Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], July 3 (ANI): The 135th Durand Cup will commence fittingly with one of Indian football's greatest rivalries as record 17-time champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant take on 16-time winners East Bengal FC in the opening fixture at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on July 25.

The Durand Cup Organising Committee announced the fixtures, setting the stage for another exciting edition of Asia's oldest football tournament. Featuring 24 teams across six groups and five host cities, the tournament will be played from July 25 to August 23, bringing together India's leading clubs, Services teams, emerging football institutions and international participation in a month-long celebration of football, according to a press release.

Hosted across Kolkata, Ranchi, Imphal, Shillong and Guwahati, this year's Durand Cup once again reflects the tournament's expanding national footprint while remaining firmly rooted in the football heartlands of eastern and northeastern India. The group stage combines established powerhouses, ambitious newcomers, Services teams, regional champions and international participation, underlining the unique character that has defined the tournament for well over a century.

Kolkata, the home of the Durand Cup since 2019, will once again occupy centre stage by hosting Groups A and B, the tournament opener, two quarter-finals, the first semi-final and the Final.

Group A features record 17-time champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant, 16-time winners East Bengal FC, South United FC and CISF Protectors. The spotlight naturally falls on the opening Kolkata Derby between Mohun Bagan Super Giant and East Bengal FC on July 25, one of Indian football's most celebrated rivalries and a fitting curtain-raiser to the tournament. The group stage concludes on August 10 with Mohun Bagan Super Giant taking on CISF Protectors.

Group B brings together Mohammedan SC, Indian Army FT and Durand Cup debutants Baghpat FC and Samaleswari Sporting, offering an intriguing blend of tradition and emerging ambition. The group opens on July 26 with Indian Army FT taking on Samaleswari Sporting before concluding on August 12 with Mohammedan SC facing Indian Army FT in what promises to be a keenly contested finale.

Making its debut as a Durand Cup host, Ranchi will stage all Group C fixtures at the Birsa Munda Football Stadium. The group comprises Indian Super League sides Jamshedpur FC, Sporting Club Delhi, Indian Air Force FT and Defenders FC of the Sri Lankan armed forces, who make their first appearance in the competition. Ranchi's inaugural Durand Cup campaign begins on July 26 with Jamshedpur FC taking on Defenders FC and concludes on August 13 when Jamshedpur FC face Indian Air Force FT.

Group D will see local sides TRAU FC, NEROCA FC and FC Raengdai joined by Indian Navy FT. The Imphal leg begins with a mouth-watering Manipur derby between TRAU FC and NEROCA FC on July 28, while the group concludes on August 12 with another all-Manipur encounter as NEROCA FC take on FC Raengdai.

Shillong hosts Group E, which showcases the strength of Meghalaya's club football ecosystem with three local clubs competing on home soil. Shillong Lajong FC, Langsning FC and Meghalaya Premier League champions Nongkseh SS&CC are joined by Durand Cup debutants Mumbay FC from Maharashtra. The Shillong leg gets underway on July 31 with Shillong Lajong FC taking on Nongkseh SS&CC, while the group concludes on August 13 with the eagerly anticipated Shillong derby between Shillong Lajong FC and Langsning FC.

Group F in Guwahati is headlined by back-to-back defending champions NorthEast United FC, who begin their pursuit of a third consecutive Durand Cup title. They are joined by Bodoland FC, FC1 and Karbi Anglong Morning Star FC, reflecting the growing strength of football in the Northeast. The Guwahati leg begins on August 1 with NorthEast United FC taking on Bodoland FC before concluding on August 13 with Bodoland FC facing Karbi Anglong Morning Star FC.

Following the conclusion of the league stage, the six group winners and the two best second-placed teams will advance to the knockout phase. The quarter-finals will commence on August 16 with the first match in Ranchi and the second in Kolkata, before the remaining two quarter-finals are played on August 17 in Kolkata and Shillong, respectively.

The first semi-final will be staged at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on August 19, while Shillong will host the second semi-final at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on August 20. The tournament will culminate with the final at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on August 23, where the champions of the 135th IndianOil Durand Cup will be crowned.

With the group stage draw and fixtures now confirmed, attention turns to the action on the pitch as the 24 participating teams begin their quest for the coveted Durand Cup title. From the opening Kolkata Derby on July 25 to the Final in Kolkata on August 23, the 135th Durand Cup promises another memorable chapter in the storied history of Asia's oldest football tournament. (ANI)