New Delhi, June 26: The 135th edition of the IndianOil Durand Cup, Asia’s oldest football tournament and the world’s third-oldest surviving football competition, will be held from July 25 to August 23, 2026, featuring 24 teams, including two foreign sides, across five host cities.
The prestigious tournament, which traces its legacy back 138 years, will be played in Kolkata, Ranchi, Guwahati, Imphal and Shillong, with Ranchi making its debut as a host city. A total of six venues will stage the matches, including the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong, reaffirming Meghalaya’s growing importance on India’s football map.
Kolkata will host matches at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan and Kishore Bharati Krirangan, while Birsa Munda Stadium in Ranchi, Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati and Khuman Lampak Stadium in Imphal will serve as the remaining venues.
The IndianOil Durand Cup has expanded significantly in recent years, strengthening its presence across eastern and northeastern India while establishing itself as one of the country’s premier football competitions. Since shifting its base to eastern India in 2019, the tournament has grown from a 16-team event to a 24-team competition.
Organised by the Eastern Command of the Indian Army on behalf of the three Services, the Durand Cup remains unique for bringing together Services teams, leading Indian clubs and foreign teams in one competition. The tournament has also become an important platform for emerging footballers, offering young players from clubs, academies and state teams the opportunity to compete against top-level opposition and gain national recognition.
Officials said the tournament’s strength lies in balancing elite competition with opportunities for developing talent, a tradition that has helped shape Indian football for more than a century.
The 2026 edition will feature 24 teams, including two foreign sides, although details regarding the participating clubs, groupings, fixtures and knockout schedule will be announced later.
The tournament will conclude on August 23, when the champions will lift the iconic Durand Cup trophy and add their names to one of the richest legacies in Indian football.
NorthEast United FCÂ enter the tournament as the defending champions after winning the previous edition.
