Jamshedpur, Shillong to be new venues for Durand Cup

Kolkata: Domestic season opener Durand Cup football tournament will be held from July 27 to August 31 across four venues with Indian Super League, I-League and other invitational teams competing in it.

The 133rd edition of the Asia's oldest tournament will have 43 matches to be played in a round-robin league-cum-knockout format, with the opening match and the final scheduled at the iconic Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) in Kolkata.

The 24 participating teams will be divided into six groups. Eight teams -- group toppers and two best second-placed sides -- will qualify for the knockout stage. Like last year, international teams are expected to participate this year too, the organisers said on Tuesday.

Continuing with its commitment to spread the tournament further into the East and North-East, two new cities -- Jamshedpur and Shillong -- have been added as host venues this year.