The Durand Cup - India's Legacy

Durand Cup is the one of the most celebrated tournaments in our country. It is the oldest Football Tournament in Asia and was First held in Shimla in the year 1888. The tournament was named after the then Foreign Secretary Sir Mortimer Durand. It is the third oldest football tournament in the world. In its early years, Various team from the British Indian Army used to compete against each other. Several teams from the army still take part in the tournament.

It was put off twice during the world wars and was open to Non-miliary sides only after the India gained its Independence in 1947. Royal Scots Fusiliers were the first to win this cup. It is co hosted by the Durand Football Tournament Society (DFTS) and Osians. The matches are free-of-cost for the spectators, and the winner gets 50 lakhs. The tournament’s duties and responsibilities were handed over by the Indian Army to Osians, the art house in 2006.

The tournament takes place over a span of 20 days which includes multiple phases, namely the Knockout phase and the Quarter Final phase. The tournament follows the Gourp/knockout pattern. The Services Champions and top 9 teams from the I-League directly qualify for the Quarter Finals phase. 20 other teams go through the knock-out phase from which 2 teams are selected for the Quarter Finals phase. FC Kochin were the first winners of the tournament from the South to win the tournament.

East Bengal AC has appeared in the finals the highest number of times, they managed to achieve this feat 26 times and Mohun Bagan has done so on 25 occasions. Interestingly, the rivals have won the cup 16 times each. It has been over a decade since both of them have appeared in the finals. The Kolkata based clubs have also faced defeat the highest number of times, East Bengal has lost 10 times in the finals whereas Mohun Bagan has lost the finals 9 times.

BSF (Border Security Force) has won it 7 times of the 9 times they have appeared so far. Salgaocar Sports club has a 100% win record, winning it all the 3 times they have appeared in the finals. FC Kochin, Prayag United and Air India have achieved a similar feat but have appeared in the finals just once. Salgaocar Sporting Club beat Pune FC 1 – 0 last year in the finals to lift the cup in 2014, which was the cup’s 127^th edition.