KOLKATA, INDIA: The Durand Cup will kick off the 2026-27 Indian football season on Saturday, July 25. Domestic giants and bitter rivals Mohun Bagan and East Bengal will get the tournament underway with a Kolkata derby at the Salt Lake Stadium in the city. The final will be played on August 23 at the same venue.
The Durand Cup is the oldest football tournament in Asia, and the fifth-oldest in the world. It was established in 1888 and named after its founder Henry Mortimer Durand, who was England’s foreign secretary in charge of their Indian colony. Traditionally, it has been organised by the Indian armed forces.
The 2026 tournament will be the 135th edition of the Durand Cup, and will be played across five venues for the first time – Calcutta (Kolkata), Ranchi, Shillong, Guwahati and Imphal. NorthEast United are the defending champions of the tournament, having beaten Diamond Harbour in the 2025 final.
The tournament will feature 24 teams spread across six groups. Interestingly, just five clubs from the Indian Super League, the premier Indian football competition, have agreed to participate in this edition of the Durand Cup – Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, NorthEast United, Jamshedpur FC and SC Delhi.
The Indian Football League has just two representatives this year
Another interesting fact is that the Indian Football League (earlier known as the I-League, the second tier of the Indian football structure) will see just two clubs participate this year – Shillong Lajong and Mohammedan SC. The latter were relegated from the ISL at the end of the 2025-26 season.
This means that the rest of the tournament is peopled by clubs from the I-League 2, I-League 3, state-level leagues as well as the Indian armed forces. Traditionally, an Armed Forces side from a friendly neighbouring nation is invited, and Sri Lanka’s Defenders FC were given the honour this year.
The major absence of ISL clubs is bound to contribute to a drop in the quality of the tournament. However, the participating clubs will look forward to building a strong bench and giving opportunities to the youngsters in their side. This will also help them identify promising young talent ahead of the ISL season.
Most importantly, with the transfer window underway, the Durand Cup will allow clubs to scout and recruit players into their respective squads. Players who seek transfers to other clubs in Indian football will want to make the most of this platform, since clubs will keep a keen eye on those who perform consistently.
Complete list of teams in Durand Cup 2026
Here is the complete list of teams that will participate in the Durand Cup this year:
- Mohun Bagan Super Giant
- East Bengal FC
- South United FC
- CISF Protectors FC
- Mohammedan SC
- Indian Army FT
- Baghpat FC (FC Banaras Baghpat)
- Samaleswari Sporting (Samaleswari SC)
- Jamshedpur FC
- SC Delhi
- Indian Air Force FT
- Defenders FC (Sri Lankan Armed Forces)
- TRAU FC
- NEROCA FC
- FC Raengdai
- Indian Navy FT
- Shillong Lajong FC
- Langsning FC
- Nongkseh SS&CC
- Mumbay FC
- NorthEast United FC
- Bodoland FC
- FC1 Kashmir
- Karbi Anglong Morning Star FC
Where can fans watch Durand Cup 2026?
Indian football fans can watch the 2026 season of the Durand Cup live on the Sony Sports Network. While Sony Sports will broadcast all live matches on television, Sony LIV can be turned to for live streaming.
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