Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Thursday called upon Nagaland United Sports Club (NUSC) to approach its maiden participation in the Indian Football League (IFL) with discipline, professionalism and a winning spirit, describing the club as a collective platform to promote Naga talent, empower youth and bring people together through sports.
Addressing the launch of the IFL trophy tour and the unveiling of team jerseys at Zone Niathu, Rio said Nagaland was proud that a club from the state was entering the national league for the first time. He described the occasion as the fulfillment of a long-held dream and urged the team to work hard to bring the coveted trophy to Nagaland.
Welcoming representatives of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the IFL, Rio thanked the Federation for supporting the club and providing it with an opportunity to compete at the national level. He said the trophy tour had generated considerable enthusiasm among football lovers in the state, adding that the ambition should be to earn the trophy through performance rather than merely aspire to possess it.
The Chief Minister said NUSC was established to create opportunities for talented young people to progress beyond village, district and community-level competitions and compete at the state, national and, eventually, international levels.
He acknowledged the commitment of the club’s founders, members and supporters, particularly Abu Metha, Chuba, Ruokuoituo and others, whose efforts helped the club secure affiliation with the AIFF and gain entry into the IFL. Rio said such progress would otherwise have taken considerable time without the support and cooperation of well-wishers.
Emphasising that the club was intended to represent the people of Nagaland, Rio said its larger purpose was to motivate talented youth and establish a sustainable platform through which they could pursue sporting careers. He noted that sports offered not only recognition and achievement but also significant livelihood opportunities for young people.
Recalling the state government’s initiatives to promote sports, Rio said the government had declared 2004 the Year of the Youth Empowerment after he assumed office as chief minister in 2003. He highlighted the introduction of the Dr T Ao Inter-District Football Trophy and the promotion of football competitions in the Northeast, alongside the national recognition of Dr Talimeren Ao’s legacy.
Rio expressed pride in the AIFF’s recognition of Dr T Ao, who captained independent India’s football team at the 1948 London Olympics. He also welcomed the naming of the national women’s football trophy after the legendary Naga footballer, describing the recognition as a matter of pride for the state.
Calling for a stronger sporting culture, Rio urged the club’s management, coaches and players to demonstrate commitment, sincerity, discipline and professionalism. He asked players to respect their opponents, uphold the highest standards of sportsmanship and encourage young talent.
He also appealed to football lovers and the youth of Nagaland to turn out in large numbers for the club’s home matches and support both the home team and visiting sides. With the inaugural campaign expected to include 10 home matches and 10 away matches, Rio said supporters had an important role in creating an atmosphere of enthusiasm, hospitality and respect for the game.
The Chief Minister said the club’s performance would be crucial in attracting continued support from the government and other stakeholders, placing particular responsibility on the players and coaches to give their best.
Acknowledging that Nagaland was a small state only beginning its journey in the national league, Rio said the team should aim high while steadily improving its performance. He expressed hope that the club would inspire young people in Nagaland and Naga communities beyond the state to dream bigger and pursue football professionally.
“Football or sports is one of the shortest routes to fame and glory and recognition by the world,” Rio said, urging the team to pursue its goals with dignity, pride and sportsmanship.
Along says IFL entry marks new chapter for Nagaland football
Minister for Higher Education and Tourism, Temjen Imna Along described NUSC’s participation in the IFL as a significant achievement for Nagaland football and said the state was proud to partner in the club’s journey.
Along said the players would carry more than their footballing skills to the national stage, noting that they would also represent Nagaland’s rich traditions, culture and distinctive way of life.
He thanked the AIFF and IFL for including the club in the league and bringing the trophy to the state as part of its tour. Recalling that he had seen the trophy near Chümoukedima, Along jokingly remarked that had he known what it was, he might have taken it away rather than let it leave Nagaland.
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He said he hoped that Nagaland United would one day win the trophy and bring it back to the state, adding that the present occasion should mark the beginning of a sustained journey towards excellence in football.
