Udhampur, Jammu & Kashmir: The trophy tour for the 132nd edition of the historic Durand Cup Football Tournament reached Udhampur, the Headquarters of the Northern Command of the Indian Army in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, on Monday. The three glittering Durand trophies were received amidst much fervour by the Chief of Staff, Headquarters Northern Command, as well as Nazeer Anbrabi, President of the Jammu & Kashmir Football Federation, among other dignitaries.
The three Trophies unique to the tournament were the Durand Cup, a rolling trophy and the original prize; the Shimla Trophy, also a rolling trophy and first given by a resident of Shimla in 1904; and the President’s Cup, a permanent keepsake first presented by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, India’s first President, in 1956.
The trophies were jointly flagged off for a 17-city Trophy Tour on Friday in Delhi by General Manoj Pande, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC, Chief of Army Staff, and Kalyan Chaubey, president of the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
Udhampur was the third spot on the tour after the trophies travelled to Dehradun on Sunday. The tour will also cover other cities, including Jaipur, Mumbai, Pune, Karwar, Kochi, Ezhimala, Bengaluru, Willington, Hyderabad, Guwahati, Kokrajhar, Shillong, and Aizawl, before culminating in Kolkata on August 1, 2023.
The ceremony in Udhampur was attended by players from various local football clubs, schoolchildren, NCC Cadets, officers, JCOs, and troops of the Udhampur Garrison.
The 132nd edition of the Durand Cup is set to begin on August 3 in Kolkata, its newest home, with the finals slated for September 3, 2023, at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) in the city. This time, the Durand Cup will feature 24 teams, an increase from the previous 20, including all 12 Indian Super League (ISL) sides. Teams from foreign countries will also participate in the prestigious tournament after a 27-year gap.
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