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The Meghalaya cabinet has approved a 45-year lease of 19.99 acres at Mawkhanu in New Shillong to Indian Super League club NorthEast United FC for a football academy, according to reports published on October 27 and 28, 2026. The proposed project is expected to involve an investment of ₹40–50 crore and include three football grounds, accommodation and other supporting facilities.
Government spokesperson Wailadmiki Shylla, who also serves as Sports and Youth Affairs Minister, said the academy is intended to strengthen the pathway from grassroots participation to professional football. The decision gives a long-term framework for the club and state to develop the proposed site, although construction timelines and an opening date were not specified in the reports reviewed.
The planned facilities include three football grounds, accommodation and additional infrastructure. A residential setup could support training programmes and player development at the site, though the final design, academy intake, coaching staff and operating schedule have not yet been detailed publicly in the sources reviewed.
The proposed investment of ₹40–50 crore has been attributed to the club’s plans for the project. It should be treated as an expected investment rather than a confirmed amount already spent. The next major milestones will be implementation details, construction progress and the announcement of how aspiring players will be selected for training.
The cabinet’s approval concerns a 45-year lease of 19.99 acres at Mawkhanu. The lease period reflects a negotiated position: The Sports Room reported that the government had initially considered 30 years while the club had sought 60 years. The final lease documentation and any additional conditions were not included in the reports cited here.
Shylla said the academy is expected to complement the state’s existing football development work. Reports cited approximately 125 grassroots football centres across Meghalaya, alongside the government’s Mission Football programme and support for local clubs. The proposed academy is intended to add a more advanced training environment for young players who aspire to compete at higher levels.
The difference between grassroots centres and a professional academy is important. Community-level programmes can help young people access the sport and develop basic skills, while a dedicated academy may provide a more structured environment for longer-term training. The extent to which this project creates a reliable progression route will depend on its coaching programme, player access, facilities and links to competitive teams.
Shylla also said the government remained open to proposals from local clubs and organisations seeking support for football infrastructure. That statement indicates that the NorthEast United FC project is being presented as part of a broader state approach rather than as a replacement for local football initiatives.
The latest cabinet decision follows an earlier announcement in March 2024, when NorthEast United FC and the Meghalaya government reached an in-principle agreement for a residential football academy at Mawkhanu in New Shillong Township. A report published at the time said further government diligence was still in progress, showing that the project has been under discussion for more than two years.
The new approval marks a further step in that process, but it should not be confused with confirmation that the academy is already built or operating. A separate report in September 2024 described an earlier allocation of 15 acres; the October 2026 reports refer to a 19.99-acre lease approved by the cabinet. The precise legal and administrative relationship between those earlier arrangements and the latest approval is not detailed in the available reporting.
NorthEast United FC, whose owner is actor John Abraham, has previously used Shillong as a venue for some matches. The proposed academy would deepen the club’s presence in Meghalaya if the plans move into construction and operation.
The practical next steps are likely to include formalising the lease, confirming the project schedule and developing the facilities, but the sources reviewed do not provide a confirmed construction start date or completion target. Further announcements should clarify the academy’s age groups, recruitment process, residential arrangements, coaching structure and how local players will access the programme.
For young footballers in Meghalaya, the project’s long-term significance will depend on whether it offers a transparent and sustained route from local participation to high-level training and competition. For now, the cabinet approval establishes the reported land-lease framework and proposed investment; the delivery of the academy and its outcomes remain ahead.
