Durand Cup 2024 Fixtures Out: Mohun Bagan to Face Downtown Heroes FC Kashmir in Opener
Defending champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant kick-off title defense against Downtown Heroes FC.
133rd edition of India’s oldest football tournament to be held across multiple cities.
New Delhi/Kolkata, July 12 2024: Defending champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG), will face Downtown Heroes FC of Kashmir in the opening match of the 133rd IndianOil Durand Cup on 27th July, 2024, at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) in Kolkata. The match will kick-off at 6 PM IST. The group stage matches will end on August 18th with the famous Kolkata Derby between MBSG and city-rivals and fellow Indian Super League (ISL) side Emami East Bengal (EEB), being slotted at the VYBK, as the final fixture of Group A.
All 43 matches of the 133rd IndianOil Durand Cup will be broadcast LIVE on the Sony Sports Network as well as livestreamed on the SonyLiv OTT platform.
While matches of Group A, B and C will be held in Kolkata, the first match in Jamshedpur, a first time host where Group D matches will be played, will see hosts Jamshedpur FC take on Bangladesh Army Football Team, who are one of the two foreign teams competing in the tournament.
Group E games begin in Kokrajhar on July 30th with local side Bodoland FC taking on ISL side NorthEast United FC. Shillong, which will also be hosting the IndianOil Durand Cup for the very first time, will see the hosts Shillong Lajong FC take on Nepal’s Tribhuvan Army Football Team on August 2nd, 2024, in the first fixture of Group F.
The VYBK and Kishore Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata, JRD Tata Sports Complex in Jamshedpur, SAI Stadium in Kokrajhar and the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong, will be the tournament venues. A total of 24 teams have been divided into six groups with the six group toppers and two best second placed teams slated to qualify for the knockouts.
ABOUT IndianOil DURAND CUP
A symbol of India’s football history and culture, the Durand Cup is Asia’s oldest and the world’s third oldest football tournament. Organized by the Indian Army on behalf of the three Services, the Durand Cup has been the breeding ground for India’s best footballing talent, over the years.
The inaugural edition happened in Shimla in 1888 and then the tournament moved to New Delhi in 1940, where it was held till 2016. In 2019, the tournament came under the aegis of the Eastern Command and moved to the eastern part of the country, with Kolkata, the Mecca of Indian football and the Eastern Command Headquarters, being the home base. What makes the Durand Cup even more unique is that the winners get three trophies, two rotating (Durand Cup and Shimla Trophy) and one for permanent keep (President’s Cup).
As we embark on this exciting journey over the coming weeks, let us celebrate the beautiful game of football, honour the traditions of the Durand Cup, and look forward to witnessing moments of brilliance that will be etched in our memories forever.
Durand Cup Group Stage Fixtures
