Guwahati: The 135th edition of the IndianOil Durand Cup is set to begin on July 25, bringing together 24 teams for a month-long football tournament across five cities: Kolkata, Guwahati, Imphal, Shillong and Ranchi. The tournament will conclude with the final at Kolkata’s Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on August 23.
This year’s competition will feature clubs from the Indian Super League (ISL), Services teams, regional outfits and international participants. Seven teams will make their maiden appearance in the prestigious tournament, adding fresh competition to one of Asia’s oldest football championships.
Imphal‘s Khuman Lampak Stadium will stage league matches between July 28 and August 17, besides hosting one quarter-final. Fans in Manipur will see home teams TRAU FC and NEROCA FC in action alongside the Indian Navy Football Team and tournament debutants FC Raengdai, who finished as runners-up in the previous I-League 3 season.
Guwahati’s Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium will host league-stage fixtures from August 1 to August 13. Defending champions NorthEast United FC will headline the Assam leg, joined by FC1, a squad comprising players from Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, along with Bodoland FC and Karbi Anglong Morning Star FC.
Kolkata will once again serve as the tournament’s primary venue, hosting the opening fixture, matches from two groups, two quarter-finals, one semi-final and the championship final. Ranchi has been added as a host city for the first time, while Shillong will stage group-stage encounters and one semi-final.
The list of first-time participants includes Sri Lanka Armed Forces side Defenders FC, Meghalaya‘s Nongkseh Sports, Social & Cultural Club, Baghpat FC, Samaleswari Sporting, FC Raengdai and Mumbay FC.
Conducted by the Indian Army on behalf of the three Services, the Durand Cup remains the oldest football tournament in Asia and the third-oldest in the world. The competition continues to provide a platform for established clubs and emerging teams while strengthening the growth of football across India.