Shillong, July 18: Meghalaya unveiled three trophies of the 133rd Indian Oil Durand Cup here on Thursday.
The city is gearing up to host the football tournament for the first time.
Chief Minister Sangma hailed the efforts of the Durand Cup Organising Committee in bringing about the historic moment for the state, which would put Shillong on the football map of the country.
The three trophies which were flagged off by the chief minister will tour the city and the surrounding districts.
Besides the presence of Sangma, Air Marshal SP Dharkar, Air Officer Commanding in Chief Eastern Air Command, Lieutenant General Sanjay Malik, General Officer Commanding 101Area, Maj Gen Rajesh A Moghe, Vice Chairman Durand Cup Organising Committee and a number of senior military and civil officials were present. The three trophies were flagged off on July 10 for a nationwide tour by the President of India Droupadi Murmu from the national capital.
Sangma said, “Football is the most loved and followed sport in Meghalaya and it is an absolute honour for us to host the prestigious Durand Cup for the first time. I urge all the football loving people of the state to come and watch the matches and I am sure that they will be entertained with some quality football games between some top sides.
He said all security arrangements will be made for the smooth conduct of the matches.
Lieutenant General Sanjay Malik said, “The Indian Army is proud to host this prestigious tournament in Shillong, as we continue with our commitment to spread the reach of the Durand Cup further into the region. In that spirit, Shillong will be hosting the prestigious tournament for the first time. We are sure that the football loving state of Meghalaya is ready for a grand spectacle and the youth will take immense inspiration by watching their favourite players in live action.
At the end of the ceremony, the defence officials along with Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Isawanda Laloo interacted and answered queries of media personnel.who were assured of security during the matches.
The organisers also said the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium is ready for the matches.
First match on August 2
The 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 on August 2. The game will start at 4 pn
All matches of the Indian Oil Durand Cup will be broadcast live on the Sony Sports Network and can also be livestreamed on the SonyLiv OTT platform.
A total of 24 teams, including the three services teams and two services teams from Nepal and Bangladesh, will be seen in action across 43 matches, which will be played in the four host cities of Kokrajhar, Shillong, Jamshedpur (last two named making their debut as host cities) and Kolkata, which will also host the final on August 31 at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan
ABOUT DURAND CUP
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 the breeding ground for 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).
