Shillong, Sep 14: Shillong Lajong’s emphatic 6-1 victory over Sawmer in the Shillong Premier League 2026 on Saturday has been overturned after the Shillong Sports Association (SSA) found the club guilty of breaching the tournament’s rule on outside players.
The matter came before the SSA Tournament Committee on Monday after Sawmer protested the eligibility of certain Lajong players who featured in the match.
According to the SSA, the protest centred on Lajong allegedly fielding three players who are not domiciled in Meghalaya. Representatives of both clubs appeared before the Tournament Committee and were given an opportunity to present their respective cases.
After examining the submissions, relevant documents and tournament guidelines, the committee unanimously concluded that Shillong Lajong had violated Rule 9 of the SPL guidelines, which states that only two players from outside Meghalaya are permitted in the playing XI.
As a result, the committee ordered the match to be forfeited by Lajong and awarded Sawmer a 3-0 victory.
The decision was communicated through an SSA notification issued by Assistant General Secretary Samran Syiem, who also urged all affiliated clubs to strictly comply with the rules, guidelines and regulations circulated by the association.
The breach appears to have resulted from an inadvertent oversight. Lajong started the match with Lakpa Lama in goal, and the club apparently failed to account for his presence when Lalmuansanga and Abelson Jachi were subsequently introduced as substitutes, taking the number of non-Meghalaya domiciled players on the field to three.
The revised result could have a significant impact on the SPL title race. Lajong remain at the top with 11 points from six matches, but second-placed Mawlai, with 10 points from four games, are now in a strong position to reclaim the lead.
Sawmer have also climbed from seventh to fourth place with nine points, level with defending champions Langsning, who retain the advantage on head-to-head record.
The title race could take another turn on Wednesday when Mawlai face Langsning at 5pm, in a fixture that could prove crucial in determining the destination of the SPL 2026 crown.
