East Bengal and ATK Mohun Bagan will begin the 2022 Durand Cup action in Kolkata.
The tournament will commence its 2022 edition one day after the Indian Independence Day, on August 16. At the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata, arch-rivals East Bengal and ATK Mohun Bagan will lock horns against each other in the opening game. Both these teams have won the Durand Cup 16 times each, making them the most successful teams of this tournament.
The final will be played in the opening week of September at the Khuman Lampak Stadium, Imphal. The Durand Cup will act as the season opener for Indian football from 2022/23. Although the tournament was merely an exhibition contest before this season, AIFF decided to integrate the Indian Super League teams into it from this edition.
The top five ISL teams are mandated to partake in the tournament which was first played back in 1888, making it one of the oldest tournaments in the world. FC Goa are currently the defending champions of the tournament and will feature once again in Group A.
All the ISL teams which featured in the previous season will be a part of the Durand Cup this time, and have been dispersed across four groups. FC Goa will be in Group A alongside fellow ISL teams Bengaluru and Jamshedpur, alongside I-League side Mohammedan SC and Indian Air Force.
Hyderabad, who lifted the ISL title for the first time in the recently concluded season, are placed alongside Chennaiyin, NEROCA, TRAU and Army Red in Group C.
Group A fixtures
August 17 – Jamshedpur vs Indian Air Force – Naihati Stadium
August 19 -Mohammedan vs FC Goa – Salt Lake Stadium
August 21 – Jamshedpur vs Bengaluru -Kishore Bharati Stadium
August 23 – FC Goa vs Indian Air Force – Naihati Stadium
August 25 – Bengaluru vs Mohammedan – Salt Lake Stadium
August 27 – Jamshedpur vs FC Goa – Kishore Bharati Stadium
August 29 – Bengaluru vs Indian Air Force – Naihati Stadium
August 31 – Jamshedpur vs Mohammedan – Salt Lake Stadium
September 2 – Bengaluru vs FC Goa -Kishore Bharati Stadium
September 4 – Mohammedan vs Indian Air Force – Naihati Stadium
Group B fixtures
August 16 – East Bengal vs ATK Mohun Bagan – Salt Lake Stadium
August 18 – Mumbai City vs Indian Navy – Kishore Bharati Stadium
August 20 – ATK Mohun Bagan vs Rajasthan United – Naihati Stadium
August 22 – East Bengal vs Mumbai City – Salt Lake Stadium
August 24 – ATK Mohun Bagan vs Indian Navy – Kishore Bharati Stadium
August 26 – East Bengal vs Rajasthan United – Naihati Stadium
August 28 – ATK Mohun Bagan vs Mumbai City – Salt Lake Stadium
August 30 – Rajasthan United vs Indian Navy – Kishore Bharati Stadium
September 3 – East Bengal vs Indian Navy – Salt Lake Stadium
September 5 – Mumbai City vs Rajasthan United – Kishore Bharati Stadium
Group C fixtures
August 18 – NEROCA vs TRAU – Khuman Lampak Stadium
August 20 – Chennaiyin vs Army Red – Khuman Lampak Stadium
August 22 – TRAU vs Hyderabad – Khuman Lampak Stadium
August 24 – Army Red vs NEROCA – Khuman Lampak Stadium
August 26 – Hyderabad vs Chennaiyin – Khuman Lampak Stadium
August 28 – TRAU vs Army Red – Khuman Lampak Stadium
August 30 – Hyderabad vs NEROCA – Khuman Lampak Stadium
September 1 – TRAU vs Chennaiyin – Khuman Lampak Stadium
September 3 – Army Red vs Hyderabad – Khuman Lampak Stadium
September 5 – NEROCA vs Chennaiyin – Khuman Lampak Stadium
Group D fixtures
August 17 – Odisha vs NorthEast United – Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium
August 19 – Sudeva Delhi vs Kerala Blasters – Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium
August 21 – NorthEast United vs Army Green – Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium
August 23 – Odisha vs Kerala Blasters – Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium
August 25 – Army Green vs Sudeva Delhi – Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium
August 27 – NorthEast United vs Kerala Blasters – Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium
August 29 – Odisha vs Sudeva Delhi – Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium
August 31 – Kerala Blasters vs Army Green – Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium
September 2 – NorthEast United vs Sudeva Delhi – Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium
September 4 – Army Green vs Odisha – Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium
