Shillong to Host First Tie on February 7; "It's Fans’ Response That Attracted Us," Says Tamhane

SHILLONG: The Indian Super League (ISL) is set to debut in Meghalaya with NorthEast United FC set to face Mumbai City FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong on February 7. The Highlanders will also host Bengaluru FC and East Bengal FC at the venue on February 21 and March 8, respectively, as the fans look forward to witnessing Indian football’s biggest stars, including Sunil Chhetri, Lallianzuala Chhangte and Naorem Mahesh Singh in action. Ahead of the game on February 7. Mandar Tamhane, CEO of NorthEast United FC shed light on how the club’s move to Shillong came about and revealed some interesting anecdotes of the football fandom in Shillong.

“When we played the semi-final of the Durand Cup against Shillong Lajong here, it was an eye opener for me even though I’ve been involved in Indian football for over 25 years. The online tickets were sold out in 12 minutes and there were five km long queues for physical tickets. Fan parks in different districts were also jam-packed.  We are a club representing eight states and we always wanted to bring football to parts of the Northeast. Seeing the response we got for the Durand Cup, reaffirmed our decision to come to Shillong this season itself,” he quoted while speaking to the ISL.

“Once we were certain about bringing the ISL to Shillong this season, we worked closely with the Government of Meghalaya, who have always extended their support and shared our vision of making Shillong the football capital of India,” he added.

NorthEast United FC forward Redeem Tlang, who hails from Shillong, has been one of the ISL’s notable domestic talents. With over 100 ISL appearances and a key role in NorthEast United FC’s historic Durand Cup victory in 2024, Tlang is thrilled about the league’s arrival in his home city.

“It’s a very special moment for me personally and also for the people of Meghalaya to experience ISL matches in Shillong,” said Tlang while speaking to the ISL.He added: “ISL is the top league in the country and to have it come to your home is an incredible feeling. People all over Meghalaya love football. I urge them to support us, to give us that extra boost when we play here. We want them to cheer for us from start to finish.”

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