Along called for continued support from the AIFF, the IFL and football lovers to help the club develop and compete successfully. He also assured that Nagaland Tourism would continue to partner in efforts to promote sports and youth development, describing the initiative as part of Chief Minister Rio’s longstanding vision for youth empowerment.
He expressed hope that Naga players would increasingly compete outside the state and eventually represent the country on the international stage.
IFL official calls for grassroots investment and local talent development
Abhishek Yadav, head of operations of the IFL, said Nagaland had a proud footballing heritage, with Dr Talimeren Ao remaining an enduring source of inspiration for Indian football.
He said Nagaland United FC had an opportunity to carry forward that legacy, while adding that the club’s immediate challenge would be to make matches difficult for visiting opponents.
Yadav said the club’s entry into the national competition was about more than one team’s participation. It offered young boys and girls across Nagaland a reason to dream, a platform to showcase their abilities and the belief that they, too, could reach the highest level of Indian football.
Highlighting the Northeast’s contribution to the sport, he said the entry of a Nagaland club presented another opportunity to strengthen the region’s presence in Indian football.
Yadav urged the club to invest in grassroots development, nurture local players and build a strong relationship with the community. He said establishing a sustainable club would require patience, planning, teamwork and sustained effort both on and off the pitch.
He expressed hope that the inaugural season would lay the foundation for a long-term journey, creating opportunities for local talent and inspiring future generations.
Yadav said the club’s success should not be measured solely by its position in the league table but also by the dreams it inspired and the opportunities it created. He wished Nagaland United success in its debut season and expressed hope that it would not only participate in Indian football but also contribute to shaping the sport’s future.
Abu Metha says Nagaland United is a movement to promote sports and unite people
Earlier, addressing media persons, founding member of Nagaland United Sports Club (NUSC), Abu Metha described the club as more than a football team, saying it is an institution and a movement aimed at promoting sports, creating opportunities for young talent and fostering unity among people.
Metha said Nagaland United’s participation in the forthcoming Indian Football League (IFL) marked an important milestone for the state, as no club from Nagaland had previously competed at what he described as the highest level of Indian football.
He thanked football fans from Nagaland, the Northeast, other parts of the country and abroad for their support during the club’s journey so far, including its participation in tournaments over the past season. He said the encouragement received from supporters had been instrumental in the club’s progress.
“We are what we are because of our fans,” Metha said, expressing confidence that the support would continue in the coming weeks and months as the club enters new tournaments and leagues.
He emphasised that NUSC was not focused solely on football but aspired to promote multiple sporting disciplines across Nagaland, the Northeast and the country. The club, he said, wanted to create opportunities for talented individuals to pursue their dreams and aspirations.
Highlighting the club’s motto, “Rise Together”, Metha said it reflected the fundamental principles of sport and the Olympic belief that sports bring people and nations together. He said NUSC aimed to use sport as a platform to unite different sections of society and encourage collective support for local talent and youth.
Metha described the club’s entry into the Indian Football League as a proud and exciting moment for Nagaland. He distinguished the competition from franchise-based leagues, saying the IFL represented clubs that had developed organically from the grassroots across the country.
Calling the forthcoming campaign a collective journey, he urged citizens of Nagaland and the wider region to rally behind the team. He said the club wanted to represent not just itself but the people of Nagaland.
“We want to be One Team Nagaland, and we’re not playing as a club, but we’re playing as a people,” he said.
Metha added that Nagaland had many stories to tell and hoped the club’s journey would help present genuine and positive stories about the Naga people while creating pathways for local youth to compete at the highest level of Indian football.
He said the journey was only beginning, but the vision was long-term and ambitious.
“In sport, you always enter the arena to win,” he said.
A key highlight of the evening was the unveiling of NUSC’s official home, away, and reserved kits. Each design carries a distinct visual identity, connecting the club’s footballing ambitions with the culture, heritage, and people of Nagaland. The jersey designs were led by Aniho Chishi, Lead Designer.
