The 26th NSF Martyrs Memorial Trophy will run from November 13 to December 3 alongside Hornbill Festival 2026.
KOHIMA —The 26th edition of the NSF Martyrs Memorial Trophy will be held from November 13 to December 3 in collaboration with the Nagaland Olympic Association (NOA) and alongside the Hornbill Festival 2026, the Angami Students' Union (ASU) and the organising committee announced on Tuesday.
The tournament will be played over 17 days, with the grand finale scheduled for December 3, coinciding with the Hornbill Festival.
The organisers said the decision to hold the tournament alongside the festival was aimed at providing greater exposure to the players and attracting football enthusiasts, scouts, and dignitaries from outside the state.
This was announced during a press conference at the office in Kohima addressed by ASU President Dziesevisie Nakhro, Organising Committee Convenor Kesosul Christopher Ltu, Games and Sports Secretary Seyielhousa Seyie, Organising Committee Member Aja Zinyu, and General Secretary Rajuselie Chucha.
Nakhro said the ASU, under the aegis of the Naga Students' Federation (NSF) and on behalf of the Naga student fraternity, has been organising the tournament since its inception.
Kesosul Christopher Ltu said the 26th edition would introduce some changes, including a tender system on a trial basis for managing the tournament, ground management, and the hotel or restaurant to be operated during the tournament.
He said interested parties could approach the ASU office for the tender, with the amount fixed at INR 12 lakh. The ASU will have the discretion to award the tender, he said, adding that first preference would be given to student unions, followed by associations, organisations, and churches, with a focus also on village youth and students.
According to Ltu, the tender process will be open from September 17 to the 30th. He said the ASU had initially approached the four ranges under the ASU for the tender, but no response had been received so far, prompting the wider invitation.
He clarified that the income generated from the tournament, including ticketing, as well as from the restaurant or hotel operated by the successful tenderer, would go to the party awarded the tender.
The organisers also announced plans for 10 lotteries during the tournament, with the draws to be conducted through spectators' entry tickets. The prizes for the lotteries will be arranged by the organising committee.
Ltu appealed to firms, companies, and agencies to partner with the organising committee through advertisements and sponsorships, stating that the tournament would be one of the events held alongside Hornbill Festival 2026.
Seyielhousa Seyie said forms for participation would be available from September 28, while the last date for submission would be October 24. Fixtures will be drawn on November 2.
The form fee has been fixed at INR 300 and the entry fee at INR 7,000.
Forms will be available at Kiran Sports and Stationers in Dimapur, G-Sports in Chümoukedima, Sports World and the ASU office in Kohima, Urban Concerns at High School Kohima, and Falcon Corner at Medziphema.
The tournament carries a total prize pool of INR 8.8 lakh. 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 carrying 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. A Player of the Match award will also be given for every match, while the Player of the Tournament will receive INR 30,000 and a citation.
Ltu said the organisers expected participation from across Nagaland and the Northeast, as has been the case in previous editions. However, owing to the limited 17-day schedule, teams would be accommodated on a first-come, first-served basis.
He said the tournament had received more than 40 teams in previous years, but accommodating more than 40 teams this year would be practically difficult. The organising committee was, however, exploring the possibility of conducting up to four matches a day during the initial rounds to accommodate as many teams as possible.
Explaining the decision to collaborate with the NOA and coincide the tournament with the Hornbill Festival, Ltu said the organisers wanted to take the tournament beyond being a state-level event and provide players with a larger platform.
He said the NOA had played a role in promoting athletes beyond the state and expressed hope that its support would provide footballers a bigger platform to showcase their skills.
He added that the organisers were also hoping that football scouts and representatives from football-loving countries could attend matches during the Hornbill Festival and identify local talent, though he said it was too early to make any definite announcement.
On the issue of opportunities for players after the tournament, Ltu said the organisers had discussed how players could secure opportunities with higher-level or bigger clubs. He said discussions were underway to invite club owners and people with an interest and influence in football to watch matches during the tournament.
Organising committee member Aja Zinyu said the significance of the tournament lay in its consistency, noting that it had been organised consecutively for 26 editions despite limited resources.
He said the ASU was proud of having maintained the tournament over the years, adding that several other football tournaments organised by clubs and organisations had discontinued.
On funding, Ltu said the tournament depended primarily on seed money, registration fees, tendering, advertisements, and sponsorships. He said the organisers also received some support from the district sports council but did not receive a specific amount from any particular state government department.
The organisers said there would be no invited or seeded teams in this year's edition. Unlike the previous edition, when a few outside teams were selected as seeded teams, all participating teams this year will begin from the initial stage of the tournament.
The 26th NSF Martyrs Memorial Trophy is being organised by the ASU under the aegis of the NSF.