The Nagaland Football Association (NFA) has announced the fixtures for the 25th edition of the Dr T Ao Trophy 2026, with 17 district teams set to compete in the Inter-District Football Championship from October 13 to 31 at the Renpo Lu Astro Turf in Ungma, Mokokchung.
The fixture was drawn at the NFA office in Kohima on Monday in the presence of MLA and Advisor for Transport & Technical Education Temjenmenba, NFA president, K Neibou Sekhose, Department of Youth Resources & Sports (DYRS) director Kethosituo Sekhose and representatives of district football associations affiliated to the NFA.
The participating districts have been divided into four groups. Group A comprises Mon, Dimapur, Zunheboto, Noklak and Kiphire; Group B consists of Kohima, Tseminyu, Shamator and Longleng; Group C comprises Meluri, Tuensang, Wokha and Mokokchung; while Group D consists of Niuland, Chümoukedima, Phek and Peren.
The Championship is being organised by the NFA in collaboration with the Government of Nagaland and DYRS under the aegis of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), with the Mokokchung District Football Association as the host association.
Temjenmenba, who is also convenor of the organising committee, said completing the infrastructure works within the available timeframe was a major challenge. He said efforts were being made on a war footing to ensure that all necessary amenities and infrastructure were ready before the tournament.
He said the State government, under Chief Minister Dr Neiphiu Rio, had allocated the requisite funds and that preparations were progressing accordingly.
DYRS director, Kethosituo Sekhose said the department was making all efforts to ensure that the infrastructure was completed in time. He informed that the football turf and floodlights were already ready for use, while work was continuing on the galleries, parking areas, approach roads and other basic facilities.
He said some of the infrastructure works had originally been scheduled for completion next year, but the cooperation of the NFA, Mokokchung District Football Association, organising committee, local leaders and contractors had enabled efforts to be expedited for completion of essential facilities before the championship.
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NFA president, K Neibou Sekhose informed that each of the 17 participating district football associations had been allotted Rs 50,000 for necessary tournament-related arrangements. He also said travelling allowance would be provided to players and officials.
He further informed that the NFA would seek to bring FIFA-ranked referees for matches from the semi-final stage onwards.
Neibou also invited all affiliated sports associations under the Nagaland Olympic Association to attend the silver jubilee edition of the championship. He said the Nagaland team for the 2026-27 Santosh Trophy would be selected from the tournament.
The tournament bye-laws were released by Temjenmenba, while Kethosituo Sekhose released the official tournament poster.
The Champions would receive Rs 3 lakh along with the trophy and citation, while the runners-up will receive Rs 2 lakh. The losing semi-finalists will receive Rs 50,000 each.
Individual awards will be presented to the best goalkeeper, best defender, best player and highest scorer.
Spectator entry has been fixed at Rs 50 for group-stage matches and Rs 100 from the quarter-finals through the final.
Quarter-final fixtures
Winner of Group A will face runner-up of Group B, while winner of Group B will meet runner-up of Group A. The winner of Group C will play the runner-up of Group D, and the winner of Group D will face the runner-up of Group C.
The semi-finals will see the winner of the Group A-B quarter-final play the winner of the Group C-D quarter-final, while the winners of the other two quarter-finals will meet in the second semi-final. The winners of the two semi-finals will contest the final.
