Shillong, July 31: Shillong for the first time will host the Durand Cup- Asia’s oldest and the world’s third oldest football tournament.
The city will witness the first of seven matches of the 133rd edition of the Durand Cup at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on August 2.
The education department has ordered closure of schools under Shillong Municipal area in view of the traffic congestion.
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium will host Group F consisting of local side Shillong Lajong FC, Indian Super League sides FC Goa, Hyderabad FC and Nepal’s Tribhuvan Army Football Club. The first match will be played between Shillong Lajong FC and Tribhuvan Army FC. The match is scheduled to start at 4 pm, to be preceded by an inauguration ceremony beginning at 2 pm. A number of thrilling military displays of the Indian Armed Forces and a cultural fiesta by children and singers are lined up to add to the festivities.
The three trophies of the 133rd Durand Cup reached Shillong and were displayed at a ceremony at the U Soso Tham Auditorium on July 18 in the presence of Chief Minister Meghalaya Conrad K. Sangma.
A symbol of India’s football history and culture, the Durand Cup is Asia’s oldest and the world’s third oldest football tournament. Organised by the Indian Army on behalf of the three Services, the Durand Cup has been churning out India’s best footballing talent over the years.
The inaugural edition happened in Shimla in 1888 and then the tournament moved to New Delhi in 1940, where it was held till 2016. In 2019, the tournament came under the aegis of the Eastern Command and moved to the eastern part of the country, with Kolkata, the Mecca of Indian football and the Eastern Command Headquarters, being the home base. What makes the Durand Cup even more unique is that the winners get three trophies, two rotating (Durand Cup and Shimla Trophy) and one for permanent keep (President’s Cup).
