Durand Cup 2024: Defending champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant to face Downtown Heroes in opener

Kolkata, July 12 (IANS) Defending champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG) will face Downtown Heroes FC of Kashmir in the opening match of the 133rd Durand Cup at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) here on July 27. The group stage matches will end on August 18 with the famous Kolkata Derby between MBSG and city-rivals and fellow Indian Super League (ISL) side East Bengal (EEB), being slotted at the VYBK, as the final fixture of Group A.While matches of Group A, B, and C will be held in Kolkata, the first match in Jamshedpur, a first-time host where Group D matches will be played, will see hosts Jamshedpur FC take on Bangladesh Army Football Team, who are one of the two foreign teams competing in the tournament.Group E games begin in Kokrajhar on July 30 with local side Bodoland FC taking on ISL side NorthEast United FC. Shillong, which will also be hosting the IndianOil Durand Cup for the very first time, will see the hosts Shillong Lajong FC take on Nepal’s Tribhuvan Army Football Team on August 2, in the first fixture of Group F.The VYBK and Kishore Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata, JRD Tata Sports Complex in Jamshedpur, SAI Stadium in Kokrajhar and the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong, will be the tournament venues. A total of 24 teams have been divided into six groups with the six group toppers and two best second-placed teams slated to qualify for the knockouts.All 43 matches of the 133rd IndianOil Durand Cup will be broadcast live on the Sony Sports Network as well as live streamed on Sony Liv.--IANSaaa/bsk/

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