Rangdajied United

Full name	Rangdajied United Football Club[1]
Short name	RUFC
Founded	1987; 38 years ago (1987) (asAr-Hima) 2012; 13 years ago (2012) (asRangdajied United)
Ground	Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium
Capacity	30,000
Chairman	Karsing Kurbah
Head coach	Aiborlang Khongjee
League	Meghalaya State League Shillong Premier League
Website	rufc.in
Home colours Away colours Third colours

Rangdajied United Football Club (formerly known asAr-Hima) is an Indian professionalfootball club based in Mawngap-Mawphlang, in the south-west ofShillong,East Khasi Hills,Meghalaya.^[2] The club was founded in 1987,^[3] and participated in theI-League 2nd Division.^[4] They won the league in the 2012–13 season.

Rangdajied was in the thentop tierI-league during the2013–14 season.^[5][6][7] The club consecutively participates in theShillong Premier League, the top tier state football league inMeghalaya.^[8][9]

The club was formerly known as "Ar-Hima",^{[10][11][12][13]} thatliterally means 'The Two Kingdoms'.^[14] During the 2012–13 season,^[15] the club changed its name toRangdajied United FC.^[16][17]

"Rangdajied" in theKhasi language is an expression which signifies a brave, courageous, patriotic man at the prime of his youth.^[16]

Rangdajied United was founded in 1987 asAr-Hima.^{[18][19][20][21]} The club is headquartered in Mawngap-Mawphlang, south-west Shillong.^[22] Rangdajied United has participated in various editions of theShillong Premier League and enjoyed massive rivalries with their fellow Shillong based clubsShillong Lajong andRoyal Wahingdoh.^[23] In September 2012, the club reached semi-finals ofBordoloi Trophy.^[24][25] The club has participated in the2013 I-League 2nd Division and qualified for the main round.^[26][27][28]Having won the2013 I-League 2nd Division final round held inBangalore, Rangdajied United earned qualification toI-League.^[29][30] On 20 November 2013, Rangdajied agreed the signings ofIndia national team starsGouramangi Singh,Subrata Pal,Sandesh Jhingan,Manandeep Singh, andTomba Singh,^[31][17] and competed in the2013–14 season.^{[32][33][34][35][36]} They ended their league campaign with 25 points in 24 matches, securing eleventh position in league table, but made headlines by defeating table toppersBengaluru 3–2 at home.^[37][38][39] In the following season Rangdajied was evicted from I-League for not fulfilling theAsian Football Confederation's club licensing criteria.^{[40][41][42][43]}

After clinching the2013 edition of Shillong Premier League, Rangdajied finished as runners-up in2016 season.^[44] In 2015–16 season, the club was managed by Khlain Pyrkhat Syiemlieh, who cleared the AFC A licence at that time.^[45] Rangdajied then became a regular participant inMeghalaya State League, formed in 2017.^[46][47][48] Later in2019 season, they again achieved runners-up position, gaining 22 points in 12 matches.^[49] The club finished as runners-up in second edition of the Meghalaya State League.^[50]

The club's new era began with the former India internationalEugeneson Lyngdoh, who became club president in 2021 and succeeded his fatherSyntar Klas Sunn at the post.^{[51][52][53][54]} In June 2023, Rangdajied clinched their first ever Meghalaya State League title, defeating Khliehmawlieh YC 1–0 in final.^[55][56][57] In November of the same year, the club returned to the nationwide league, joining newly formedI-League 3.^[58] Later on 10 November, club CEO Andrew Suting officially announced Meghalaya Tourism as main sponsor, stating, "The support from Meghalaya Tourism will undoubtedly contribute to the growth and development of the football club while simultaneously drawing attention to the treasures of the state."^[58]

In August 2023, Rangdajied United gainedI-League 3 spot to compete in theinaugural edition.^[59][60][61] Before the league starts, the club roped in Subir Dey as head coach, former India internationalAiborlang Khongjee as technical director and Aibanjop Shadap as the assistant coach while team players came from the Khasi-Jaintia Hills.^[62] They began the league campaign on 13 November inGoa, beating Millat FC 5–0 in Group C.^[63] In August 2024, the club was welcomed by theDurand Cup Organising Committee and included in the group stages of the133rd edition of the tournament, replacingIndian Super League outfitHyderabad.^[64][65][66] Rangdajied began the competition campaign with a 4–3 defeat toFC Goa in Shillong on 5 August.^[67][68] In the next match, Rangdajied played against arch-rivalShillong Lajong at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, that went on to a 2–0 defeat resulting club's failure to move to the knock-out stage.^[69][70]

