Durand Cup 2026 gets underway from July 25
The first fixture of the oldest football tournament features MBSG against EBFC
Durand Cup 2026 final is set to occur at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan
The 135th Durand Cup 2026, which is the oldest football tournament in Asia, is all set to commence from July 25 to August 23 in various locations including Kolkata, Ranchi, Guwahati, Shillong, and Imphal.
This year, 24 teams will battle it out in 43 matches, featuring the defending ISL champions East Bengal FC, Mohun Bagan Super Giant, and the foreign team Defenders FC from the Sri Lankan Armed Forces.
The tournament will kick-off with the much-anticipated Kolkata Derby, where Mohun Bagan Super Giant will face off against East Bengal FC.
The teams are split into six groups, each containing four teams, and they will compete against one another in a single round-robin format during the pool stage.
The top-six teams and the two best second-placed teams from all groups will move on to the quarter-finals, scheduled for August 16 and 17. The first semi-final will take place at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on August 19, and the second semi-final will be at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong the next day.
Finally, the Durand Cup 2026 final is set to occur at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on August 23.
Other locations for the matches are the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan and Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, along with Kishore Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata, Birsa Munda Stadium in Ranchi, Khuman Lampak Stadium in Imphal, and Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati, all set to host the Durand Cup matches.
Durand Cup 2026: Previous Winner
NorthEast United FC holds the title of Durand Cup champions, having triumphed over the Kolkata team Diamond Harbour in the final last year.
Durand Cup 2026: Most Titles
Mohun Bagan holds the record for the most titles in Durand Cup history, boasting 17 championships, while their local competitors, East Bengal, follow closely behind with 16 victories in the tournament.
Durand Cup 2026: Groups
Group A (Kolkata) – CISF Protectors, East Bengal FC, Mohun Bagan Super Giant, South United FC
Group B (Kolkata) – Baghpat FC, Indian Army FT, Mohammedan Sporting Club, Samaleswari Sporting
Group C (Ranchi) – Indian Air Force FT, Jamshedpur FC, SC Delhi, Defenders FC
Group D (Imphal) – FC Raengdai, Indian Navy FT, Neroca FC, Trau FC
Group E (Shillong) – Langsning FC, Mumbay FC, Nongkseh FC & CC, Shillong Lajong FC
Group F (Guwahati) - Bodoland FC, FC1, Karbi Anglong Morning Star FC, NorthEast United FC
Durand Cup 2026: LIVE Streaming
One can catch the live streaming of the Durand Cup 2026 on Sony LIV app and website. Catch the telecast of the Durand Cup football matches on Sony Sports 5 and Sony Sports 5 HD TV channels in India.
