NFA targets national stage for Nagaland women’s football by 2030

Chümoukedima hosts U-13 girls ASMITA East Zone Football League

Morung Express News 
Chümoukedima | February 5 

The Nagaland Football Association (NFA) has announced an ambitious roadmap to mould a state women’s team for the national stage by 2030. “By 2030, we plan to have our senior team figure in the national senior team. And by 2028, at least some juniors will be in the national trial camp. That is our plan now,” NFA President K Neibou Sekhose told a press conference held on the sidelines of the Under-13 (girls) ASMITA Zonal Football League 2025-26 (East Zone), currently being hosted in the state. 

The league kicked off at the Chümoukedima Football Stadium, Nagaland Police Complex on February 5, and scheduled to conclude on February 10. The East Zone features five teams— Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura, Sikkim, and Assam. Nagaland tied 0—0 against Tripura in the opening match. 

Sekhose attributed the renewed focus on women’s football to a perceived cultural shift within the state, noting that parents are increasingly supportive of their daughters pursuing football, a marked change from the past.

The ongoing ASMITA Zonal League serves as a entry point for this development. 

NFA Senior Vice President Kiyeka S Sumi said that while this is the fourth edition of the league nationally, it is Nagaland’s debut participation. The winners of the city league are representing the state in the zonals, with the ultimate goal of reaching the national finals.

“This is where they practically learn where the standard of football is going, the reality of football and the technicalities of football at a very early age,” Sumi remarked regarding the exposure the league provides to the Under-13 players.

The press briefing also highlighted the need to build an ecosystem for women’s football, including officiating. Riiolangh Dhar, a FIFA Assistant Referee from Meghalaya, also addressed the media, sharing her journey from a state player to an international official. According to her, the rural areas of India has untapped potential in football.

“From the city you might not find good players or a good sportsperson, but from the village you will get more because some of the students, they are not much interested in study or they can’t afford, but if you push them through sports, they can learn and they can earn as well,” Dhar said.

NFA representative Medolenuo Ambrocia added that the state currently lacks women referees at the national level and expressed hope that the presence of role models like Dhar would inspire young girls to explore various career paths within the football ecosystem.

ASMITA, an acronym for ‘Achieving Sports Milestone by Inspiring Women Through Action,’ serves as the central government’s sports initiative for women.

Earlier, at the opening ceremony, Abhinav Sharma, Deputy Director, Khelo India Events, Sports Authority of India (SAI), detailed the scope of the ASMITA initiative. According to Sharma, the programme has conducted over 1,250 tournaments across 32 sports disciplines within the current financial year 2025-26. He projected that participation will exceed 1.5 lakh women athletes this year, an increase from 58,000 in the previous fiscal year.

“ASMITA is one of those initiatives where we are hunting that grassroots to podium finish,” Sharma stated. “It is also about instilling that confidence and women empowerment.”

He highlighted the programme’s expanding reach, citing leagues conducted in remote locations such as Anjaw district, Arunachal Pradesh, near the Chinese border.

Chümoukedima Deputy Commissioner Polan John, who also attended the opening ceremony, noted that the national Under-13 league involves 8,000 players and 400 teams across 26 states and Union Territories. He said that engaging the youth in sports serves as a deterrent against substance abuse. “It is not just a privilege, but a right for girls to play sports,” John remarked, urging parents and community leaders to encourage female participation.