Mohun Bagan Super Giant to Face Downtown Heroes FC in Durand Cup Opener

The 133rd Durand Cup will begin on July 27 with defending champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG) playing against Downtown Heroes FC of Kashmir. The match will take place at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) in Kolkata and will start at 6 PM IST.

The group stage matches will end on August 18 with the famous Kolkata Derby between MBSG and city-rivals Emami East Bengal (EEB). This match will also be held at the VYBK and will be the final fixture of Group A.

All 43 matches of the 133rd Durand Cup will be broadcast live on the Sony Sports Network and live-streamed on the SonyLiv OTT platform. Matches of Groups A, B, and C will be held in Kolkata, while Group D matches will be played in Jamshedpur, a first-time host. The first match in Jamshedpur will feature Jamshedpur FC against the Bangladesh Army Football Team, one of the two foreign teams in the tournament.

Group E games will begin in Kokrajhar on July 30 with local side Bodoland FC taking on NorthEast United FC. Shillong, also hosting the IndianOil Durand Cup for the first time, will see Shillong Lajong FC play against Nepal’s Tribhuvan Army Football Team on August 2 in the first fixture of Group F.

The tournament venues include the VYBK and Kishore Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata, JRD Tata Sports Complex in Jamshedpur, SAI Stadium in Kokrajhar, and the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong. A total of 24 teams have been divided into six groups, with the six group toppers and two best second-placed teams qualifying for the knockouts.