GUWAHATI: Twenty groups from throughout the nation, together with 11 Indian Tremendous League sides, will vie for high honours this yr in Asia’s oldest soccer match, the Durand Cup which begins on the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on August 16.
Final yr, 16 groups had participated within the 134-year-old match.
For the primary time in its historical past, Assam will host 10 group matches, scheduled from August 17 to September 4, stated state’s Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who unveiled the three Durand Cup trophies within the presence of senior officers of Indian Military, the organiser of the match.
The three trophies — Durand Cup (a rolling trophy and the unique prize), Shimla Trophy (a rolling trophy and first given by residents of Shimla in 1904) and President’s Cup (for everlasting maintain and first introduced by India’s first President Dr Rajendra Prasad in 1956) — are presently on a five-city tour.
“The cooperation from the Assam authorities has been phenomenal and we’re assured that it will herald a brand new starting for the sport within the state,” stated Lt Gen Ok Ok Repswal, Chief of Workers (Japanese Command) and Durand Organising Committee chairman.
He stated that the 131st version of Durand Cup is getting larger and higher with 20-top groups of the nation, together with all 11 groups of ISL, collaborating this yr.
“The matches in Guwahati will likely be held on the Indira Gandhi Athletic stadium within the metropolis. I thank the Chief Minister for taking day trip to encourage us on this effort at selling and spreading the love for the sport of soccer additional within the state,” Repswal stated.
The journey of the three trophies was flagged off from Kolkata on July 19 and after being in Guwahati for 2 days, will now proceed to Imphal, the primary time host.
It’s going to then proceed to Jaipur as for the primary time Rajasthan will likely be fielding a workforce and can then make a remaining cease on the dwelling of the defending champion FC Goa earlier than returning again to Kolkata on July 31.
The ultimate may also be performed in Kolkata on September 18.
There will likely be a complete of 47 video games within the century-old match this yr with each Guwahati and Imphal internet hosting 10-games of group C and group D every, whereas all of the seven knockout video games will likely be held in three West Bengal venues.
The opening pool matches are slated to start on August 16 at Kolkata’s Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) stadium.
The primary ever Durand Cup occurred in Shimla in 1888, when it began off as an Military Cup, open solely to the British Indian Military troops in India. It was quickly opened for civilian groups.
The Durand Cup is Asia’s oldest and the world’s third oldest working soccer match.
FbTwitterInstagramKOO APPYOUTUBE