Shillong, October 26: Ten teams will compete for the SSA Champions Cup 2026, with the tournament trophy unveiled on Monday in the presence of senior members of the Shillong Sports Association (SSA), along with players and officials from the participating clubs.
The unveiling was led by SSA president and MLA Banteidor Lyngdoh, just over a week before the tournament begins on November 3. Following the successful inaugural edition in 2025, the competition will once again bring together the champions and runners-up from all five men’s football divisions under the SSA.
All 10 participating clubs were also presented with cheques of Rs 50,000 each as a reward for qualifying and to help them prepare for the championship.
To make the competition more balanced, clubs from the Second, Third and Fourth Divisions will be allowed to sign five players on loan from other local clubs. Teams from the Shillong Premier League (SPL) and First Division, however, must field players already registered with the SSA.
The tournament will follow a league-cum-knockout format, beginning on November 3 and concluding with the final in early December.
The participating teams, based on their respective league standings, are SPL champions Mawlai and runners-up Shillong Lajong; First Division champions Mawkhar and runners-up Nongkrem; Second Division champions Mawpat and runners-up Sohryngkham; Third Division champions Sanmer and runners-up Lamlynti; and Fourth Division champions Mawpdang and runners-up Sei La Sap FCC.
Defending champions Nongkseh will not feature this year after finishing third in the SPL, meaning a new team will be crowned champions in 2026.
Shillong Lajong are the only team making their second consecutive appearance in the Champions Cup. They finished runners-up in the SPL in both 2025 and 2026 and also reached the final of the inaugural Champions Cup, where they lost 2-1 to Nongkseh after extra time at the SSA Stadium.
Addressing the gathering before the trophy unveiling, Lyngdoh congratulated all 10 clubs on qualifying for the tournament and said the SSA aimed to work closely with the teams to make this edition an even greater success.
He also highlighted the association’s long-term ambition of helping more local footballers progress to bigger clubs across the country and earn opportunities to represent the national team.
The teams have been divided into two groups of five. Group A comprises Mawlai, Nongkrem, Mawpat, Lamlynti and Mawpdang, while Group B features Shillong Lajong, Mawkhar, Sohryngkham, Sanmer and Sei La Sap FCC. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals.
The opening match will see Mawlai take on Lamlynti at 2:30 pm on November 3 at the SSA Stadium.
