Kolkata, 03 July (H.S.) : The 135th edition of the IndianOil Durand Cup will begin on July 25 with the traditional Kolkata Derby between Mohun Bagan Super Giant and East Bengal FC at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, the Durand Cup Organising Committee announced on Friday.

The tournament, organised under the aegis of the Indian Army, will feature 24 teams divided into six groups and will be played across Kolkata, Ranchi, Imphal, Shillong and Guwahati from July 25 to August 23.

Kolkata will host Groups A and B, the opening match, two quarter-finals, the first semi-final and the final. Group A comprises Mohun Bagan Super Giant, East Bengal FC, South United FC and CISF Protectors, while Group B features Mohammedan SC, Indian Army FT, Baghpat FC and tournament debutants Samaleswari Sporting.

Ranchi, making its debut as a host city, will stage all Group C matches involving Jamshedpur FC, Sporting Club Delhi, Indian Air Force FT and Sri Lankan side Defenders FC.

Group D, to be played in Imphal, includes TRAU FC, NEROCA FC, FC Raengdai and Indian Navy FT, with the opening fixture of the leg featuring the Manipur derby between TRAU FC and NEROCA FC on July 28.

Shillong will host Group E, comprising Shillong Lajong FC, Langsning FC, Nongkseh SS&CC and Mumbai FC, while Group F in Guwahati features defending champions NorthEast United FC alongside Bodoland FC, FC1 and Karbi Anglong Morning Star FC.

The six group winners and the two best second-placed teams will qualify for the knockout stage. The quarter-finals are scheduled for August 16 and 17, the semi-finals on August 19 and 20, and the final will be played in Kolkata on August 23.

The tournament will be telecast live on the Sony Sports Network, with live streaming available on SonyLIV.

First held in 1888, the Durand Cup is Asia's oldest and the world's third-oldest football tournament. Since 2019, it has been hosted in Kolkata under the aegis of the Eastern Command.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh