Now Reading: Durand Cup can open doors to national team, says Army organiser
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Durand Cup can open doors to national team, says Army organiser
The Durand Cup, Asia's oldest football tournament, has grown from a Kolkata and Delhi-centric event into a five-state competition, said Major General Dinesh Kumar Singh, Vice Chairman of the organising committee. The…
The Durand Cup, Asia's oldest football tournament, has grown from a Kolkata and Delhi-centric event into a five-state competition, said Major General Dinesh Kumar Singh, Vice Chairman of the organising committee. The 2026 edition was held in Manipur, Meghalaya, Assam, Jharkhand and West Bengal, with matches in Imphal drawing sold-out crowds despite the state's challenges.
Singh said the tournament now offers young players a platform to be spotted by bigger clubs and earn a spot in the Indian national team. The Army, Navy, Air Force and the President of India have backed the revamp, alongside state governments and sponsors.
The next edition will move one of its six groups outside the Northeast, though the number of teams will not increase. The immediate goal is to raise match quality, attract more spectators, and deepen fan support across regions, Singh added.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The Durand Cup, hosted by the Indian Army since 2019, offers a rare pathway for club football outside the ISL ecosystem. With the Army's logistical reach, it can take matches to smaller cities where commercial leagues struggle. The next edition's move of one group outside the Northeast signals an intent to build a national footprint. For young players, a strong showing here is often the quickest route to an ISL trial or a national camp call-up. The key measure to watch is how many of this edition's standout performers are signed by top-division clubs before the next ISL season.
Source: sportstar.thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
