Durand Cup trophy tour kicks off in Jamshedpur

Jamshedpur FC to face Nepal’s Tribhuvan Army FT on July 24

Football is in Jharkhand’s soul: Governor flags off Durand Cup trophy tour

Jamshedpur, July 7: The Steel City of India welcomed back the 134^th IndianOil Durand Cup as the city gets ready to host Asia’s oldest football tournament for the second consecutive year. The three trophies of the Durand Cup were showcased here at the XLRI Auditorium in the presence of Santosh Gangwar, Governor of Jharkhand who was the Chief Guest of the event. Also present, were Ramdas Soren, Minister of School Education & Literacy Development, Government of Jharkhand, Lt. Gen Mohit Malhotra, AVSM, SM, Chief of Staff, HQ Eastern Command and Chairman, Durand Cup Organising Committee and Shri. DB Sundara Ramam, Vice President Corporate Services, Tata Steel Limited.

Speaking on the occasion Santosh Gangwar, Governor of Jharkhand said, “As one of Asia’s oldest and most prestigious football tournaments, the Durand Cup is a symbol of tradition, discipline, and sporting excellence. The hosting of the Durand Cup in Jamshedpur for the second consecutive year is a testament to the state’s growing stature in Indian sports. Its presence here reinforces the spirit of unity and aspiration among our youth. Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India’s sporting ecosystem has undergone a transformative shift with initiatives like Khelo India and TOPS empowering thousands of young athletes across the nation. Jharkhand, with its deep-rooted passion for football and a legacy of producing national and international talent, stands proudly at the heart of this movement.”

Also speaking on the occasion the Guest of Honour for the event, Ramdas Soren emphasised, “As we all know Durand Cup is the oldest tournament in Asia and it has so much history and it will be an honour for us to host this tournament again. Today I am feeling proud to say that Jharkhand has produced many players for the country whether it is in hockey or cricket and we have always contributed to sports.”

The audience were also treated to some enthralling performances with local artists performing Santhali and Chhau dances along with a Bhangra dance.

“At Tata Steel, sports is a way of life. We have a long history of promoting football in India, from grassroots to professional leagues. Today, as we kick off the Durand Cup Trophy Tour, Tata Steel feels proud to be associated with the Indian Army and the Government of Jharkhand and thank them for giving us an opportunity to host part of the Durand Cup Football Tournament in Jamshedpur.” said DB Sundara Ramam, Vice President Corporate Services, Tata Steel Limited.

The three trophies travelled through key city landmarks, including Mango Bus Stand, Sakchi Circle, and JUSCO Circle, before being displayed at the JRD TATA Sports Complex, which will be hosting the matches. Later, the trophies were also showcased at Bistupur Square.

The Trophy tour will continue tomorrow (8^th July) from Jubilee Park at 6 AM and will be on display at the Tata Motors from 9 AM to 11 AM. The trophy will be displayed at the Tatanagar Railway Station from 12 Noon for three and a half hours before it moves on to the P&M Mall which will be the final destination of the tour.

Jamshedpur will host four teams with hosts and pride of the Steel City Jamshedpur FC, 1 Ladakh FC who will be making their debut in Durand Cup, Indian Army FT and a Foreign Services team adding international flavour to the tournament. A total of seven matches, including one quarterfinal will be played at the JRD Tata Sports Complex with the first match scheduled on 24^th July with the other group stage matches to be played on 29^th July, 2^nd, 5^th, 8^th and 11^th of August. The quarterfinals will be played on 17^th August.

The 134th edition of the IndianOil Durand Cup, will kick off on July 23rd, 2025, with Emami East Bengal FC facing Bengaluru-based South United FC (SUFC) at the iconic Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata in a Group A fixture.

Group C action kicks off in Jamshedpur on July 24th with hosts Jamshedpur FC (JFC) facing Nepal’s Tribhuvan Army FT at the JRD Tata Sports Complex while Indian Army Football Team and 1 Ladakh FC playing their first match on July 29th and August 2nd respectively.