Shillong, Jun 29: Tlangnuam Futsal Club of Mizoram defeated Progressive Sports Academy of Gujarat 9-5 in the final of the AIFF Futsal Club Championship 2025-26 in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, on Sunday. They became the first club from Mizoram and the first from the entire North East to win the title.
Producing a superb brand of play intent on possession and aggressive in approach, Tlangnuam led 3-2 at the breather, but some quick goals in the second half saw them run away with the lead as Joshuah Vaz’s side proved too strong for the home side. Lalremtluanga, Lalsangkima and David Laltlansanga shone for Tlangnuam with a brace each, while Kiran Chhetri, PC Lalremruata and K Roluahpuia netted once each.
Individual awards were also presented at the end of the tournament. Lalsawmpuia of Progressive SA was named Best Player, his team mate Nikhil Mali was the Top Scorer with 13 goals and Progressive SA also picked up the Fair Play Award. The Best Goalkeeper gong, meanwhile, went to Tlangnuam’s Malhar Shah.
The fifth edition of the national competition began on 17th June with 13 teams in the running. Meghalaya was not represented as we don’t have a state futsal league here. In fact, only once was one conducted, in 2021-22, the year the AIFF introduced the Futsal Championship. That year Meghalaya was represented by Niaw Wasa FC. They won the state title but couldn’t progress out of the group stage at the nationals as they were drawn with eventual champions Delhi FC.
Tlangnuam were in Group B and beat FC Bushahr (Himachal Pradesh) 14-2 and Coramandal FC (Andhra Pradesh) 13-1 to reach the next round. They then trounced Group D runners-up Young Hearts FC (Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu) 23-0 to record the biggest win in the history of the tournament in the quarterfinals before defeating defending champions Goal Hunterz (Delhi) 10-4 in the semifinals.
(All India Football Federation photo)
