Shillong, Sep 18: The Meghalaya Football Association today felicitated Ri-iohlang Dhar on her appointment as an Assistant Referee at the forthcoming FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, which will begin next month.
MFA President Hamletson Dohling and MFA General Secretary Sunesh Syiem presented Dhar with a cheque as a token of appreciation and recognition on the sidelines of an executive committee meeting at the MFA office at the JN Stadium, Polo, here.
Dohling described Dhar as an inspiration to Meghalaya’s youth while Dhar, only the second Indian to officiate at a World Cup, thanked the MFA for standing by and supporting her on her journey to becoming an international-level football official.
The FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup will take place in the Dominican Republic from 16 October to 3 November.
Meanwhile, after the meeting, Syiem informed that the fourth edition of the much-anticipated Meghalaya State League will begin on 26 October.
This season the best clubs from the various affiliated district units of the MFA will be divided between six groups of four teams each playing their round robin matches at six venues across the state, details of which will be revealed in due course.
Each of the group winners plus the two best second-placed teams from across the six groups will qualify for the quarterfinal round. This marks a change from the previous three editions, where the group winners qualified directly for the semifinals, thereby adding an extra round of thrilling action.
Rangdajied United FC are the defending champions, having defeated Khliehmawlieh Youth Club in last year’s final.
Syiem also revealed that the group stage of the inaugural Meghalaya Youth League for U-14 and U-16 boys will conclude on 28 September. The quarterfinals will then begin in the first week of October, followed by the semifinals and the final will be held on 11 October. All of the knockout matches will take place in Shillong.
Both tournaments are financially supported by the Meghalaya government.
