MDFA to pick 20 players from Marsosang Trophy for Dr T Ao Trophy 2026 trials
The 14th Marsosang Football Trophy began on Monday, December 8, at the Langpangkong Tzükong GHS, Chuchuyimlang playground, Mokokchung, with Imsongmeren, NCS, Director of Nagaland State Lotteries, as the special guest.
Played in memory of Marsosang, a pioneering businessman of the village, the trophy has grown into one of the most anticipated sporting events in the region. Although held in a rural setting, it is widely regarded as the second biggest football tournament in Mokokchung district after the MDFA Trophy.
Speaking at the inaugural programme, Vice President (Technical), MDFA, Bendangnukshi, said that “football is no longer just a sport but an industry,” and expressed the MDFA’s plans to professionalize the sport further in the district. He called on players to get themselves registered under the Central Registration System, stating that it is “very important for any player.”
He added that 20 players from the ongoing tournament will be selected for the trial to represent Mokokchung district in the silver jubilee edition of the inter-district Dr T Ao Trophy 2026, which Mokokchung is set to host.
RECAP | A village, a trophy, a legacy: Chuchuyimlang prepares for 14th Marsosang Trophy
The special guest, Imsongmeren, in his address, stressed on the importance of discipline for a player.
The first match of the tournament was played simultaneously in two grounds. In the encounter between Tongpangsanger Club and Vision SC, Vision SC won with a scoreline of 5–2.
According to team manager Imtisungit, Vision SC fielded players ranging from 13 to 32 years old, with their youngest member, Sanendong, aged 13. “Our objective is to win but all is in God’s will,” Sungit told MT. “However, we will try our best,” he added.
In the other match, Aroju Club lost to Team Saturday 1–2. The match drew attention as a clash of locals, with Team Saturday comprising players who normally play in the league that villagers of Chuchuyimlang organize on Saturdays.
The growing scale of the Marsosang Trophy reflects the strong football culture in rural Mokokchung. With MDFA pushing for a more professional structure and the upcoming Dr T Ao Trophy selection on the horizon, tournaments like this continue to offer grassroots players both visibility and opportunities.
MATCH FIXTURES (9 DECEMBER | LTGHS)
MARSOSANG SC VS YOUNG VISION – 09:00 AM
TONGPANGSANGER CLUB VS ROCKY CLUB – 10:45 AM
AROJU CLUB VS MORUNG BOYS UNITED FC – 12:35 AM
MARSOSANG SC VS MERASEN – 02:20 AM
IMKONGTEMSU JAMIR: The commentator who brings local football alive in Mokokchung
Imkongtemsu Jamir, now a familiar voice in Mokokchung’s local sporting scene, began his journey as a commentator in 2013 purely out of passion for football.
What started as a hobby soon grew into a role that many tournaments now seek out, with organizers inviting him not only for football events but also for volleyball and other local competitions.
Over the years, his energetic and spontaneous style of commentary has become a defining element of grassroots tournaments, adding colour and excitement to matches across the district. Though he never planned to take it up professionally, his presence has become part of the sporting atmosphere wherever he is called to the mic.
