Durand Cup 2025, Live Streaming: When, Where To Watch Opening Ceremony On TV And Online

Kolkata is abuzz with excitement as the 134th edition of the Durand Cup, Asia's oldest football tournament, is set to kick off Wednesday, 23 July at the iconic Salt Lake Stadium. The event promises a spectacular start with a grand opening ceremony, graced by the esteemed presence of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

The ceremonial proceedings will precede the much-anticipated lung opener where Kolkata giants East Bengal FC will lock horns with debutants South United FC. Football enthusiasts are eager to witness the start of this prestigious tournament, which has historically been a curtain-raiser for the Indian domestic football season.

Despite the notable absence of a majority of Indian Super League (ISL) teams, reportedly due to uncertainties surrounding the start of the country’s top league, the Durand Cup 2025 has still managed to attract a competitive field. Six ISL sides, including the three Kolkata stalwarts – Mohun Bagan Super Giant, Mohammedan Sporting SC, and East Bengal – have confirmed their participation. NorthEast United FC, Jamshedpur FC, and Punjab FC are the other ISL teams vying for the coveted trophy.

The 24-team tournament also features a robust contingent from the I-League and I-League 2, alongside teams from the Services and Paramilitary forces. Adding an international flavour, Tribhuvan Army FC of Nepal and a combined side of the Malaysian Armed Forces will also compete.

The league stage will see the 24 teams divided into six groups, with matches spread across five cities: Kolkata (hosting two groups), Jamshedpur, Shillong, Kokrajhar, and Imphal. From these group stages, eight teams – six group winners and two best runners-up – will progress to the quarterfinals, scheduled for August 16 and 17. The semi-finals will follow on August 19 and 20, culminating in the grand finale at the Salt Lake Stadium on August 23.

First played in 1888, the Durand Cup, organised by the Indian Armed Forces, holds the distinction of being the world's third-oldest Cup football competition and the oldest in Asia, a testament to its enduring legacy in the annals of football history.

How to watch the opening ceremony of Durand Cup 2025 live?

Live streaming of the Durand Cup 2025 football tournament will be available on Sony LIV. Live telecast of the Durand Cup football matches will be available on the Sony TEN 2 and Sony TEN 2 HD TV channels in India.