Football Passion Unleashed: Shillong Fans Electrify Durand Cup Atmosphere: By Parashar Kalita
The day was the 26th of August, when loud cheers in the stadium created an electric atmosphere in the semifinal of the Durand Cup match between NorthEast United FC and Shillong Lajong FC, at the newly developed Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Shillong.
Initially, the match was scheduled to be held in Kolkata. However, after both teams, NorthEast United FC and Shillong Lajong FC from the Northeast region of the country, qualified for the semifinal, the authorities decided to relocate them to the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Shillong.\
The roar could tremble anyone in the stadium. However, NorthEast United FC, under the guidance of Spanish coach Juan Pedro Benali, controlled their nerves and scored three goals to secure their spot in their first-ever final since the club's formation. In the final, the club defeated Mohun Bagan Super Giants in a penalty shootout and won the 133rd Durand Trophy, their first silverware.
The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium has undergone major renovations over the last two years. With an expected seating capacity of close to 30,000 and the current arrangements and progress of the work, the stadium was on track to meet FIFA standards, making the football field capable of hosting any international tournaments.
After undergoing a massive two-year renovation, the stadium was ready for football action just before the Durand Cup. Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, during a visit to the stadium in 2023, told the media that they expect a seating capacity of close to 30,000 and that with the current arrangements and the progress of the work, the stadium was on track to meet FIFA standards and could host any international tournaments. Meghalaya's Football Legacy: A Deep-Rooted Passion
Siddhartha Sankar Deka, Co-founder/Director of Guwahati City FC, a Guwahati-based club and long-time supporter of Shillong Lajong FC, spoke about the football culture in Meghalaya.
He said, “Meghalaya has one of the strongest football cultures in the country, along with Manipur and Mizoram. It has a robust club structure with pathways for young footballers to grow through grassroots-level academies.”
Elaborating on the fan base and culture, Siddhartha expressed that the fan base of the Lajong Club is organic because the clubs are community-based. He elaborated, “The fan base is organic because the clubs are community-based. In recent years, their representation in national leagues has been reduced due to various reasons. Still, with Shillong Lajong returning to the I-League and other clubs like Rangdajied United FC aiming to enter the national league pyramid, Meghalaya is certainly striking the right chord. However, the development of women's football still needs attention,” he added.
Siddhartha also shared his experience of watching and participating in football in Meghalaya: "As a club, we have a special relationship with Meghalaya. When we started our journey in 2017, Shillong Lajong FC provided us with technical support, and we have always been in awe of their role in the development of football in the state. I’ve watched several Shillong Premier League and I-League matches there, and I can say that the atmosphere is always electrifying and filled with pure football passion. Their fan culture is hyper-local and community-based, not artificially created, and that is reflected in the stadium, making the experience fabulous.”
Mixed Weather Meghalaya's Football Fever
On 24th August, Meghalaya experienced mixed weather—rainy in the morning and hot in the afternoon. Despite this, people started queuing as early as 7-8 AM and waited for hours to get their tickets for the Durand Cup semifinal.
The same situation that occurred with tickets for the match may have happened with tickets for the Cricket World Cup final. The Meghalaya government had to arrange big screens at various places to accommodate the fans, and thousands of people participated during the games.
I spoke with some fans from both teams personally on the 24th of August, who shared their excitement and opinions about the match.
L. Marwein, a resident of Meghalaya, shared his thoughts on the match on 24th August, saying, “This is going to be a historic match. If Shillong had a stadium with the capacity of Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium, I'm sure it would be a full house. In my locality, there's a ticket store where people started queuing early in the morning, waited for several hours, and when the tickets finally went on sale, they sold out in no time."
He said, "In the Indian Super League, we usually support NorthEast United FC, but now that Shillong Lajong FC represents the entire state, people will support them with all their energy. Fans will come from different parts of the state to cheer the team on with full enthusiasm."
Another resident of Meghalaya, Dr. Stephanson Chadap, shared his thoughts on the ongoing football environment in the state. He said, “The football fever in Shillong and Meghalaya is incredible! Fans are going to great lengths to secure tickets, queuing up from 6 AM for offline sales starting at 2 PM. Online tickets flew off the shelves, with the first phase selling out in 2 hours and the second phase in a mere 6 minutes!
He shared, “The excitement is palpable, and this Northeast Derby match promises to be an unforgettable encounter! Despite 48 hours remaining before the match, tickets have been snapped up, leaving thousands of fans unable to secure them. To accommodate the unprecedented demand, the Government of Meghalaya has set up giant screens in five locations, ensuring that those who missed out on tickets can still experience the match.” Fans on the Move: Highlanders Brigade Travels to Kokrajhar, Shillong, and Kolkata, to Back NorthEast United FC
The Highlanders Brigade, the supporter group of NorthEast United FC, was also geared up to cheer for their team. Members of the supporter club traveled to Sai Stadium in Kokrajhar, almost 240 km from Guwahati, from Shillong, and to Kolkata to support the team in their group matches, quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals.
Expressing their excitement, Ivan Basumatary, one of the members of the club, said that members of the supporter club are traveling from different parts of Assam to Shillong to support the team.
