Defending champions Mohun Bagan FC will take on Punjab FC as the quarterfinals for the ongoing edition of the Durand Cup were announced after a draw was held. As per an Indian Super League (ISL) press release, the draw was held virtually with representatives of the eight qualified teams present. After the FC Goa versus Shillong Lajong FC Group F game in Shillong concluded on Saturday and it became clear who the eight qualified teams were, a video call was arranged where representatives of all qualified teams came on board.

A live draw of lots was then conducted in front of them, and two teams to play in each venue were finalized.

A decision to shift the second quarter-final from Kolkata to Shillong was also taken, taking into consideration the playing conditions.

Durand Cup kicked off on July 27, with the final slated for August 31 at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan. A total of 24 teams took part in this year’s edition, including one foreign team from Nepal and all 12 teams of India’s top football division, the Indian Super League (ISL).

From Group A, arch-rivals Mohun Bagan and East Bengal qualified for QFs with two wins, one draw and seven points. Bengaluru FC qualified from Group B with three wins in three games and nine points. Kerala Blasters and Punjab FC made it to the final eight from Group C with two wins, a draw and seven points. Indian Army FT progressed further from Group D by winning all three games. Northeast United and Shillong Lajong made it to the QFs from Group E and F with nine and seven points respectively.

Here are the quarter-final fixtures:

Quarter-Final 1 (August 21, SAI Stadium, Kokrajhar):

Northeast United FC VS Indian Army FT, 4:00 PM

Quarter-Final 2 (August 21, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Shillong):

Shillong Lajong FC VS East Bengal FC, 7:00 PM

Quarter-Final 3 (August 23, 2024, JRD Tata Sports Complex, Jamshedpur):

Mohun Bagan Super Giant vs Punjab FC, 4:00 PM

Quarter-Final 4 (August 23, Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata):

Bengaluru FC vs Kerala Blasters FC, 7:00 PM.

Teams Mohun Bagan nd East Bengal© X (Twitter)

Defending champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant and their archrivals East Bengal FC, the two finalists from the previous edition, have been drawn together in the same group as the group stage draw for the upcoming Durand Cup 2024 was unveiled on Thursday. The 24 teams from the ISL, I-League, international teams, and teams from the Armed Forces will fight it out in Asia’s oldest football tournament, scheduled to commence on July 27. Notably, international teams will also feature with Nepal’s Tribhuvan Army FC and Bangladesh Army Football Team, both returning from the previous edition.

This year, Jamshedpur and Shillong join Kokrajhar and Kolkata as host cities, with each hosting group stage fixtures. Kolkata, the main venue, will host three groups, while Jamshedpur, Shillong, and Kokrajhar will each host one group.

The tournament will follow a round-robin league format with knockout stages, culminating in the final at Kolkata’s Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan. In total, 43 matches will be played and the top teams from each group, along with the two best second-placed teams, will advance to the knockout phase.

Here are the groups for Durand Cup 2024:

Group A (Kolkata): Mohun Bagan SG, East Bengal FC, Indian Air Force FT, Downtown Heroes FC

Group B (Kolkata): Bengaluru FC, Inter Kashi FC, Indian Navy FT, Mohammedan SC

Group C (Kolkata): Kerala Blasters FC, Mumbai City FC, Punjab FC, CISF Protectors FT

Group D (Jamshedpur): Jamshedpur FC, Chennaiyin FC, Indian Army FT, Bangladesh Army FT

Group E (Kokrajhar): Odisha FC, NorthEast United FC, Bodoland FC, BSF FT

Group F (Shillong): FC Goa, Hyderabad FC, Shillong Lajong FC, Tribhuvan Army FC