Shillong, July 11: With just two weeks left for the kick-off of the 135th Durand Cup, football fever began sweeping across Meghalaya on Saturday as the tournament’s iconic trophies arrived in Shillong, signalling the countdown to one of India’s biggest domestic football competitions.
The three coveted trophies — the Durand Cup, the President’s Cup and the Simla Trophy — were welcomed by Meghalaya Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Wailadmiki Shylla before embarking on a city-wide tour, bringing the tournament closer to football fans in one of the country’s strongest footballing regions.
Shillong is the first of the tournament’s five host cities to stage the Trophy Tour after the trophies were ceremonially flagged off by President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre in New Delhi earlier this month.The event celebrated Meghalaya’s enduring football culture and included a presentation on the tournament’s rich history, a screening of the President’s trophy unveiling ceremony, a performance by the Khmih Creative Society choir, and the ceremonial display of all three trophies before the convoy set off across the city.
The Trophy Tour travelled through several prominent locations, including Camel Back Road, Civil Hospital, Umshyrpi Bridge, Shillong Peak, Nongthymmai, Laitumkhrah, Dhanketi Point, Barik Point and Khyndailad, before culminating at the Chief Minister Football Fan Park at SRGT Ground, Polo, allowing supporters to catch a glimpse of the silverware.
Shillong is once again set to play a key role in the prestigious tournament.
The city will host all Group E matches featuring Mumbay FC, Shillong Lajong FC, Langsning FC and Nongkseh SS&CC.
Besides the group-stage fixtures, Shillong has also been entrusted with hosting a quarter-final and a semi-final, underlining its growing stature as one of Indian football’s premier venues.Following its Meghalaya leg covering Shillong, Jowai and Tura, the Trophy Tour will head to Imphal on July 15 before continuing across the remaining host cities in the build-up to the tournament.
The 135th IndianOil Durand Cup will be held from July 25 to August 23 across Kolkata, Shillong, Imphal, Guwahati and Ranchi.
The competition will feature 24 teams, including a side representing the Sri Lankan Armed Forces, with 43 matches scheduled across six venues.
The tournament opens with the highly anticipated Kolkata Derby between Mohun Bagan Super Giant and East Bengal FC on July 25 at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, which will also host the final on August 23.
Established in 1888, the Durand Cup remains the world’s third-oldest surviving football tournament and continues to serve as a major platform for India’s leading clubs, emerging talent and Services teams.
