The Shillong Sports Association has officially released the groupings and fixtures for the first-ever SSA Champions Cup 2025, scheduled to kick off on 24 November. The new tournament, conceptualised by the SSA, will feature the top teams from all five men’s football divisions, bringing them together into one high-intensity competition to crown the maiden Champion of Champions.
A total of 10 teams have qualified and are divided into two groups of five, with each side playing one round-robin match. The top two from each group will advance to the semifinals. The champions will take home a massive ₹8 lakh prize, making it one of Meghalaya’s most lucrative tournaments.
The competition will begin after the ongoing First Division concludes. Nongkseh and Meghalaya Police have already secured Top 2 spots in the division, though the title race remains undecided.
Group A features Shillong Premier League champions Langsning, Second Division winners Mylliem Lum, Third Division runners-up Umlyngka, Fourth Division champions Mawkasiang, and the First Division runners-up.
Group B includes SPL runners-up Shillong Lajong, Second Division runners-up Laitkyrhong, Third Division champions Mawkriah West, Fourth Division runners-up Mawlynrei, and the winners of the First Division.
The tournament opener on 24 November will see Mawkasiang vs Mylliem Lum at 1 PM, followed by Langsning vs Umlyngka at 4:30 PM. Semifinals are slated for 9 and 10 December, with the grand final on 13 December.
The trophy was unveiled during the SSA Super Cup 2025 final by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, in the presence of Sports Minister Wailadmiki Shylla and representatives of the participating clubs.
Teams from the lower divisions — Second, Third, and Fourth — will be allowed to take up to five players on loan to help balance the competition and give promising players exposure against top-tier talent.
Beyond the action on the field, the Champions Cup will provide valuable insights into the competitive gap within Meghalaya’s football pyramid while helping scouts and selectors identify emerging stars. With passionate fanbases supporting lower-division teams and the added excitement of player loans, the inaugural SSA Champions Cup 2025 promises to be a thrilling new chapter in Shillong football.
