Shillong, Jul 11: The draw for the 133rd edition of the Durand Cup 2024 was unveiled today, with Shillong Lajong FC clubbed with Indian Super League sides FC Goa and Hyderabad FC along with Tribhuvan Army FC of Nepal.
These Group F teams will play their matches at the revamped JN Stadium in Shillong.
Shillong joins Jamshedpur as new co-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 tournament begins on 27th July, though Shillong’s first match will only be on 2nd August.
The 133rd edition shall see 24 teams from the ISL, I-League, Indian Army as well as two international teams representing the Bangladesh and Nepal armed forces.
Lajong, one of the I-League clubs participated last year but exited at the group stage with two defeats and one win.
The JN Stadium has been returned to natural grass after around a decade with artificial turf. Increased seating capacity, new dressing rooms for the players, new floodlights and superficial aesthetic improvements have also been made.
Work is 95% complete, Commissioner and Secretary of the Department of Sports & Youth Affairs, Vijay Kumar D, told reporters today after a review meeting. Tickets will go on sale tomorrow and will be priced between Rs 100 and Rs 500.
Work has been going on round the clock to ready the stadium but was hampered a couple of days ago when a pressure group took it upon themselves to check the documentation of the labourers in order to weed out so-called illegal migrants. At least one alleged case of assault was reported from the scene. The government, Kumar said, has been able to convince the workers to stay on, though they are feeling understandably traumatised by the incident.