DDFA President Mughato Aye (Left), and General Secretary Lanutoshi Yaden at the press conference announcing the return of the DDFA league in Dimpaur on August 27. (Morung Photo)
• 15-year sponsorship booster
• Need for proper playground
• MDSC accessibility concern
Morung Express News
Dimapur | August 27
After a long hiatus, the Dimapur District Football Association (DDFA) is all set to return with a reinvigorated district league. The league, last held in November 2021, is scheduled to take place from September 15 to October 5.
Making the announcement at a press conference at the DDSC Stadium, on August 25, DDFA President Mughato Aye said that the league got a shot in the arm in the form of a 15-year sponsorship by a private patron. The association will be soon inking a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with MLA from 1 Dimapur-I, Tovihoto Ayemi and family for the sponsorship. Aye said that the details of the MoU will be revealed once it is signed.
In light of the financial patronage, the league will be rebranded as ‘Dimapur District Football League-cum-Late Hejeto Ayemi Memorial Trophy in honour of MLA Ayemi’s late father, Hejeto Ayemi. The 15-year sponsorship commitment from the MLA’s family also includes a provision for a 10-to-15-year extension based on the success of the tournament. According to the DDFA President, the late Ayemi was a pioneering resident of Dimapur, who was a founding member of Thahekhu village established in 1951.
The upcoming league will feature only eight teams due to limited preparation time, with registration slots allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Two matches will be played daily. The eight teams will first play in a league format, after which the top four teams will advance to the championship.
The total prize purse for the league and championship was not announced. As per what was revealed, the top four teams will receive payouts for their league standings alongside separate prize money in the championship phase.
DDFA General Secretary Lanutoshi Yaden added that technical guidelines, including the exact prize money and player specifications regarding out-of-district players, will be released to the media prior to the commencement of the league.
Despite being regarded as a breeding ground of state-level football talent over the decades, the DDFA lamented a perceived neglect by the state government to develop sports infrastructure in the district. He held that Dimapur has consistently produced players that have gone on to play for the state in the Santosh Trophy and junior and sub-junior divisions, while there has been no relative improvement in playing facilities.
The DDSC Stadium, the district’s only fully functional football ground lacks an all-weather astro turf making it difficult to be used as a dependable training ground. “During the rainy season, it is nearly impossible to even train here,” Aye said, and urged the Dimapur’s three MLAs, and civil society to pressure the authorities to grant at least one Astro turf to the district.
Meanwhile, he said that other districts have fared better with the state government introducing astro turfs. Chümoukedima alone has seen the development of two football fields in less than 5 years of becoming a full-fledged district.
The district has a Multi-Disciplinary Sports Complex (MDSC) but that has remained in a perpetual state of construction since the mid-2000s. Citing funding constraints delaying completion, the state government had in July handed over the MDSC to the Sports Authority of India (SAI).
Queried on the practicality of the handover, the DDFA President raised concerns over accessibility to the sports complex for local talents. “While SAI provides top-class infrastructure, accessibility for local Dimapurians might become very restricted,” he commented.
He claimed that local players in other regional SAI centers often face restrictions and require clearances to enter. He maintained that a dedicated, fully functional ground, accessible to aspiring local talents, remains an essential.
