GUWAHATI: The 135th edition of the IndianOil Durand Cup will kick off on July 25, with 24 teams competing across five host cities- Kolkata, Guwahati, Imphal, Shillong and Ranchi. The month-long tournament will culminate with the final at Kolkata's Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on August 23.
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Organised 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. This year's edition will feature a mix of Indian Super League clubs, leading domestic teams, Services sides, emerging clubs and international participation.
Seven teams will make their debut in the prestigious tournament, including Sri Lanka Armed Forces side Defenders FC, Nongkseh Sports, Social & Cultural Club from Meghalaya, Baghpat FC, Samaleswari Sporting, FC Raengdai, FC1 and Mumbay FC.
The Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati will host league-stage matches from August 1 to August 13. Defending champions NorthEast United FC will headline the Assam leg of the tournament.
They will be joined by FC1, a team comprising players from Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, along with Bodoland FC and Karbi Anglong Morning Star FC.
Imphal's Khuman Lampak Stadium will host league matches from July 28 to August 17, along with one quarter-final. The venue will feature home sides TRAU FC and NEROCA FC, the Indian Navy Football Team and tournament debutants FC Raengdai.
Kolkata will once again serve as the tournament's main hub, hosting two groups, the opening match, two quarter-finals, one semi-final and the final across the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan and Kishore Bharati Krirangan.
The city will welcome record 17-time champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant, 16-time winners East Bengal FC, Mohammedan SC, South United FC, CISF, the Indian Army, and debutants Baghpat FC and Samaleswari Sporting.
Ranchi will make its debut as a Durand Cup host, with the Birsa Munda Stadium staging league matches from July 26 to August 16 and one quarter-final. Teams in action there will include Jamshedpur FC, Sporting Club Delhi, the Indian Air Force and Defenders FC.
Shillong's Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium will host league matches from July 31 to August 20 before staging one of the semi-finals. Participating teams include Shillong Lajong FC, Nongkseh Sports, Social & Cultural Club, Langsning FC and Mumbay FC.
The four quarter-finals will be played in Kolkata, Ranchi and Shillong. Shillong and Kolkata will each host a semi-final before the tournament concludes with the title clash in Kolkata on August 23.