The opening ceremony of the 133rd Durand Cup took place on Saturday at the iconic Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.
The opening ceremony saw dancers performing bhangra at the Salt Lake Stadium before the inaugural match of the tournament.
Speaking to ANI, MoS for Sports and Youth, West Bengal government, Manoj Tiwary said that football is in the blood of the people in Kolkata.
“People of Kolkata are sports lovers and football is in their blood…it is a good thing that Army and our state govt together are organising this (Durand Cup football tournament),” Manoj Tiwary said.
Defending champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant taking on the fabled Downtown Heroes of Srinagar in a Group A encounter on Saturday.
Downtown Heroes FC, a club now in its fourth year, brings a fresh perspective to the competition with their focus on nurturing young, homegrown talent. Despite a relatively brief history, they made their Durand Cup debut last season and participated in the 2022-23 I-League Division 2, as per a Indian Super League (ISL) press release.
Mohun Bagan SG enter the tournament as reigning champions, buoyant after clinching the ISL Shield last season. Under the guidance of head coach Jose Francisco Molina, they aim to build on their success with a strengthened squad that includes notable international signings like Jamie Maclaren, Greg Stewart, Alberto Rodriguez, and Tom Aldred.
The Durand Cup is being played for the first time in four states, with Shillong and Jamshedpur added to the list of host cities this year for the very first time, in addition to Kokrajhar and Kolkata from last year.
The 24 teams have been divided into six groups, with Groups A, B and C being played in Kolkata, while Group D, E and F are held in Jamshedpur, Kokrajhar and Shillong, respectively. Group toppers and two best second-placed teams will make it to the quarterfinals scheduled in Kokarajhar and Jamshedpur, besides Kolkata.
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