Emami East Bengal will take on debutant South United FC in the lung opener of the 134th version of the Durand Cup on the Salt Lake Stadium right here on Wednesday. The organisers of the Asia’s oldest soccer event have organized a grand opening ceremony which shall be attended by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The event has been restricted by the absence of the vast majority of the groups from the Indian Super League (ISL), who’ve apparently pulled out owing to the uncertainty surrounding the beginning of the nation’s prime league this season.
However, six ISL sides together with the three from Kolkata — Mohun Bagan Super Giant, Mohammedan Sporting SC aside from East Bengal — have confirmed their participation in the 24-team event. The three different ISL groups in the fray are NorthEast United FC, Jamshedpur FC and Punjab FC who’ve been positioned in totally different teams.
The remainder of the sector is stuffed up by groups from I-league and I-League 2 in addition to Services and Paramilitary forces. Tribhuvan Army FC of Nepal and a mixed aspect of the Malaysian Armed Forces are the 2 international entries finishing the league stage, which is able to see the 24 groups divided into six teams.
The league matches shall be performed in 5 cities — Kolkata (two teams), Jamshedpur, Shillong, Kokrajhar and Imphal — from the place eight groups (six group winners and two greatest runners-up) will qualify for the quarterfinals.
