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The heat was on, mid-May, at the finals of the Zoroastrian Premier League (ZPL) at Cusrow Baug on May 12, 2024. With neither side conceding a single goal, the suspense kept mounting for the football fans. The winners were eventually decided following a penalty shootout when the Kingsmen team made five goals against four by Persian Pirates. The highlights of the fourth edition of ZPL were shared by Jeyhaan Carnac who with Zaara Dastur has been playing a pivotal role in organizing these matches from the time they were initiated in 2019 and resumed after the pandemic in 2022.

  From l, top row: at the finals of the Zoroastrian Premier League, John Abraham (seated center); spectators enjoying different      

  games; 2nd row: jubilant team Kingsmen with owner Vivaana Chowdhry lifting the cup; Jeyhaan Carnac; Zaara Dastur

Vivaana Chowdhry of Rustomjee Builders became the first woman team owner to win the ZPL when Kingsmen, who were runners up in ZPL 2022, became the champions in 2024. The prize money for the winning team was Rs 4,00,000 and Persian Pirates, the runner up team owned by Marzi Pestonji, earned Rs 2,00,000. Further motivation for the players was the presence of cine star John Abraham, owner of one of the football teams playing in the Indian Super League, who was the chief guest at the finals. 

"A concept unique to anything this community has ever seen, ZPL has taken the caliber and profile of the ordinary sporting event to a whole new level. Not only is it by far the largest in size and stakes, but it is organized with a sense of professionalism that creates a competition experience like none other. Over the years, this tournament has grown in size and stature,” noted the press release from the organizers. ZPL has become one of the biggest six-a-side football tournaments (instead of 11 players, only six players from a team are on a field which is smaller in size) in the city, stated the organizers. There were 12 teams, each with 13 players (to ensure optimum performance by a team, the six players on the field are, when required, substituted by others) participating in ZPL 2024. Most of the 156 players were from Bombay, some from Surat and one each from Dubai and Muscat. The oldest was 52-year-old Nauzer Dubash and the youngest, 14-year-old Jehan Hansotia.

This year, the price to "buy” a team was Rs 2,00,000 against which each owner was assigned play money of 100 million with which to bid from over 250 players. "Our auction was casted live on YouTube and had over 5,000 people watching… We have created our own web application (thanks to 25-year-old Farhaan Irani) which allows teams and fans to follow and track the League table,” to determine the ranking of a team over a four-week schedule. The first leg of the tournament was played at Rustom Baug between April 12 and 28 while the knockouts were held at Cusrow Baug between May 10 to 12, 2024.

"ZPL manages to bring together people of all ages across the community… The event hosts a footfall of over 2,000 individuals who come together in a carnival-like atmosphere, to support their teams and meet fellow Zoroastrians. Take a walk around the venue on any event day, and you will see a slew of fans (sporting) colorful jerseys... ranging from four-year-old boys and girls to 75-year-olds coming in to absorb the atmosphere. You will see ZPL’s teams huddled up at different parts of the venue, listening to last-minute words of advice from their managers and owners. You will hear the noise of horns, and the sound of roars, as supporters cheer their favorite teams and players,” the organizers described the popular event.

Besides the two teams that reached the finals, the other teams competing in 2024 were: Predators (owner Jeshad Dumasia, manager Karl Kalianiwala); Storm 11 (owner Rishad Byramjee, managers Farzaad Dastoor, Mikhail Jaorewalla); Super Strikers (owner Khoremand Irani, managers Freddy Nariman, Aryohn Irani); Spartans (owner Zara Lalla, managers Yohann Dastoor, Perseus Daruwala, Jehan Vesuna); Mavericks (owner Leah Tata, manager Nushad Irani); X Vaders (owner Xerxes Dastur, managers Ashstad Kollah, Kaizaad Zaveri); Pink Panthers (owner Viraf Mehta, managers Ardaviraf Motiwalla, Farhad Cooper); Peekay Warriors (owner Zorben Zend, manager Yazaad Karai); Byculla United (owner Gilan Ferzandi, managers Yaaresh Ferzandi, Rehan Ferzandi); Sterling FC (owner Delna Daruvala, manager Farhad Dhunjisha). The managers for Kingsmen were Sanaya Anklesaria and Porus Titina; and for Persian Pirates, Rustom Cavina and Rushad Parbhoo.  

"Crucial role”

When Parsiana asked Carnac to comment on the involvement of owners, managers and players, he stated, "ZPL is fortunate to have large-hearted, fun- loving owners who invest their time, effort and money into this event. They play a crucial role in not only helping fund the event, but also giving their teams all the equipment and facilities they would need to train and compete for the League. The managers serve as a link between the owners and players, and take the burden of handling the day-to-day affairs of the franchise away from the owners. They bring their expertise and experience to the table and provide that extra insight that often plays a big role in a team’s performance. The players and the spectators make the vibe and atmosphere of the tournament. It is their excitement, dedication and passion that is the driving force of the event and that makes it as big and exciting as it is.” This year, once again, all the players were males, although the organizers, owners and managers saw participation from females too. "Unfortunately there aren’t enough females to form teams. However, there have been a couple of exceptionally dedicated female footballers who have taken part in ZPL,” remarked Zaara Dastur.

In addition to Carnac and Dastur, the youthful organizing team comprising Zoroastrians between 19 and 25 years of age included Farhaan Cavina, Farad Daruwalla, Airyaman Master, Burges Mirza, Delrine Bhagat, Farhaan Irani, Kaiana Dastoor, Arish Vajifdar, Shazen Elavia, Zehan Tafti, Yaesht Yazdegardi, Yohan Malao, Zavish Velati, Zeus Chhapkhanawala, Xerxes Bamboat, Joshua Dumasia, Karl Malao, Deanne Mistry, Meherzad Saklatwalla, Zeius Navalmanek, Ushaine Gandhi, Vahishta Dastoor. Preparatory work for each edition of ZPL starts around January and continues until June. 

Important to the organizers was the sponsorship support they received from individuals and trusts like Dinshaw Tamboly, chairman of the WZO (World Zoroastrian Organisation) Trust Funds, the Pirojsha Godrej Foundation, and Eric Anklesaria.

While initially ZPL had a small presentation ceremony on the day of the finals, they now have a full-fledged awards night and after-party which was held at the Ballroom at Rustomjee Crown on May 25. The outstanding players recognized with awards were: Farhaan Cavina of Persian Pirates who won the Golden Ball (Player of the Tournament); Sean Todiwalla of Byculla United declared the Best Young Player; Darayus Khodaiji of Persian Pirates who was presented the Golden Glove as the goalkeeper who conceded the least number of goals; and Arish Sutaria of X Vaders who was conferred the Golden Boot as the top scorer at ZPL. 

"The tournament, more than anything else, is a testimony to what this community can do when it comes together for a common purpose,” believe the organizers. It demonstrates "what the Zoroastrian youth can achieve and create with the support of community stalwarts; how sports can create bonds and relationships that transcend the divisions of status, opinions, beliefs, geography and age.”