Rangdajied United was sponsored by Italian athletic footwear and apparel manufacturerDiadora.^[71][72] It was the first Indian soccer club to be sponsored by Diadora.^[71]

They also had Football Solutions, aNew Delhi football consultancy firm, as a sponsor.^[73] In November 2023, the club announced that they have roped in Meghalaya Tourism as the main sponsor.^[74]

In I-League, there were consecutive promotions and relegations of three Meghalayan teams Rangdajied United (2013–14 I-League),Royal Wahingdoh (2014–15 I-League) andShillong Lajong (2018–19 I-League).^{[76][77][78][79]} In both the domestic and regional leagues, Rangdajied played against both Shillong Lajong and Royal Wahingdoh respectively in the "Shillong Derby".^[80][81][82]

The first match of the derby inI-League to be played was on 22 November 2013 between Shillong Lajong and Rangdajied United that ended in a 1–1 draw. Both the rivalries continued thereafter inShillong Premier League for a brief period until the teams were dissolved.^[83]

Rangdajied United plays all their home games at theJawaharlal Nehru Stadium inShillong,^[80][84] which has a capacity of approximately 30,000 spectators.^[85] It hasartificial turf.^[86]

For all current and former notable players of Rangdajied United with a Wikipedia article, seeRangdajied United FC players.

• The players below had senior international cap(s) for their respective countries. Players whose name is listed, represented their countries before or after playing forRangdajied United FC.^[87]
• Kelechi Okoye (2012–2013)^[88]
• Kim Song-yong (2013–2014)^[89][90][91]
• James Moga (2016–2017)^[92][93][94]

• Loveday Enyinnaya (2011–2014)^[21]
• Yohei Iwasaki (2013)^[95][87]
• Shin Ho-jun (2013)^[96][97]
• Lamine Tamba (2013–2014)^[98]
• Edmar Figueira (2013–2014)^[98][99]
• Ranti Martins (2013–2014)^[100][101]

This list isincomplete; you can help byadding missing items.(April 2025)

• Khlain Pyrkhat Syiemlieh (2013)^[102]
• Santosh Kashyap (2013–2014)^[103]
• Hering Shangpliang (2014)^[104]
• Khlain Pyrkhat Syiemlieh (2015–2016)^[45]
• Aiborlang Khongjee (2022–2023)^[105][106]
• Subir Dey (2023–2024)^[62]
• Aibanjop Shadap (2024–2025)^[107]

• I-League 2nd Division
  • Champions (1):2012–13^{[108][109][110]}
• Meghalaya State League
  • Champions (1): 2023^[111]
  • Runners-up (1): 2019^[112]
• Shillong Premier League
  • Champions (1): 2013^[113]
  • Runners-up (6): 2011,^[114]2016,^[115] 2017,^[116] 2019,^[117] 2022,^[118] 2023^[119]
  • Third place (1): 2018^[120]

• SSA Super Cup
  • Runners-up (1): 2025^[121]

Rangdajied United operates youth age-group teams and academies, alongside participating in regional championships. The club opened 'RUFC Soccer School' and two football academies centred in Mawlai and Mawphlang in 2022.^[122] Rangdajied United's under-15 team took part in India leg of the Manchester United Premier Cup in 2014.^[123]

Honours

• ENE Cup (U-10)
  • Champions (1): 2022^[124]
• Chief Minister's U-12 Cup
  • Champions (1): 2023^[122]
• U-19 Shillong Premier League
  • Runners-up (1): 2012^[125]
• Silchar U-13 Five-a-side Tournament
  • Runners-up (1): 2023^[122]

The women's football section of Rangdajied United was instituted for the first time in 2024 and participated in the 2024 edition of theSSA Women's Football League. The squad was largely made up of U15 girls.^[126] They finished as semi-finalists in their maiden campaign where they lost to the champions Laitkor SC.^[127]

The following club is currently affiliated with Rangdajied United FC:

• Bengaluru FC (2024–present)^{[128][129][130]}

• List of football clubs in Meghalaya
• Northeast Derby (India)

Bibliography

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• Basu, Jaydeep (2003).Stories from Indian Football. UBS Publishers' Distributors.ISBN 9788174764546. Archived fromthe original on 11 October 2022.

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• "Rangdajied winger David Ngaihte Moves to Shillong Lajong".Feverpitch.in. 5 May 2014. Archived from the original on 12 May 2014.
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• Rangdajied United FC
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