The Durand Cup Football Tournament is an annual domestic football competition in India. Coal India Limited is the sponsor of this historic tournament. The oldest existing club football tournament of India was first held in 1888 in Shimla.
History of this century-old football tournament:
Sir Henry Mortimer Durand started the Durand Cup in Shimla. Having become conscious of the value of sport as a means to maintain health, Sir Durand organized this tournament.
This tournament took place in Shimla in its initial 52 years. Later, the tournament shifted to New Delhi in 1940. The Royal Scots Fusiliers, a regimental department of the British Army, were the winners in this tournament’s inaugural season.
The Kolkata Giants, East Bengal and Mohun Bagan are the two most successful teams in the third-oldest competition in the world.
Durand Cup winners get three trophies:
The champion team of this tournament does not get a single championship trophy like other so-called tournaments. The winners get three trophies, such as the President’s Cup, the Shimla Cup, and the Durand Cup.
Firstly, the President’s Cup, which was replaced by the Viceroy’s trophy post-independence, is also known as ‘The Pride’. Initially, the trophy was handed over by the first president of India, Dr. Rajendra Prashad. Since then, the trophy has been awarded to the winning team.
Secondly, Shimla was the original venue of the competition from 1888 to 1940. The residents of Shimla presented this award as a memorial to their love and passion for football. The Shimla Trophy was first awarded in 1904, and it has been in circulation since 1965.
Thirdly, the original trophy, the Durand Cup (which is also known as the ‘Masterpiece’) has been awarded since 1965.
Durand Cup: 2023:
The 2023 Durand Cup is the 132nd edition of the national competition. This tournament started on August 3 and will continue throughout the month.
Teams from the ISL, the I-League, and the Armed Forces of India, Bangladesh, and Nepal participate in this century-old competition. This year, Downtown Heroes (from Srinagar) and Bodoland FC (from Kokrajhar) join the tournament as new entrants.
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