Football
Durand Cup prize pool tripled to ₹3 crore amid ISL club pullouts
Kolkata gears up to host 15 matches including the final.
Northeast United with Durand Cup trophy (Photo credit: Durand Cup)
The 134th edition of the IndianOil Durand Cup is set to see its prize money pool triple to ₹3 crore, even as several ISL clubs have opted out of participation this year.
The announcement was made at the trophy unveiling ceremony held in Kolkata, where officials reiterated their commitment to maintaining the tournament’s prestige and expanding its competitive appeal.
The significant increase in prize money—up from ₹1.2 crore in previous editions—will benefit not just the winners and runners-up, but also semifinalists, quarterfinalists, and individual award winners. Three brand-new SUVs will also be awarded to top individual performers.
The Durand Cup trophies—the original silverware, the rolling Shimla Trophy (introduced in 1904), and the President’s Cup—were unveiled at AOI Vijay Durg.
The tournament will also offer a platform for emerging teams, including 1-Ladakh FC, South United FC, Bodoland FC, and Rangdajied United FC—marking a continued effort to connect grassroots football to national-level exposure.
Group A includes Emami East Bengal FC, Indian Air Force FT, debutants Namdhari FC, and South United FC. The opening match on July 23 at VYBK will feature East Bengal against South United FC.
Group B will feature a mouth-watering Kolkata derby between Mohun Bagan Super Giant and Mohammedan SC on July 31 at KBK, alongside appearances by Border Security Force FT and Diamond Harbour FC.
Despite the absence of many ISL regulars, the organizers remain confident that the historic Durand Cup will continue to be a celebration of Indian football’s heritage and future.
