams such as Mizoram and Manipur, he said.
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Regarding the second season, Metha said that the schedule would be finalised by the Nagaland Football Association (NFA), which owns and manages the league. He explained that dates would be aligned with the national football calendar, including the I-League and other regional competitions.
On infrastructure concerns and stadium capacity, Metha claimed that constructing 10,000 to 20,000-seater stadiums may not be practical for a small state like Nagaland. He felt that the existing Indira Gandhi Stadium is adequate for most sporting events.
However, he acknowledged that the massive turnout during NSL matches, particularly in Chümoukedima, and highlighted the need to reassess sports infrastructure.
At the same time, he cautioned that large stadiums without year-round utilisation could become financial liabilities due to high maintenance costs.
Addressing queries on whether NSL matches could be held exclusively at Chümoukedima, Metha said that higher attendance and ticket revenue there could be attributed to better connectivity, central location and a larger nearby population. In contrast, he claimed that accessibility challenges and distance from the town centre affected turnout at Kohima.
He said that, in principle, football leagues are ideally conducted on a home-and-away basis, but this remains difficult in Nagaland as clubs currently lack dedicated grounds. Expanding matches to districts such as Mokokchung or Mon would involve high logistical costs, long travel hours and recovery challenges for players, he explained.
Metha said that while there is strong interest in taking the league to more districts so fans across the state can experience it, infrastructure and feasibility constraints remain key challenges. He added that the matter would be discussed with the NFA once fixtures and regulations are finalised.
Responding to questions on racial discrimination faced by people from the Northeast in cities such as New Delhi, Metha said that the issue is longstanding but has gained greater visibility due to social and mainstream media.
He described such incidents as unfortunate and said that leaders from Nagaland, including the chief minister, have strongly condemned them.
He maintained that people from Nagaland and the Northeast have consistently contributed to India’s nation-building in areas such as sports, the armed forces, public administration and politics. Citing figures such as Talimeren Ao, India’s first Olympic football captain, and Kargil War hero Neikezhakuo Kenguruse, Metha said that respect for the region has been earned through service and sacrifice.
Calling for national introspection, he said that racial discrimination must be addressed openly in Parliament, the media and public discourse, stressing that mutual respect is essential for India’s unity, democracy and progress.