The poster unveiling ceremony for the 25th edition of the Dr T Ao Trophy Inter-District Football Championship 2026 was held on October 10 at Hotel Japfü, Kohima, followed by the first meeting of the organising committee.

Organised by the Nagaland Football Association (NFA) under the aegis of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), the state’s biggest annual football championship will be hosted by the Mokokchung District Football Association (MDFA) at the newly constructed Rempukong Astroturf, Ungma. The organisers assured that all spectator galleries would be completed before the event kicks off.

In his address after unveiling the official poster, president of Kohima Aor Telongjem (KAT), T Chubayanger said the day marked more than just the launch of a tournament but a moment of pride, remembrance, and homecoming. He described the 25th edition as a return to roots and a tribute to the enduring legacy of Dr Talimeren Ao, India’s first football captain and a native of Mokokchung.

Reflecting on the symbolic significance of the championship returning to the birthplace of Dr T Ao, Chubayanger said that the 2026 edition was not merely a sporting event but “a powerful and emotional return to the soil where the journey of India’s first football captain began.” He noted that the tournament had evolved over 25 years into a living legacy that embodies identity, excellence, and belonging.

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He reminded the gathering that Dr T Ao was not only a distinguished athlete but also a symbol of humility and grace who carried the hopes of a young nation onto the Olympic football field in 1948. “Before the stadiums and flags, he was one of us—a son of Mokokchung, a son of Nagaland,” Chubayanger said, adding that the upcoming silver jubilee edition was both a tribute and a celebration of that legacy.