Nagaland United Sports Club will carry the legacy of the country's first national team captain Talimeren Ao into the Indian Football League
NEW DELHI — Nagaland United Sports Club will carry the legacy of the country's first national team captain Talimeren Ao into the Indian Football League when the debutants take on Real Kashmir in their maiden national-league match at Srinagar's TRC Stadium on October 30, ending the state's 78-year wait to have a club at that level.
Founded in 2024 in Chumoukedima, Nagaland United have taken an unconventional route to the national league, securing Aizawl FC's place through a goodwill agreement approved by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) on September 9, with the Mizoram club pledging technical and development support.
For a state whose footballing history is intertwined with Ao, who captained independent India at the 1948 Olympics, the club's entry into the IFL represents both a landmark achievement and an opportunity to build a pathway for local talent.
Nagaland United played their first competitive match on January 28, 2025, losing 2-3 to Barak FC on the day Chumoukedima's new stadium opened, coinciding with what would have been Ao's 107th birthday.
They finished second among seven teams in the league phase, conceding nine goals in 12 matches, before ending the season third after the play-offs. Nisede Peseyie scored a hat-trick against 27 United, while Khogen Singh was named coach of the season.
The club won its first trophy in October 2025, beating Chedema Village Youth Organisation 3-1 in the NSF Martyrs' Memorial Trophy final on October 18.
Arap Konyak, Joel Haokip and Manton Konyak scored in the final, with the club also winning the player of the tournament, best goalkeeper and best defender awards. Khogen Singh was again named the best coach.
The urgency to reach the national stage stems from the importance football holds in Nagaland, where villages have their own grounds and the game has a deep grassroots following.
Ao, who grew up playing football with makeshift balls fashioned from rags, woven cane or a heavy pomelo on a mission ground at Impur in the Naga Hills, went on to captain India against France at Cricklefield Stadium in Ilford, East London, on July 31, 1948, in independent India's first Olympic football match.
India lost to a late goal after missing two penalties, with eight players featuring without boots. Ao subsequently returned to medicine and became Nagaland's first Director of Health Services.
"Football in Nagaland is more than just a sport," coach Kivilu Kiba said.
Nagaland United's entry into the IFL also reflects the role played by Aizawl FC, who became the first Northeast club to win the national league in 2017.
Their title-winning campaign included a 1-1 draw against Shillong Lajong on the final day, with William Koso, the first coach from Nagaland to earn an AFC 'A' licence, serving as Aizawl's assistant.
Aizawl visited Nagaland in June for a match under the Football for Peace banner, billed "Match for Peace, Goal for Hope".
Tickets cost Rs 20, with proceeds going to an orphanage. Aizawl won 2-0, but owner Robert R. Royte backed Nagaland's aspirations for a national-league club.
With the IFL approaching, Nagaland United have received hundreds of applications for coaching and support roles, including from Argentina, Spain and Brazil. The club has retained an experienced squad and staff, while prioritising local Naga players.
Two young players, Ghuqhe Chishi, a 20-year-old central midfielder, and Vinato Achumi, both products of Nagaland's under-20 sides, have been selected for the IFL.
Club coordinator Gentleson Vashum said plans included 20 league matches, split equally between home and away, and FIFA-approved artificial turf at Chumoukedima.
Board member Abu Metha said the club could not afford to wait years to progress through the lower divisions.
"Whenever you enter any arena, you enter to win," Metha said.
Nagaland United will play their first IFL home match against Gokulam Kerala on November 14, followed by Dempo a fortnight later and Mohammedan Sporting on December 19.
For Nagaland, the October 30 opener is more than a debut. It is the beginning of a national-league journey for a state whose most celebrated footballing son once led India in the Olympics.