Shillong, July 30, 2025: The much-anticipated Shillong Premier League (SPL) 2025 is set to begin on August 6, introducing a fresh format designed to boost fan engagement and enhance the overall competitiveness of Meghalaya’s top-tier football league.

The season will open with Nangkiew Irat facing Nongrim Hills at the SSA Stadium, First Ground, Polo. Mawlai SC, the 2024 runners-up, will meet Sawmer on August 7, while reigning champions Shillong Lajong FC are slated to take on Rangdajied United on August 9. Newly promoted sides Mylliem and Malki will make their SPL debuts on August 12 and 13 against Langsning and Laitkor, respectively.

Kick-off times for the first five matches are set at 5:30 PM under floodlights. Thereafter, matches will begin at 3:45 PM.

In response to the challenges of an expanded 10-team format introduced last year, the Shillong Sports Association (SSA) has redesigned the league structure. The SPL will now be played over a single round-robin leg, with each team facing every other team once. The team finishing at the top will be declared champions, and the second-placed side will finish as runners-up.

Post-league action will shift to a newly introduced Shillong Super Cup (Super 6). The top two teams will qualify directly, while teams ranked 3rd to 6th will contest playoffs to join them in the semifinals and final.

Relegation rules remain unchanged: the bottom two teams will drop to the First Division for the 2026 season.

Players from all clubs have been training rigorously in the lead-up to the opening fixture, with the single-leg format raising the stakes for every match. The 2025 season is poised to deliver intense action and thrilling football for fans across the state.