Star Cement joins hands with Mizoram Premier League to strengthen football ecosystem
Star Cement has joined hands with the Mizoram Football Association and Zonet TV Pvt. Ltd. for the 13th season of the Mizoram Premier League, with the partnership aimed at strengthening the state’s football ecosystem, nurturing young talent and creating wider pathways for local players to reach the national stage.
The upcoming edition will officially be known as the Star Cement Mizoram Premier League Season 13. The association, however, is being positioned as an initiative that goes beyond conventional title sponsorship, bringing together the three organisations around a shared commitment to youth development, local football and the sporting aspirations of Mizoram.
The Mizoram Premier League is jointly organised by the Mizoram Football Association and Zonet TV Pvt. Ltd. While the association oversees the technical and sporting aspects of the competition, Zonet TV manages its broadcast, marketing and commercial operations. The league was inaugurated in September 2012 by former India captain Baichung Bhutia and has since emerged as one of the country’s most professionally organised state football competitions.
Eight clubs compete in the league under a promotion and relegation system, providing players with regular high-level competition and an opportunity to progress to larger national platforms. Over the years, the league has helped strengthen the football structure from which clubs such as Aizawl FC and Chanmari FC have built competitive squads.
Mizoram has consistently made a significant contribution to Indian football despite accounting for a small share of the country’s population. Players such as Lallianzuala Chhangte and Lalengmawia “Apuia” Ralte have emerged from the state’s football system and gone on to represent leading clubs and the national team.
During the 2024–25 season, 44 players from Mizoram were registered in the Indian Super League, while another 66 featured in the Indian Football League. The combined presence of 110 players across the two competitions underlines the strength of the state’s football development structure and the role played by local competitions such as the Mizoram Premier League.
Speaking on the initiative, Shri Pradeep Purohit, Chief Operating Officer of Star Cement Limited, said football in Mizoram was deeply connected with the state’s identity, community spirit and the aspirations of its young people.
“Football in Mizoram is much more than a sport. It is an integral part of the state’s identity, its community spirit and the aspirations of its young people. Mizoram has consistently enriched Indian football with exceptional talent, passion and commitment, and we feel privileged to become a part of this inspiring journey,” Shri Purohit said.
He added that Star Cement’s association with the league was not limited to supporting a competition but was intended to strengthen the platform through which young players could develop their abilities and move towards opportunities at the highest levels of the sport.
“At Star Cement, we believe that building a stronger society also means investing in its people, their aspirations and their future. Together with the Mizoram Football Association and Zonet TV, we hope to nurture emerging talent, strengthen local football and help create many more success stories from Mizoram for Indian football,” he said.
Welcoming the association, Shri L.V. Lalthantluanga, Director of Zonet TV Pvt. Ltd., said the partnership represented a shared commitment to the young people of Mizoram and the future of football in the state.
“The Mizoram Premier League has become a proven platform for developing footballers who go on to represent Mizoram and India at the highest level. Star Cement’s involvement will help us strengthen this pathway, widen opportunities and give greater visibility to our clubs and players,” Lalthantluanga said.
He said Star Cement would become part of Mizoram’s football journey by helping nurture talent, create opportunities and strengthen the future of the sport.
Matches during the season will primarily be played in the evenings under floodlights and will be broadcast live exclusively across the Zonet Network’s television and digital platforms. The organisers said the coverage would enable football supporters across Mizoram and beyond to follow the competition while giving participating clubs and players wider visibility.
The initiative is expected to further strengthen the Mizoram Premier League as a competitive and developmental platform while encouraging more young players to pursue football professionally. The organisers said Season 13 would seek to celebrate Mizoram’s footballing identity while making a meaningful investment in the aspirations of its next generation of players.
