2021 Durand Cup: When does it start, teams involved & everything you need to know
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Asia’s oldest and the world’s third oldest football tournament is back after a one-year gap...
The 130th edition of the Durand Cup is set to be organised jointly by the Indian Army and the Government of West Bengal in Kolkata, in September.
This will be the second consecutive time that the iconic football football will be held in Kolkata after the previous edition in 2019, since moving from its long time venue at Delhi.
Goal tells you everything you need to know about the 2021 Durand Cup football tournament.
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On this page
- When does the 2021 Durand Cup start?
- Which teams are in the 2021 Durand Cup?
- How to watch the 2021 Durand Cup in India?
- Where will the 2021 Durand Cup take place?
- Who are the defending champions?
- What is the prize money?
When does the 2021 Durand Cup start?
The 2021 Durand Cup football tournament is scheduled to be held in Kolkata between September 5 and October 3, 2021.
| Round | Date |
|---|---|
| Group stage | September 5-19, 2021 |
| Quarter-finals | September 23-25, 2021 |
| Semi-finals | September 27-29, 2021 |
| Final | October 3, 2021 |
Named after its founder, Sir Mortimer Durand, Foreign Secretary of British India from 1884 to 1894, the Durand Cup is Asia’s oldest and the world’s third oldest football tournament, held between 16 top Indian football clubs across divisions.
Traditionally organised by the Indian Armed Forces, the Durand Cup was first held in Shimla in 1988 as an Army Cup. Initially open only to the British Indian Army troops in India, it was open to civilian teams from 1940 as Mohammedan Sporting defeated Royal Warwickshire Regiment 2-1 to become the first civilian team to win the tournament.
Which teams are in the 2021 Durand Cup?
Among the 16 participating teams in the 2021 Durand Cup, five will be from India's top tier league, the Indian Super League (ISL). Theere will be three and two teams representing the I-League and I-League second division respectively, while the remaining six will be from the various Indian Armed Forces including the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Delhi.
Two teams from each group will progress to the knock-out stages consisting of two semi-finals and the final.
| Group | Team | League |
|---|---|---|
| A | Bengaluru United | I-League second division |
| A | CRPF | Indian Armed Forces |
| A | Mohammedan | I-League |
| A | Indian Air Force | Indian Armed Forces |
| B | Army Green | Indian Armed Forces |
| B | FC Goa | ISL |
| B | Jamshedpur FC | ISL |
| B | Sudeva Delhi | I-League |
| C | Bengaluru FC | ISL |
| C | Delhi FC | I-League second division |
| C | Indian Navy | Indian Armed Forces |
| C | Kerala Blasters | ISL |
| D | Assam Rifles | Indian Armed Forces |
| D | Army Red | Indian Armed Forces |
| D | Gokulam Kerala | I-League |
| D | Hyderabad FC | ISL |
How to watch the 2021 Durand Cup on TV & live stream in India?
There is no TV telecast for the 2021 Durand Cup football tournament. Live streaming will be available on the Addatimes app.
Where will the 2021 Durand Cup take place?
The 2021 Durand Cup will be held across three venues, namely Kalyani Municipal Stadium Ground in Kalyani, the Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) in Kolkata and the Mohun Bagan Club Ground in Kolkata.
| City | Capacity |
|---|---|
| Kalyani Stadium | 20,000 |
| Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan | 85,000 |
| Mohun Bagan Ground | 20,000 |
Who are the defending champions of Durand Cup?
Gokulam Kerala are the defending champions of the Durand Cup after a 10-man Malabarians defeated Mohun Bagan 2-1 in the 2019 Durand Cup final played at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.
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.
What is the prize money at the 2021 Durand Cup?
| City | Prize money |
|---|---|
| Champions | ₹40 Lakh |
| Runners-up | ₹20 Lakh |
| Semi-finalists | ₹5 Lakh |
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