Guwahati, August 4: The 132nd edition of the historic Durand Cup football tournament was inaugurated in Guwahati at Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium on Friday.
Assam chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was present in the event along with other dignitaries.
Earlier, the event kicked off in Kolkata on Thursday at Kolkata’s Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan. It was graced by West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee
Organized by the Indian Armed Forces and supported by the Governments of West Bengal & Assam, this is the third oldest football tournament in the world, being held across three venues - Guwahati and Kokrajhar in Assam, and Kolkata in West Bengal.
The opening match of the Indian Oil Durand Cup was held between Mohun Bagan SG and Bangladesh Army FT on Thursday and Mohun Bagan SG emerged victorious.
This year, a total of 43 matches will be played in IndianOil Durand Cup across 3 cities — Kolkata, Guwahati, and Kokrajhar. Kolkata will host 23 matches, including the final and Guwahati will host 11 matches, and Kokrajhar 9.
The Durand Cup stands as the flag bearer of India’s long and rich footballing legacy. Established in 1888 by Sir Mortimer Durand, Foreign Secretary of British India, this tournament continues to captivate millions of football lovers in India. Indian Oil's title sponsorship remains consistent with last year's tournament.
This year's tournament is named the "IndianOil Durand Cup" as IndianOil is the title sponsor. IndianOil's commitment to sports is guided by a comprehensive sports policy that aims to reshape the sporting culture in India and elevate the nation's position in sports across multiple disciplines.
