The Durand Cup football tournament will begin on July 23rd this year, which has been officially announced. Football fans were certainly a bit disappointed due to the cancellation of this year's Indian Super League (ISL) season.
Sports News: The wait for the Durand Cup 2025, Asia's oldest and most prestigious football tournament, is now over. This year's season will begin on July 23, 2025. The organizers of the tournament have made this official announcement. A highlight is that not only has the prize money been increased this time, but a total of 24 teams will also participate.
The Durand Cup is not only India's but also Asia's oldest football tournament, which began in 1888. This tournament is always special for Indian football enthusiasts, and after the cancellation of the Indian Super League (ISL 2025), this tournament is no less than a boon for the fans.
Matches to be Played in Five Cities, Kolkata to Host the Opening Game
This time, the Durand Cup 2025 matches will be played in 5 major cities in the country. These cities include Kolkata, Guwahati, Imphal, Bhubaneswar, and New Delhi. The first match of the tournament will be played at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. The date for the final match of the Durand Cup has also been set. The final match of this prestigious tournament will be played on August 23, 2025.
A total of 24 teams have been included in the Durand Cup 2025, which have been divided into 6 different groups. After the group stage matches, three teams from each group will enter the knockout stage. This time, some new teams are also participating in the tournament for the first time, such as:
- South United FC
- Diamond Harbour FC
- Namdhari FC
- ITBP (Indo-Tibetan Border Police)
- One Ladakh FC
- FC Malaysia Army
- Tribhuvan Army FC (Nepal)
- Armed Forces FC (Malaysia)
- Mohun Bagan
- East Bengal
- NorthEast United
- Punjab FC
- Jamshedpur FC
- Mohammedan Sporting
Last year, 12 teams from the Indian Super League (ISL) were included, whereas this time only 6 ISL teams will participate in this tournament.
Huge Increase in Prize Money, Now ₹3 Crore Will Be Awarded
There has been a tremendous increase in the prize money for the Durand Cup 2025. Where the winning team previously received ₹1.2 crore, it has now been increased to ₹3 crore. This decision has been taken to make the tournament more competitive and attractive. In addition:
- Best Goalkeeper (Golden Glove)
- Golden Boot
- Golden Ball
The winners of these awards will be presented with an SUV car. Football fans can watch all the matches of Durand Cup 2025 live on Sony Sports Network. In addition, they will also be live-streamed on the Sony Liv App.
