Durand Cup 2026 Fixtures Announced: Mohun Bagan vs East Bengal to Kick Off Tournament
The 135th Durand Cup will begin on July 25 with the Kolkata Derby between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal. Here are the complete fixtures, groups, venues and knockout schedule.
July 04, 2026: The 135th Durand Cup will begin with one of the biggest rivalries in Indian football. Record 17-time champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant will face 16-time winners East Bengal FC in the opening match at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on July 25.
The Durand Cup Organising Committee has announced the full fixture list for Asia's oldest football tournament. The competition will run from July 25 to August 23 and feature 24 teams divided into six groups. Matches will be played across Kolkata, Ranchi, Imphal, Shillong, and Guwahati.
The tournament will bring together top Indian clubs, Services teams, regional champions, new participants, and international teams. Kolkata, which has hosted the Durand Cup since 2019, will once again host the opening match, two quarter-finals, the first semi-final, and the final.
Group Stage Fixtures Across Five Host Cities
Group A includes Mohun Bagan Super Giant, East Bengal FC, South United FC, and CISF Protectors. The opening Kolkata Derby on July 25 will be the highlight of the group, while the final Group A match will see Mohun Bagan take on CISF Protectors on August 10.
Group B features Mohammedan SC, Indian Army FT, Baghpat FC, and Samaleswari Sporting. The group starts on July 26 with Indian Army FT facing Samaleswari Sporting and ends on August 12 with Mohammedan SC taking on Indian Army FT.
Ranchi will host Group C for the first time. The group includes Jamshedpur FC, Sporting Club Delhi, Indian Air Force FT, and Sri Lankan side Defenders FC. The Ranchi leg begins on July 26 with Jamshedpur FC facing Defenders FC and concludes on August 13 against Indian Air Force FT.
๐๐ก๐ ๐ ๐ข๐ฑ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ญ๐ก ๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐ ๐๐ง๐๐ข๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ฅ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฉ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐. โฝ๐#135thEditionofIndianOilDurandCup #PoweredbySBIandCoalIndia #DeshKaCup #ManyChampionsOneLegacy pic.twitter.com/Rjxop4TqRu
โ Durand Cup (@thedurandcup) July 3, 2026
Imphal, Shillong and Guwahati Ready for Exciting Action
Group D in Imphal features TRAU FC, NEROCA FC, FC Raengdai, and Indian Navy FT. The action begins on July 28 with the Manipur derby between TRAU FC and NEROCA FC. The group ends on August 12 with NEROCA FC facing FC Raengdai.
Shillong will host Group E, which includes Shillong Lajong FC, Langsning FC, Nongkseh SS&CC, and debutants Mumbay FC. The first match is on July 31, while the much-awaited Shillong derby between Shillong Lajong FC and Langsning FC will close the group stage on August 13.
Group F will be played in Guwahati and features defending champions NorthEast United FC, Bodoland FC, FC1, and Karbi Anglong Morning Star FC. NorthEast United begin their title defence against Bodoland FC on August 1, and the group concludes on August 13.
Knockout Stage and Final Schedule
After the group stage, the six group winners and the two best second-placed teams will qualify for the quarter-finals. The knockout stage begins on August 16 with matches in Ranchi and Kolkata, followed by two more quarter-finals on August 17 in Kolkata and Shillong.
The first semi-final will be played in Kolkata on August 19, while Shillong will host the second semi-final on August 20. The 135th Durand Cup will conclude with the final at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on August 23, where the new champions will be crowned.
From the opening Kolkata Derby to the final, the tournament promises a month of exciting football featuring some of India's biggest clubs, rising teams, and international participants.
