The Durand Cup 2023 is set to start India’s domestic football season next month with more teams, with Mohun Bagan playing the opening fixture against Bangladesh Army at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on August 3.
First played in 1888, the Durand Cup is Asia’s oldest existing football tournament and the third oldest in the World. This edition of the tournament has 24 teams, four more than the last edition, including 12 Indian Super League (ISL) sides.
Foreign teams will participate in the tournament for the first time in nearly three decades (after 27 years), with Service teams from neighbouring foreign countries of Bangladesh and Nepal.
Who is the Durand Cup named after?
The tournament is named after its founder Sir Henry Mortimer Durand, who serve as the foreign secretary of British India from 1884 to 1894. It initially began as an inter-department and inter-regiment tournament for the Indian Armed Forces.
What are the Durand Cup trophies called?
The three Trophies unique to the tournament are:
- Durand Cup Trophy(a rolling trophy and the original prize)
- Shimla Trophy (also a rolling trophy, first given by the resident of Shimla in 1904)
- President’s Cup (for permanent keep and first presented by Dr Rajendra Prasad, India’s first President, in 1956)
When is the Durand Cup 2023?
Durand Cup 2023, the 132nd edition of the tournament, is set to begin on August 3 and will continue till September 3.
The group stage matches will be played from August 3-22. The quarterfinals will be played from August 24-27 and the final is set to be played at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on September 3 at 4 pm.
How many matches will be played in Durand Cup 2023?
Durand Cup 2023 will have 43 matches, including the final. There will be 36 group-stage matches, four quarterfinals, two semifinals and then the final in Kolkata.
Where is the Durand Cup in 2023?
Durand Cup 2023 will be played in six stadiums across three cities – Guwahati, Kolkata and Kokrajhar. Four stadiums in Kolkata and one stadium in Guwahati and Kokrajhar, Assam, will host the matches.
Following is the list of Durand Cup 2023 venues:
- Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan
- Mohun Bagan Ground
- East Bengal Ground
- Kishore Bharati Krirangan
- Sports Authority of India Stadium
- Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium
Which teams are playing in Durand Cup 2023?
A total of 24 teams will play in Durand Cup 2023, which is four more than the last edition of the tournament. The list includes 12 Indian Super League clubs, five I-League clubs, five Services teams and Bodoland FC as a local club entry.
Here is the list of the participating clubs:
- Bengaluru FC – ISL
- Mumbai City FC – ISL
- Mohun Bagan Super Giant – ISL
- East Bengal FC – ISL
- Kerala Blasters FC – ISL
- Jamshedpur FC – ISL
- Odisha FC – ISL
- NorthEast United FC – ISL
- Hyderabad FC – ISL
- Chennaiyin FC – ISL
- Punjab FC – ISL
- FC Goa – ISL
- Gokulam Kerala FC – I-League
- Mohammedan SC – I-League
- Rajasthan United – I-League
- Shillong Lajong FC – I-League
- Delhi FC – I-League
- Downtown Heroes – I-League 2
- Bodoland FC – Regional club entry
- Indian Army football team – Armed Forces
- Indian Air Force football team – Armed Forces
- Indian Navy football team – Armed Forces
- Bangladesh Services – Armed Forces
- Nepal Services – Armed Forces
What is the format of the Durand Cup?
In the group stage, each group is played on a single round-robin format. The topper in each group will earn automatic qualification into the top 8 while the next two will be decided at the end of the group stage.
In case two teams are tied on points, the following rules are looked at:
- Head-to-head record among tied teams;
- Goal difference in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
- Goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
- If more than two teams are tied, and after applying all head-to-head criteria above, a subset of teams are still tied, all head-to-head criteria above are reapplied exclusively to this subset of teams;
- Goal difference in group matches;
- Goals scored in group matches;
- Drawing of lots.
What are the Durand Cup groups?
Following are the groups for Durand Cup 2023:
- Group A: Bangladesh Army, East Bengal, Mohun Bagan SG, Punjab FC
- Group B: Indian Navy, Jamshedpur FC, Mohammedan SC, Mumbai City FC
- Group C: Bengaluru FC, Gokulam Kerala, Indian Air Force, Kerala Blasters
- Group D: Downtown Heroes, FC Goa, NorthEast United FC, Shillong Lajong
- Group E: Chennaiyin FC, Delhi FC, Hyderabad FC, Nepal Services
- Group F: Bodoland, Indian Army, Odisha FC, Rajasthan United
Who won the Durand Cup last year?
Bengaluru FC won the Durand Cup 2022 beating Mumbai City FC 2-1 in the final at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata.
What is the prize money for the Durand Cup?
The prize pool of Duran Cup 2023 is 89 lakh rupees. The specific prize money for every away is as follows:
- Champion - Rs. 50 lakh
- Runner-up - Rs. 30 lakh
- Golden Ball - Rs. 3 lakh
- Golden Boot - Rs 3 lakh
- Golden Glove - Rs 3 lakh
Which channel is showing Durand Cup?
The Durand Cup 2023 can be watched live on Sony Ten 2 and Sony Ten 2 HD. It can be live-streamed on Sony LIV. The broadcasting rights for the tournament have been acquired by the Sony Sports Network for the next two years.
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