NEROCA Football Club (known fully as North Eastern Re-Organising Cultural Association Football Club) is an Indian professional football club based in Imphal, Manipur, that currently competes in the I-League 3. It previously competed in the I-League, the second tier of the Indian football league system.I-League: Clinical NEROCA FC keep top 6 hopes alive with win over Sudeva Delhi. . aninews.in. Retrieved 1 March 2021.NEROCA Football Club : I-League. . Worldfootball.net. Retrieved 1 March 2021. Founded in 1965 and nicknamed "The Orange Brigade", the club made their I-League 2nd Division debut in the 2015–16 season. Winning the 2016–17 league, they secured promotion to the I-League. NEROCA is the first club from Northeast India to reach the final of the coveted Durand Cup. The club also competes in the Manipur State League.
History Formation and early years North Eastern Re-Organising Cultural Association (abbreviated as NEROCA) was established in 1965, with the hope of improving quality in the field of cultural activities and sports in the Indian state of Manipur. It was registered under the Manipur State co-operative Society Registration Act bearing registration No. 1016 of 1972. NEROCA is a registered football club of the Imphal East District Football Association, and affiliated with All Manipur Football Association (AMFA). NEROCA has participated in every edition of the Manipur State League since its inception. The club has a record of second-place finish for the first time in the 2007 edition. The club is also a regular participant of Sir Churachand Singh Memorial Football Tournament.
2014–present In the 9th season of Manipur State League (2014), NEROCA won championship trophy. The club as per norms of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), changed the nomenclature from "NEROCA" to "NEROCA Football Club Imphal", aiming to join I-League 2nd Division. NEROCA then went on to compete in the 2015–16 and 2016–17 I-League 2nd Division seasons. They emerged as champions of the 2016–17 season with 26 points in 10 matches from the final round, and qualified for the 2017–18 season of the I-League. They also clinched the title of Manipur State League in 2016.
The biggest achievement of NEROCA is emerging as the runners-up in the 2017–18 I-League. Under the coaching of Gift Raikhan, they finished campaign with 32 points from 18 matches. In that season, NEROCA brought Vector X as their official shirt sponsor. In the 2020–21 I-League, NEROCA finished bottom of the Relegation Stage and got formally relegated, but were reinstated by AIFF after viewing the situation of COVID-19 pandemic.
On 4 July 2021, NEROCA signed Khogen Singh as their head coach for the 2021–22 I-League season, and began the league journey with a 3–2 win against Sreenidi Deccan on 27 December 2021. They achieved seventh position in league table. They later participated in 2022 Durand Cup. In 2022–23 I-League, NEROCA they finished on tenth position, and later, failed to qualify for the 2023 Indian Super Cup. In October, the club roped in Malaysian manager Jacob Joseph as head coach for 2023–24 league season.then sacked and replaced him with Gyan Moyon In April 2024, NEROCA along with TRAU, refused to travel to Mizoram to play Aizawl in their away matches and the games were cancelled by the AIFF; Both the teams from Manipur were relegated to I-League 2. The club took part in the 2024–25 I-League 2, in which they later fought in the relegation stage alongside city rival TRAU.At the end of the 2025-26 I-League 2,NEROCA finished with 5 points,-4 GD,tied with MYJ-GMSC,but were relegated to the 2026-27 I-League 3,on head to head as they lost to MYJ-GMSC 2-1 in Matchweek 3.
Crest, colours & kits In the official club crest, there is map of Manipur in background and an anchor of sailing boat in foreground.
The official colours of NEROCA are orange and green.
Kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors PeriodKit manufacturerShirt sponsor2015—2016Glory SportsClassic Group of Hotels2016—2017Bee Athletic2017—2018Vector X2018—2019Sqad Gear2019–2020Vicky TransformLiving 3D2020–2021Ambition SportswearGMT2021–2022Nivia SportsVintel Infracom Pvt. Ltd.2022–2023Ambition SportswearGOELD Frozen Foods2023–2024King2024-PresentVamosM/s. Kim & Sons
Stadium
Khuman Lampak Main Stadium in Imphal, Manipur, is used as the home ground of NEROCA Football Club for all their home matches in both the domestic and regional leagues. Opened in 1999, the stadium is owned by All Manipur Football Association and has a capacity of 35,285 spectators. Their first home match in the I-League was played on 15 December 2017 against Chennai City FC.
Support and rivalry Supporters NEROCA had the 2nd highest average attendance for the 2018–19 I League season. In the 2017–18 season, NEROCA had the highest attendance in the I-League, with the record attendance of 35,285 at the Khuman Lampak Stadium.
Rivalries
NEROCA have participated in the Imphal Derby with city rival TRAU. The two clubs are the only two from Imphal to have played professional league football. The Imphal Derby gained fame in 2022 during the 131st edition of Durand Cup when competitive football returned to the city after COVID-19 pandemic in India. The Government of Manipur declared a half-holiday for all governmental and educational institutions in build-up to the match on 18 August, where NEROCA defeated TRAU by 3–1 in Group-C opener. However, in 2025 Durand Cup Group F, opening again, held at Khuman Lampak Stadium in Imphal, TRAU and NEROCA clashed ferrociously. Notably, TRAU played with only 10 men from 80 minutes onwards due to a red card. The opening match ended in a 1–1 draw.
They also have a rivalry with Southern Sporting Union,another Imphal based club,so can be called the Imphal Derby.
In the I-League 3,They have a rivalry with KLASA in the Manipur Derby,and also in the I-League 2 vs FC Raengdai,in the Manipur Derby.
