The 27th edition of the Mokokchung District Football Association (MDFA) Trophy will kick off on October 14 at Imkongmeren Sports Complex, Mokokchung. This year’s tournament will carry a total prize pool of ₹3.75 lakh and would, for the first time, be governed by MDFA tournament bye-laws.

At a press conference on Saturday, Organizing Committee Convenor Burakum announced that the champion team would receive ₹2,00,000 along with the MDFA Trophy, while the runners-up would be awarded ₹1,00,000 along with the Late Nokzar Ao Trophy. Losing semi-finalists would be awarded ₹25,000 each.

Five individual awards—Best Goalkeeper, Best Defender, Best Midfielder, Highest Goal Scorer, and Player of the Tournament—carry ₹5,000 each with citations. In addition, all participating teams will be given an honorarium, introduced for the first time in the history of the MDFA Trophy.

MDFA Vice President (Technical), Bendangnukshi, informed that 10 teams have registered so far, with participation expected to reach 13–14. He highlighted that the tournament will operate  under newly framed bye-laws, which he described as a landmark step for the MDFA.

Explaining in detail, he said the bye-laws provide descriptions of all participating teams and define their responsibilities, while also guiding the technical teams, organizers, and everyone involved in the tournament. He noted that the bye-laws emphasize discipline, professionalism, and accountability in conduct, and are expected to ensure a successful outcome of the tournament.

With regard to team eligibility, he clarified that teams must be from Mokokchung district, but players from other districts and even other states are allowed to join without restriction. “In previous years too, we extended invitation participation to nearby institutions like Nagaland University (NU). Accordingly, NU will be participating again this year, and we are also exploring the possibility of fostering other institutions in the coming years,” he said.

He explained that the bye-laws are designed with a zonal-based focus, laying down specific guidelines for the participating teams and their management. He added that these regulations cover every aspect related to the tournament, thereby governing not only the teams but also the MDFA and the overall conduct of the tournament. He added that the bye-laws will be made available through MDFA’s official social media platforms, with vloggers and content creators engaged to disseminate updates and information.

Fixtures for the competition will be drawn on October 6. Entry forms are available at G-Sports,

Alongmen Ward, Mokokchung Town. The last date for renewal and registration of new clubs and transfer of players is September 30, 2025, while the deadline for submission of complete forms is October 4, 2025.

The opening ceremony will be graced by H Sethrojngkyu Sangtam, MLA and Advisor, Information Technology and Communication, Economics and Statistics, and Evaluation. The closing  ceremony will be attended by Lanuchuba Imchen, President of Longterok FC, Councilor of DMC, and President of the Youth Wing NDPP, Dimapur region.