Mokokchung Interward Football Tournament from March 12

MOKOKCHUNG — The Marepkong Youth Association announced on Saturday that the fifth edition of the Mokokchung Interward Football Tournament will be held at the Imkongmeren Sports Complex, Mokokchung, from March 12 to the 23rd.

At a press conference held at Marepkong Community Hall, the convener of the tournament, Bendangnukshi, announced that the cash prizes for the champion and runner-up will remain unchanged from previous editions. The champion will receive a cash prize of INR 50,000 along with a trophy and certificate, while the runner-up will receive INR 30,000 and a certificate.

It was informed that the tournament also includes individual prizes for the highest goal scorer, best defender, best goalkeeper, and player of the tournament.

For this year’s edition, the organising committee is planning to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with a Guwahati-based football academy. Representatives from the academy will be invited to scout promising players from the tournament to join their academy and further enhance their football skills, according to the convener.

He did, however, maintain that the final decision on whether or not to join the academy is up to the players and their families and he mentioned that the Marepkong Youth Association intends to make this tournament self-sustaining by 2026.

The tournament is exclusively for the wards under Mokokchung town; therefore, the players should be bona fide members of their respective wards.

The organisers have informed that, as usual, revenue generated through ticket sales will be shared with participating teams on a 50/50 basis. The forms will be issued and submissions will start from February 19 to March 2, and they will be available at Cyber 48, MMC Shopping Complex.