Shillong, Jul 2: Shillong’s JN Stadium will host one group of the 133rd edition of the Durand Cup football tournament, which will begin on 27th July.
This is a big coup for the state government and confirms what had already been promised last year. However, promises have a way of falling through in Meghalaya and anyone who has visited the JN Sports Complex over the last few months would have had serious doubts about its ability to host Asia’s oldest football tournament, one of the most prestigious events in the country.
2023 was supposed to be the year Shillong became co-host but the ground was far from ready at that time. Progress has since been made but there is still much work to be done, as TSR saw when we were there last week.
The new natural turf is a rich green but much of the stadium’s surroundings remain a gigantic building site. Construction work on the new stands is still ongoing, much of the old infrastructure is in a state of disrepair after not being used for several months. Piles of earth, now turned to sloppy mud thanks to the rain, can be found all around the stadium.
The Indian Army organises the Durand Cup and officers have been at the site in Polo to judge Shillong’s readiness to play host.
Shillong joins Jamshedpur, which has much better infrastructure being the home of an Indian Super League franchise and the Tata Football Academy, as hosts this year. Assam’s Kokrajhar will be a venue for the second consecutive year while Kolkata, will continue to be the main host of the tournament, which will conclude on 31st August.
The 133rd edition shall see 24 teams with representation from the widest possible spectrum of Indian football, like the Indian Super League, I-League and other invitational teams, as well as teams from the Armed Forces. Also, like last year, international teams are expected to participate this year too.
Shillong Lajong FC, one of the I-League clubs, will be one of the teams taking part. SLFC were there last year but exited at the group stage with two defeats and one win.
In a press release issued today, Lt Gen Ram Chander Tiwari, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Command, said, “The Durand Cup is a source of immense pride for the Eastern Command. The event has become a cornerstone in the landscape of Indian football and a beacon of sporting excellence. Football is more than just a sport. It is a unifying force that brings together people from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and walks of life. It embodies the spirit of teamwork, perseverance and fair play. The Durand Cup, with its long-standing tradition, epitomises these values and continues to inspire countless young athletes to dream big and strive for excellence. We in the military take great pride in organising the Durand Cup and it also strengthens civil-military relationship in the country. We sincerely thank the state governments of all the four states for their unrelenting support.”
Forty-three matches will be played in a round-robin league-cum-knockout format, with the finals scheduled for the iconic Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata. Twenty-four teams will be divided into six groups. A total of eight teams – group toppers and the two best second-placed sides – will qualify for the knockout stage.
Kolkata will host three groups while Kokrajhar, Shillong and Jamshedpur will host one group each. The three coveted Durand trophies will be flagged-off for a nationwide tour from New Delhi on 10th July before they reach Kolkata ahead of the opening game on 27th July.
Mohun Bagan Super Giant are the defending champions, having won the tournament for a record 17th time, the most by any team, last year.
All matches of the 133rd edition of the Durand Cup will be broadcast live on Sony Sports Network as well as live-streamed on the SonyLiv OTT platform.
(Photo contributed of Mohun Bagan celebrating their championship last year)
