The 127th edition of the Durand Cup Football Tournament will be held in Goa from 28th October 2014 to 9th November 2014. This was revealed by a Defence press release from Mumbai on 15 July 2014.
A host of top clubs and military football teams will participate in the tournament. The tournament will be conducted in two phases.
The first phase would be a qualifier phase in which 12 to 16 teams would be grouped into pools. Top two teams from the qualifier phase would participate in the main tournament.
The tournament will carry prize money of 50 lakh rupees. It will be held under the aegis of the Indian Army’s Headquarter, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa Area.
About Durand Cup
- The Durand Cup is the Asia’s oldest and third oldest football tournament in the world. It was first played in 1888.
- The Tournament is named after its founder, Sir Mortimer Durand, British India's Foreign Member of the time, the counterpart of the Foreign Secretary in London.
- The first Durand Cup was won by Royal Scots Fusiliers. They defeated Highland Light Infantry 2-1.
- In 1940 the venue was transferred to New Delhi, and it is now held at the Ambedkar Stadium in the city. Following India's independence in 1947, the tournament was hosted by the Indian Army.
- The first Durand Cup after independence was won by Hyderabad City Police in 1950. They defeated Mohun Bagan AC 1-0.
- The 125th edition of the Durand Cup was won by Air India in 2012. They defeated by Dodsal Mumbai 3-2.
- The 126th edition of the Durand Cup was won by Mohammedan Sporting. They defeated ONGC 2-1 to win the cup after 70 years.
- The Durand Cup was not played during World War-I (1914-1918), World War-II (1939 – 1945) Partition of India (1946 – 49) and Indo-China War (1962).
- The most successful teams are currently East Bengal and Mohun Bagan, with 16 wins each, accounting for no less 32 cup victories over the years.