Shillong: The three prestigious trophies of the 133rd IndianOil Durand Cup have arrived in Shillong, marking the first time the Meghalayan capital will host the esteemed football tournament. A grand ceremony at the U Soso Tham Auditorium in Secretariat Hills showcased the trophies, attended by Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma.
Chief Minister Sangma praised the efforts of the Durand Cup Organizing Committee for bringing this historic event to Shillong, highlighting its significance in placing the city on India’s football map.
The trophies will tour Shillong and the surrounding districts, starting from the venue with Chief Minister Sangma, Air Marshal SP Dharkar, Lieutenant General Sanjay Malik, Major General Rajesh A Moghe, and other senior military and civil officials in attendance. The nationwide tour of the trophies commenced on July 10, flagged off by President of India Droupadi Murmu from New Delhi.
Major General Rajesh A Moghe welcomed and thanked the Chief Minister, state government officials, military officers, sponsors, organizers, and media personnel. He detailed the match schedule and extended best wishes to the teams on behalf of Lt Gen Ram Chander Tiwari, GOC-in-C Eastern Command and Patron of the Durand Cup Organizing Committee.
Chief Minister Sangma expressed his excitement, stating, “Football is the most loved and followed sport in Meghalaya, and it is an absolute honor for us to host the prestigious Durand Cup for the first time. I urge all football lovers in the state to come and watch the matches, and I am sure they will be entertained by some quality football. I will be rooting for our favorite Shillong Lajong, and we look forward to competitive and exciting matches. I commend the excellent coordination between the Indian Army and the state government in providing administrative support and infrastructure.”
Lieutenant General Sanjay Malik also shared his thoughts, saying, “The Indian Army is proud to host this prestigious tournament in Shillong, continuing our commitment to expanding the reach of the Durand Cup in the region. In this spirit, Shillong will host the tournament for the first time.”
The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium will host Group F, featuring local side Shillong Lajong FC, Indian Super League teams FC Goa and Hyderabad FC, and Nepal’s Tribhuvan Army Football Club. The first match, between Shillong Lajong FC and Tribhuvan Army FC, will take place on August 2 at 4 PM IST.
All matches of the IndianOil Durand Cup will be broadcast live on the Sony Sports Network and can be streamed on the SonyLiv OTT platform.
A total of 24 teams, including three services teams and two teams from Nepal and Bangladesh, will compete across 43 matches in four host cities: Kokrajhar, Shillong, Jamshedpur (both debuting as host cities), and Kolkata, which will also host the grand final on August 31 at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK).
