As anticipation builds for Mokokchung’s biggest football tournament, the MDFA Trophy, the Mokokchung District Football Association (MDFA) has announced a curtain raiser concert on October 15, 2024. The concert will be held at Imkongmeren Sports Complex, starting at 6 PM, with tickets priced at Rs 100.
The concert will feature a special performance by the MW Assemble Band, a unique collaboration of members from renowned bands Incipit, Sphinx, Melodrama, and Abiogenesis. According to the organizers, the band is set to deliver at least 10 songs, promising to ignite the excitement for the tournament’s opening day.
The MDFA Trophy 2024, themed “Fueling Passion, Inspiring Dreams,” will kick off on the same day with T. John Longkumer, IPS (Retd.), State Election Commissioner, gracing the opening ceremony as the inaugural guest. A total of 12 teams will be vying for the prestigious title, with the group stage draw having taken place on Friday at the residence of the MDFA treasurer in the presence of team representatives.
The teams have been divided into four pools of three, and after a round-robin league format, the top two teams from each pool will advance to the quarterfinals. The tournament fixtures are expected to be announced tomorrow.
A major highlight of this year’s competition is the return of the 2000 champions, Amokmolu SC, who have been grouped in Pool D alongside defending champions Telongjem FC and the formidable Konyak Students’ Union Mokokchung team. Another exciting storyline involves SSS, the only team that has participated in every MDFA tournament since its inception in 1993, who will again look to demonstrate their consistency and dominance.
Defending champions Telongjem FC will be aiming for their fourth consecutive title, while former champions Moanungsang MSC, who finished runners-up in the last two editions, are eager to reclaim their former glory. Zonipang SC, champions in 2011 and 2017, will also make their return, fielding a younger squad this year.
Despite a drop in the number of participating teams in recent years, an issue the MDFA must address, the standard of the tournament has continued to improve.