Aizawl FC: History of the club

Aizawl FC is an Indian football club from the North-eastern State of Mizoram. The club plays in the I-League. Aizawl FC play their home matches at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Aizawl. The stadium is named after the former Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi. The club’s head coach is Stanley Rozario.
Aizawl FC was established in the year 1984. Since that year, the club has taken part in numerous amateur competitions. They were officially accredited by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to compete in the I-League 2nd Division. This happened in January 2012. The accreditation received by the AIFF would pave the way for Aizawl FC to become a fully professional football club. Three years later, the club won the 2015 I-League 2nd Division and would be promoted to the top-flight league of Indian Football, the I-League 2015-16. Aizawl FC became the first representatives of Mizoram in the I-League. The 2016-17 I-League season was a memorable one for Aizawl FC. They won the league title having secured 37 points from 18 games. In the process, Aizawl FC became the first team from North-East India to win the I-League title. The club, as a result, played in the AFC Champions League play-off round where they lost to the Iranian club Zob Ahan. They played in the 2018 AFC Cup group stage.
Aizawl FC have rivalries with Shillong Lajong FC, NEROCA and various other clubs from North-east India. The rivalries between these clubs are called Northeast Derbies.