SSA’s U-20 Fourth Division League kicks off with 29 teams on board
Shillong, June 14: The craze for football among youth across Meghalaya is deep rooted. So are football talent, who play prominent roles in several leading football clubs in India. With these key assets, Meghalaya can surely dream about being the football capital of India. Chief minister Conrad K Sangma has just made the formal statement!
“Meghalaya has a target to make Meghalaya and Shillong as the football capital of the country and in order to achieve this goal, many, many activities are taking place throughout the state,” the chief minister said while inaugurating the Fourth Division League of the Shillong Sports Association (SSA) on Saturday.
The Fourth Division is an Under-20 league format, featuring participation from 29 teams. At the end of the season, the top two teams will earn promotion to the Third Division. The first match was played between Thynroid SC versus Golflink SC.
In his address at SSA Stadium in Polo, Sangma reiterated the state government’s commitment to promoting football and positioning Meghalaya as a football capital of India.
Construction of artificial and natural turf stadiums, Chief Minister’s Football Mission, upcoming football stadium at Mawkynroh — touted to be the largest in the country — and a national-level football academy are some of the major government initiatives towards strengthening football infrastructure in the state.
“We have a very large plan for Meghalaya and what we are doing here today is a very, very important part of that,” Sangma added.
Announcing continued financial support for the tournament, he said, “We had supported this tournament last year from Chief Minister’s special grant with Rs 28 lakh plus.”
He said this year the government will sanction Rs 30 lakh to conduct the tournament.
SSA, which comprises over 95 affiliated clubs, will kick off the season with the Fourth Division Under-20 League, followed by the senior men’s divisions: Third Division, Second Division, First Division, and elite Shillong Premier League (SPL). The calendar also includes a dedicated Women’s League and grassroots football leagues for age groups Under-10 to Under-14, scheduled during the winter months.
This year, SSA is set to launch the inaugural Champions League Tournament, a new competition that will see the champions and runners-up from all men’s divisions compete against each other — a move aimed at raising competitive standards and giving top-performing clubs wider exposure.
Narrating SSA’s significant role in conducting football leagues across multiple divisions, an SSA official said, “Our leagues may not have produced many, but they’ve produced some of the finest footballers who have gone on to represent the state and even the country.”
Meanwhile, the financial assistance from CM’s Special Development Fund enabled to double the prize money for SPL champions from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 6 lakh, which was bagged by last year’s season winner Shillong Lajong FC.
SSA honorary general secretary Dipshon L Nongbri, SSA working president Robert Dkhar, Meghalaya State Olympic Association secretary Finely Pariat, SSA vice-president and OSD to CM Daniel M Thangkhiew were among present on the occasion.
