For the first time in its 120 year-old history, the Durand Cup will kick-off on October 18 without a single representation from the football hotbed of the country, Bengal. This is owing to a clash of dates with the state’s own league. The Indian Football Association (IFA) the governing body of the sport in the state had requested the organisers of the Durand Cup to postpone the tournament, but this was not possible.“The football calendar for the year has gone for a toss. The AIFF has advised us to finish the tournament before November 10. Given the tight schedule, we could have done little to accommodate the request of IFA.“ We understand, it would be a major loss of gloss for the tournament, but still we have to go ahead without the Bengal clubs,” a source from the Durand organising committee told The Indian Express.Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, with 16 and 15 title wins under their belts, are the teams with maximum success in the tournament since Independence. And the third heavyweight from the home of football, Mohammedan Sporting, were also the first Indian outfit to win the tournament in 1940. Playing bare-feet, they defeated Royal Warwickshire Regiment 2-1.The professional league of the AIFF, scheduled for a November 23 kick-off, will follow the Durand Cup. And to add to that the national team is primed to face Lebanon in the home leg of the World Cup qualifier in Chennai on October 28. Most of the stars of the national team will be busy with the national camp ahead of the qualifier. The Durand will feature 34 teams, including eight teams from the top division, the newly-formed Mumbai FC, New Delhi Heroes and four clubs each from Delhi and the armed forces.The tournament, which ends on November 8, will have a new format to accommodate maximum matches. All the matches will be played on a knockout format.
