135th Durand Cup announces 24 participating teams across five host cities

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Kolkata, July 1

The 135th Edition of the IndianOil Durand Cup has announced its participating teams and host city schedule, with 24 teams set to compete across Kolkata, Ranchi, Imphal, Shillong and Guwahati.

The tournament will begin in Kolkata on July 25 and continue across the five host cities over the following four weeks, culminating in the final at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on August 23.

The 2026 edition will feature a mix of leading Indian clubs, Services teams, emerging sides and international participation, continuing the legacy of Asia’s oldest football tournament.

Kolkata will remain the centrepiece of the competition, hosting two group stages, the opening match, two quarter-finals, one semi-final and the final. Matches in the city will be played at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan and the Kishore Bharati Krirangan from July 25 to August 23.

Record 17-time champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant and 16-time winners East Bengal FC will headline the Kolkata line-up. They will be joined by Mohammedan SC, South United FC, CISF Football Team, Indian Army Football Team, Baghpat FC and Samaleswari Sporting from Sambalpur, Odisha.

Ranchi will make its debut as a Durand Cup host, with Birsa Munda Stadium scheduled to host league matches from July 26 to August 16, followed by a quarter-final. Jamshedpur FC, Sporting Club Delhi, Indian Air Force Football Team and debutants Defenders FC of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces will feature in the Ranchi leg.

Imphal will again host the tournament at the Khuman Lampak Stadium from July 28 to August 17. TRAU FC, NEROCA FC, Indian Navy Football Team and debutants FC Raengdai will compete in the Manipur stage.

Shillong will host matches from July 31 to August 20 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, including a semi-final. The city’s line-up includes Shillong Lajong FC, Meghalaya Premier League champions Nongkseh Sports, Social & Cultural Club, Langsning FC and debutants Mumbay FC from Maharashtra.

Guwahati will host league-stage matches between August 1 and August 13 at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium. Defending champions NorthEast United FC, FC1 featuring players from Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, Bodoland FC and Karbi Anglong Morning Star FC will represent the Assam leg.

The knockout stage will be spread across Kolkata, Ranchi and Shillong, with Shillong and Kolkata hosting one semi-final each before the final takes place in Kolkata on August 23.

The Durand Cup Organising Committee said the 135th edition reflects the tournament’s continued expansion by bringing together established clubs, emerging teams, Services sides and international participants across multiple regions of India.

The Durand Cup, organised by the Indian Army on behalf of the three Services, is recognised as Asia’s oldest and the world’s third-oldest football tournament. The competition began in Shimla in 1888 and moved to Kolkata in 2019 as part of its expansion into a multi-city sporting event.