Durand Cup

Why is in news? Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh inaugurates 132nd Durand Cup in Kokrajhar, Assam

The 132nd edition of Durand Cup kicked off in Kokrajhar, Assam on August 05, 2023. Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh graced the opening ceremony, which marked the grand beginning of the annual football competition for the first time in the Assamese city. The tournament is organised by the Armed Forces and supported by the Government of Assam.

About the cup:

Durand Cup is Asia’s oldest and the world’s third oldest football tournament, in which top Indian football clubs from across the country participate.

It is an annual domestic football competition in India.

It is organised by the Indian Armed Forces, the Durand Cup has been the breeding ground for India’s best footballing talent over the years.

The inaugural edition took place in Shimla in 1888, when it started off as an Army Cup, open only to the British Indian Army troops in India, but soon opened up to civilian teams as well.

The Durand Cup tournament is unique where in the winning team walks away with three trophies –

The Durand Cup (a rolling trophy and the original prize),

The Shimla Trophy (also a rolling trophy and first given by the residents of Shimla in 1904) and

The President's Cup (for permanent keep and first presented by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, India’s first President, in 1956).