A total of 14 teams will be participating in the Mokokchung District Football Association (MDFA) Trophy 2023, almost half of whom are new entrants. This year, the MDFA kept the tournament open to any club in Nagaland but none from other districts registered for the tournament. This, according to sources, was because of simultaneous tournaments going on all over the state.
However, a number of top players from other districts will be playing in the MDFA tournament representing various clubs, it has been confirmed.
Telongjem FC are the defending champions and they are in the hunt to lift the trophy for the third consecutive time this year, a feat that only two teams have achieved so far in the history of MDFA. Telongjem FC will join Arkong Sporting Club (1996, 1997, 1998) and Snipers FC (2001, 2002, 2003) should they win the tournament this year.
Telongjem FC, Zonipang SA, Konyak Students’ Union Mokokchung, Sports Society Soyim, KSR Team, Brotherhood FC, NU Lumami, Legendary Yeomanly Misfit, Lomuden FC, Super Seniors, 16 United Brothers, Dare Devils (Assam Rifles), Unger 11, and Moanungsang Memorial SC are the teams vying for the trophy this year.
Super Seniors are a team of, as the name suggests, Mokokchung’s senior and veteran players who reportedly are “playing one last time before hanging up the boots” while KSR Team is an experimental team with a motley assortment of some of the biggest football names in Nagaland brought together “just to stop the defending champions from their third consecutive title” reportedly.
The Assam Rifles team are also said to be not only participating in the tournament but are also major sponsors and extending logistics support to MDFA.
Drawing of pools for the tournament will be done on Thursday, 12 October, at the MDFA Treasurer’s residence followed by drawing fixtures for the league-cum-knock-out tournament.
Played since 1993, the MDFA Trophy is arguably the most prestigious sporting event in the district and one of the biggest regular sporting tournaments in Nagaland.
The tournament will kick off on 17 October.