Shillong, Apr 9: Mawlai SC will make a foray into national-level club football by participating in I-League 3 2025-26 (the fourth division in men’s football in the country), which will begin later this month.
Mawlai have been slotted in Group A, with FC Raengdai (Manipur), Sikkim Brotherhood FC, Sunrise Club Orissa and ARA FC (Gujarat). All the matches in this group will be held at the Khuman Lampak Stadium in Imphal.
The All India Football Federation introduced I-League 3 in 2023 for champions of the various state leagues across the country. This is the first stepping stone at the national level that leads to I-League 2, the Indian Football League and up to the pinnacle, the Indian Super League.
For Meghalaya, the winners of the Meghalaya State League are eligible to take part in I-League 3. Rangdajied United (MSL 3 champs) were in the 2023 edition but couldn’t progress past the group stage. Mawlai then won the MSL 4 title.
Mawlai were at the height of their powers back then, having won back-to-back Shillong Premier League trophies and then the statewide MSL crown.
However, 2025 was more difficult for them, as they finished third in the SPL (after almost winning it) and were semifinalists in the new SSA Super Cup.
They are set to mount a defence of their MSL title when the fifth season begins on 15th April. However, their I-League 3 campaign is meant to start on 27th April and this could lead to a clash in dates – we’ll have to wait and see as the MSL 5 fixtures have not been released yet.
Mawlai I-League 3 fixtures:
vs Sikkim Brother hood, 27th April, 3PM
vs Sunrise Club Orissa, 29th April, 9AM
vs ARA FC, 3rd May, 9AM
vs FC Raengdai, 5th May, 3PM
(File photo of Mawlai after winning the MSL 4 title)
