Stadiums that have hosted Durand Cup throughout history

Ranchi makes its debut as the host city for the first time in the Durand Cup 2026

The new season is here. The 135th edition of the Durand Cup 2026 is set to run from 25th July to 23rd August. A long history and legacy are attached to the Durand Cup, as it will be a new season with new hopes.

It is not just a football competition but also Asia’s oldest cup tournament. In this season, a total of 24 teams will participate across 5 host cities. The first match will begin in Kolkata on 25th July, and the final game will also be here.

As East Bengal and Mohun Bagan are in the same group with South United and CISF Protectors, the Durand Cup sees a Kolkata Derby in the group stage. And also, Mohammedan SC will be a part of the Durand Cup, featuring in group B.

Kolkata, Ranchi, Imphal, Shillong and Guwahati will be ready to be the host cities in this edition. But across so many years, there were many stadiums that have hosted the prestigious Cup.

Annandale Stadium first hosted the Durand in 1888

The Durand Cup was established by Sir Henry Durand, who was the foreign secretary of British India at that time. He was the first to make the approach to make the Cup famous, as many British army teams participated in this tournament for glory.

In 1888, at the Annandale Stadium in Shimla, the first game of the Durand Cup was held. It became the first-ever ground to host the whole competition. For more than 50 years, the venue was the same. In 1940, the Durand Cup got its new place, Delhi, at the Ambedkar Stadium.

In Delhi, the competition made his name famous. Then the cup moved to Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, and later to the Harbaksh Stadium, which has hosted the prestigious tournament.

After the stint in New Delhi, it was time for a new chapter as the Durand Cup moved to Goa. In the Fatorda Stadium from 2014, and also at Tilak Maidan, the competition lasted only for two editions and then quickly changed to Kolkata.

Since 2019, Kolkata has hosted the Durand Cup. But from the past few seasons, along with Salt Lake Stadium, there have been many stadiums that have hosted the tournament. The IG Athletic Stadium in Guwahati, the SAI Stadium in Kokrajhar, the JRD Tata Complex in Jamshedpur, and the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong have previously hosted the Durand Cup.

Also Read: Durand Cup 2026: 24 participating teams announced; five ISL teams take part

Ranchi makes its debut as the host city for the first time in the Durand Cup 2026. Ranchi has become the latest city to join the list of host cities across India. The Birsa Munda Stadium is all set to host league games and 1 quarter-final game from 26th July to 16th August. But the IG Athletic Stadium will just host the league games, which might run from 1st August to 13th August.

The Salt Lake Stadium is the main ground that will host two group games, as East Bengal and Mohun Bagan have featured in Group A, and Mohammedan SC has featured in Group B. On July 25th, VYBK is all set to square off in the first opening clash and is also ready to host the final. And not only that, but Kishore Bhrati Krirangan is also there to host the remaining games.

Stadiums that have hosted Durand Cup

• Annandale Stadium, Shimla
• Dr. Ambedkar Stadium, New Delhi
• Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium ,Delhi
• Harbaksh Stadium
• Fatorda Stadium, Margao
• Tilak Maidan
• Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata
• Kishore Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata
• IG Athletic Stadium
• Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Shillong
• SAI Stadium, Kokrajhar
• Lampak Stadium, Imphal
• JRD Tata Complex, Jamshedpur FC
• Birsa Munda Stadium, Ranchi (New Stadium)

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