Durand Cup 2021: India's oldest football tournament returns for its 130th edition

Five Indian Super League (ISL) franchises and three I-League teams will be among 16-teams vying for the iconic Durand Cup football tournament, to be played in and around Kolkata between September 5-October 3, 2021.

The tournament, now in its 130th edition was first held in the Mecca of Indian football (Kolkata) back in 2019, after moving from its longtime venue at Delhi.

The 130th edition of the Durand Cup is back in Kolkata. The finest tradition of football continues with excellent tournaments.

A stage where champions are made. Let the match begin!#DurandCup2021 #130thEdition #Legacy #Kolkata #Football #soccerleague #footballtournament pic.twitter.com/BnRr1dqKH8

— Durand Cup (@thedurandcup) August 20, 2021

Traditionally organized by the Indian Army on behalf of our Armed Forces, the World's third oldest and Asia's oldest football tournament will this year also see the Government of West Bengal as joint hosts, who have been providing admirable support in all aspects of the organization.

At present, Gokulam Kerala is the holder of the Durand Cup. Gokulam won their maiden title under the coaching of Fernando Santiago Varela on August 24, 2019, defeating Mohun Bagan AC 2-1 in Kolkata.

Besides top ISL franchises FC Goa and Bengaluru FC, the other clubs from India's top division would be Kerala Blasters, Jamshedpur FC, and Hyderabad FC.

THE MAN. THE MYTH. THE LEGEND!
Here's Sunil Chhetri, sending his best wishes to all the participating teams for the upcoming 130th edition of the Durand Cup. #DurandCup2021 #130thEdition #Legacy #SunilChhetri #Kolkata #Football #indianfootball #footballtournament #fifa #aiff pic.twitter.com/wgj6jLCVlw

— Durand Cup (@thedurandcup) August 22, 2021

Challenging them would be the century-old Mohammedan Sporting of Kolkata, who were the first Indian winners of the Cup in 1940 and who would be leading a troika of I-League challengers including defending champions Gokulam Kerala and Sudeva FC of Delhi.

FC Bengaluru United and Delhi FC will represent the second division of the Indian football whereas two Indian Army teams (Red and Green), a team from Indian Air Force and Indian Navy, CRPF, and the Assam Rifles round-off the 16.

#Durandtrivia
Durand Football Tournament started in 1888 with Sir Henry Mortimer Durand's initiative, who was the Foreign Secretary to the Government of India, at that time. The main intention was to encourage sporting competitions among the British Indian Army troops. pic.twitter.com/9nTiSePInd

— Durand Cup (@thedurandcup) August 20, 2021

Three leading footballing venues of the State have been identified for the 130th Durand Cup, namely the Vivekananda YuvaBharatiKrirangan (VYBK) and the Mohun Bagan Club Ground in Kolkata as well as the Kalyani Municipal Stadium Ground, which has been regularly hosting national level football matches over the past few years.

The Durand Cup is unique in the sense the winners are awarded three trophies with two rolling ones (the Durand Cup and the Shimla Trophy) and the President's Cup for permanent keeping.