Shillong Premier League 2025 to kick off on August 6 with new format, Super Cup twist

Shillong’s top-tier football competition returns on August 6 with major structural changes aimed at boosting competitiveness, increasing fan interest, and streamlining the season calendar.

The Shillong Premier League (SPL) 2025 will feature a single round-robin format this year, replacing the traditional double-leg structure. All 10 participating clubs will face each other once across 45 matches, with the league leader at the end of the round declared champion. The runner-up will take second place. Relegation will continue as usual, with the bottom two sides demoted to the First Division in 2026.

A major addition this season is the introduction of the Shillong Super Cup, a post-league competition designed to showcase the best teams. The top two finishers in the SPL will automatically qualify for the Super Cup semifinals. Teams ranked third to sixth will play playoffs to secure the remaining two semifinal spots, with the tournament culminating in a grand final.

The SPL opener will see Nangkiew Irat take on Nongrim Hills at the SSA Stadium, First Ground, Polo. Mawlai, the 2024 runners-up, face Sawmer on August 7, followed by defending champions Shillong Lajong’s clash against Rangdajied United on August 9. Mylliem and Malki, newly promoted from the First Division, will make their debuts on August 12 and 13 against Langsning and Laitkor, respectively.

Kick-off times for the first five fixtures are set at 5:30 pm under floodlights, with subsequent matches scheduled for 3:45 pm.

Last year’s league expansion to 10 clubs increased the volume of matches, but the packed football calendar posed logistical challenges. The new format aims to maintain high-level competition while easing scheduling pressure and prioritising player development.