In the Northeast Derby (I-League), they have a rivalry with Mizoram-based club Aizawl.
Players First-team squad
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Personnel Current technical staff
Role Name Refs. Head coach Raju Yumnam Assistant coach Premkanta Singh Secretary Leimapokpam Rojit Meitei Goalkeeping coach Premkanta Singh Team manager Laishram Rajiv Singh Physio Kshterimayum Karan Singh Kit manager Lairellakpam Shobha Singh
Team records Season Div. Tms. Pos.Average attendance Federation Cup/Super CupDurand CupAFC CLAFC Cup 2015–16 I-League 2103 – DNP DNP – – 2016–17 I-League 2121 8,438 DNP Runners-up – – 2017–18 I-League102 21,382 Quarter-finals DNP DNP DNP 2018–19 I-League116 19,139 Round of 16 DNP DNP DNP 2019–20 I-League119 13,202 – DNP DNP DNP 2020–21 I-League1111 – – DNP DNP DNP2021-22I-League137––DNPDNPDNP2022-23I-League12103,400Second Qualifying RoundGroup StageDNPDNP2023-24I-League1312362DNPDNPDNPDNP2024–25I-League 297482DNPGroup StageDNPDNP2025–26I-League 2991,164DNPGroup StageDNPDNP Key Tms. = Number of teams Pos. = Position in league Attendance/G = Average league attendance
Overall records updated on 28 May 2017
Season Domestic AsiaDivision2015–163188552016Not qualified2016–1731612312872017–1821895420132018–1922076727262019–2021653827352020-21214221014222021-2221848621302022-23222741122262023-24223421726612024–2531652917272025-26381251115
Top scorers
Season Player Goals2015–16 Ejiogu Emmanuel32016–17 Felix Chidi Odili92017–18 Felix Chidi Odili72018–19 Felix Chidi Odili82019–20 Philip Adjah92020–21 Judah García42021–22 Sergio Mendigutxia102022–23 Jourdaine Fletcher92023–24 Ansumana Kromah62024–25 Chabungam Linky Meitei 72025-26 Phijam Sanathoi Meitei 6
Other records Fastest goal for the club in I-League: Katsumi Yusa — 13 seconds; NEROCA vs Churchill Brothers (2018–19)
Notable players Past and present internationals
The players below had senior/youth international cap(s) for their respective countries. Players whose name is listed, represented their countries before or after playing for NEROCA FC.
India Tomba Singh (2016) Sushil Kumar Singh (2016–2018) Govin Singh (2016–2018) Arata Izumi (2017) Gouramangi Singh (2017–2018)
Asia Akhlidin Israilov (2017) Nick Ward (2018–2019) Chencho Gyeltshen (2019) Prakash Budhathoki (2020–2021) Mohamad Kdouh (2020–2022) Bektur Talgat Uulu (2022–) Mirjalol Kosimov (2022–2023)
North America Fabien Vorbe (2017–2018) Judah García (2020–2021) Marvin Phillip (2019–2020) Nathaniel García (2020–2021) Richard Roy (2017–2018) Taryk Sampson (2019–2020) Jourdaine Fletcher (2022–2023) Fabian Reid (2023–2024)
Africa Varney Kallon (2016–2019, 2020) Eduardo Ferreira (2018–2019) Boubacar Diarra (2019–2020) Sekle Yawo Zico (2019–2020) Gaty Kouami (2019–2020) David Simbo (2022–) Michael Kporvi (2023–)
Europe Attila Busai (2020) Sergio Mendigutxia (2021–2022) Marius Leca (2023–2024)
Managerial record Information correct after match played on 7 March 2022. Only competitive matches are counted.
NameNationalityFromToPWDLGFGAWin%Ref.Gift Raikhan1 July 201530 April 2018 Manuel Retamero7 June 201811 March 2019 Renedy Singh12 March 20198 May 2019 Gift Raikhan4 September 201931 May 2021 Khogen Singh5 July 20216 October 202344121220426327.27% Jacob Joseph7 October 202314 January 202411218153318.18%Gyan Moyon14 January 202427 February 2026317519305922.58% Gift Raikhan27 February 202622 June 20268125111512.50%.
Honours League I-League Runners-up (1): 2017–18 I-League 2nd Division Champions (1): 2016–17 Third place (1): 2015–16 Manipur State League Champions (2): 2014, 2016 Runners-up (2): 2007, 2009
Cup Durand Cup Runners-up (1): 2016 Tiddim Invitation Football Trophy Champions (1): 2004 Runners-up (2): 2005, 2007 Churachand Singh Trophy Champions (6): 2000, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2016, 2018–19, 2019 Runners-up (2): 2002, 2008 Bodousa Cup Runners-up (2): 2010, 2015 Shirui Lily Cup Runners-up (1): 2011
Award I-League Fair Play Award: 2017–18
Other department Futsal NEROCA operates futsal departments and is affiliated to the Futsal Association of India (FAI). The club clinched AMFA (All Manipur Football Association) Futsal Cup in 2005, defeating SSU in final. The club is currently competing in Col. Arunkumar Memorial Inter-club Futsal Tournament, achieved third place in the 2023 edition.
Honours AMFA Futsal Cup Champions (1): 2005 Col. Arunkumar Memorial Championship Third place (1): 2023
See also List of football clubs in Manipur Sports in Manipur
References Cited sources
Bibliography
Further reading
External links NEROCA FC at BeSoccer NEROCA FC at Global Sports Archive