“Looking at the enthusiasm among the crowd, such matches give a positive boost to the sport in the region. We need more such Northeast Derbies in the long run. A league/tournament comprising the best clubs from all eight Northeast states is the need of the hour to grow the sport and fan culture further in the region," Ivan asserted.
Initially, the match was scheduled to be held in Kolkata. However, after both teams, NorthEast United FC and Shillong Lajong FC from the Northeast region of the country, qualified for the semifinal, the authorities decided to relocate them to the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Shillong.\
The roar could tremble anyone in the stadium. However, NorthEast United FC, under the guidance of Spanish coach Juan Pedro Benali, controlled their nerves and scored three goals to secure their spot in their first-ever final since the club's formation. In the final, the club defeated Mohun Bagan Super Giants in a penalty shootout and won the 133rd Durand Trophy, their first silverware.
The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium has undergone major renovations over the last two years. With an expected seating capacity of close to 30,000 and the current arrangements and progress of the work, the stadium was on track to meet FIFA standards, making the football field capable of hosting any international tournaments.
After undergoing a massive two-year renovation, the stadium was ready for football action just before the Durand Cup. Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, during a visit to the stadium in 2023, told the media that they expect a seating capacity of close to 30,000 and that with the current arrangements and the progress of the work, the stadium was on track to meet FIFA standards and could host any international tournaments. Meghalaya's Football Legacy: A Deep-Rooted Passion
Siddhartha Sankar Deka, Co-founder/Director of Guwahati City FC, a Guwahati-based club and long-time supporter of Shillong Lajong FC, spoke about the football culture in Meghalaya.
He said, “Meghalaya has one of the strongest football cultures in the country, along with Manipur and Mizoram. It has a robust club structure with pathways for young footballers to grow through grassroots-level academies.”
Elaborating on the fan base and culture, Siddhartha expressed that the fan base of the Lajong Club is organic because the clubs are community-based. He elaborated, “The fan base is organic because the clubs are community-based. In recent years, their representation in national leagues has been reduced due to various reasons. Still, with Shillong Lajong returning to the I-League and other clubs like Rangdajied United FC aiming to enter the national league pyramid, Meghalaya is certainly striking the right chord. However, the development of women's football still needs attention,” he added.
Siddhartha also shared his experience of watching and participating in football in Meghalaya: "As a club, we have a special relationship with Meghalaya. When we started our journey in 2017, Shillong Lajong FC provided us with technical support, and we have always been in awe of their role in the development of football in the state. I’ve watched several Shillong Premier League and I-League matches there, and I can say that the atmosphere is always electrifying and filled with pure football passion. Their fan culture is hyper-local and community-based, not artificially created, and that is reflected in the stadium, making the experience fabulous.”
Mixed Weather Meghalaya's Football Fever
On 24th August, Meghalaya experienced mixed weather—rainy in the morning and hot in the afternoon. Despite this, people started queuing as early as 7-8 AM and waited for hours to get their tickets for the Durand Cup semifinal.
The same situation that occurred with tickets for the match may have happened with tickets for the Cricket World Cup final. The Meghalaya government had to arrange big screens at various places to accommodate the fans, and thousands of people participated during the games.
I spoke with some fans from both teams personally on the 24th of August, who shared their excitement and opinions about the match.
L. Marwein, a resident of Meghalaya, shared his thoughts on the match on 24th August, saying, “This is going to be a historic match. If Shillong had a stadium with the capacity of Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium, I'm sure it would be a full house. In my locality, there's a ticket store where people started queuing early in the morning, waited for several hours, and when the tickets finally went on sale, they sold out in no time."
He said, "In the Indian Super League, we usually support NorthEast United FC, but now that Shillong Lajong FC represents the entire state, people will support them with all their energy. Fans will come from different parts of the state to cheer the team on with full enthusiasm."
Another resident of Meghalaya, Dr. Stephanson Chadap, shared his thoughts on the ongoing football environment in the state. He said, “The football fever in Shillong and Meghalaya is incredible! Fans are going to great lengths to secure tickets, queuing up from 6 AM for offline sales starting at 2 PM. Online tickets flew off the shelves, with the first phase selling out in 2 hours and the second phase in a mere 6 minutes!
He shared, “The excitement is palpable, and this Northeast Derby match promises to be an unforgettable encounter! Despite 48 hours remaining before the match, tickets have been snapped up, leaving thousands of fans unable to secure them. To accommodate the unprecedented demand, the Government of Meghalaya has set up giant screens in five locations, ensuring that those who missed out on tickets can still experience the match.” Fans on the Move: Highlanders Brigade Travels to Kokrajhar, Shillong, and Kolkata, to Back NorthEast United FC
The Highlanders Brigade, the supporter group of NorthEast United FC, was also geared up to cheer for their team. Members of the supporter club traveled to Sai Stadium in Kokrajhar, almost 240 km from Guwahati, from Shillong, and to Kolkata to support the team in their group matches, quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals.
Expressing their excitement, Ivan Basumatary, one of the members of the club, said that members of the supporter club are traveling from different parts of Assam to Shillong to support the team.
“Looking at the enthusiasm among the crowd, such matches give a positive boost to the sport in the region. We need more such Northeast Derbies in the long run. A league/tournament comprising the best clubs from all eight Northeast states is the need of the hour to grow the sport and fan culture further in the region," Ivan asserted.
