Durand Cup to be held in Kolkata for the next five years
Overwhelmed by the response the last edition of the tournament got when it was held in Kolkata, the Army has decided to hold the iconic Durand Cup football tournament for the next five years in the City of Joy.
This was confirmed last Thursday by Lt General Kamal Repswal, Chief of Staff, Eastern Command, during the unveiling of the iconic trophies at Fort William. The tournament is organised by the Army.
The last edition, which was the 129th edition, was held in 2019. It was also for the first time that the tournament was held in Kolkata. And the response from the city was “immense”, said Lt General Repswal; not only that, he said “every department of the state government” went “out of their way” to ensure its success. These prompted the organisers to let Kolkata be called the home of the tournament for the 131st to the 135th editions.
The Durand Cup, started in 1888, is the oldest-running club football tournament in Asia. It is also the third oldest in the world, after only the English FA Cup and the Scottish Cup (starting in 1871 and 1874, respectively).
In view of the pandemic, the 130th edition, which started today, will, however, be held with minimal attendance. Towards the end of the tournament, if everything goes well, 50 per cent attendance might be permitted, the state sports minister said on Thursday.
In 2019, Gokulam Kerala had emerged champions, beating Mohun Bagan 2-1 in front of a packed stadium, to register their first silverware in club history
