Durand Cup 2023: Asia's Oldest Football Tournament Returns with Exciting New Hosts

Durand Cup Set for 134th Edition

The Durand Cup, recognized as Asia's oldest football tournament, is gearing up for its 134th edition, which will take place from July 22 to August 23. This year marks a historic first, as the tournament will be hosted across five different states, including Imphal, the capital of Manipur, which is returning after a two-year hiatus.

Kokrajhar in Assam will continue its role as a host for the third consecutive year, while Jamshedpur in Jharkhand and Shillong in Meghalaya joined the hosting lineup last year. Since 2019, the tournament has been based in Kolkata, the heart of Indian football, moving from its previous location in Delhi, and it will maintain this status for the sixth year running.

Since relocating to the East, the Durand Cup has solidified its position as the premier football competition in India, expanding from 16 to 24 participating teams, which now includes all teams from the Indian Super League (ISL).

Organized by the Eastern Command of the Indian Army on behalf of the three Services, this tournament uniquely features teams from the Services competing against top football clubs in India. Recent editions have also welcomed foreign teams, including Army squads from neighboring countries.

The Indian Army aims to broaden the tournament's reach throughout the East and North-East, a vision reflected in this year's selection of host cities.

Local governments and autonomous bodies have shown unwavering support for this beloved tournament, which has captivated football fans in the region.

For the 134th edition, six venues have been designated: two in Kolkata (Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan and Kishore Bharti Krirangan), and one each in Imphal (Khuman Lampak Stadium), Ranchi (Morhabadi Stadium or Jamshedpur's JRD Tata Sports Complex), Shillong (Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium), and Kokrajhar (SAI Stadium).

North East United FC will enter the tournament as the defending champions, having claimed their first title last year by defeating the record-holding Mohun Bagan in a thrilling final.