The Durand Cup was first held in Shimla which was a popular retreat for the British back in the day. Sir Henry Durand was recovering from an illness in the hill station and realised the importance of physical health for soldiers in the Army.
There were several army regiments and military units that started the tournament and it became an inter-regiment tournament. They initially only inclined towards playing Hockey given the popularity of the sport in India at that time but football gradually picked up.
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Durand Cup History:
The event itself was a significant deal and people came from all across the country to watch the final. It was also an excellent platform for Indian football clubs to defeat the British regiments which of course, rarely happened at that time.
However, events post World War II that also involved the cancellation and relocation of the tournament ushered in a new era for Indian football.
The Durand Cup was later shifted to Delhi post-1940 and opened for civilian clubs and teams. This brought in the likes of Mohammedan, Salgaocar, East Bengal and all the other legendary I-League teams that have since dominated the proceedings.
It is held every year to attract top Indian teams and players from leagues. The inclusion of ISL and Armed forces teams has helped expand the reach of the tournament.
Durand Cup Winners List:
Year | Winners | Runners-up |
1950 | Hyderabad City Police | Mohun Bagan |
1951 | East Bengal | Rajasthan Armed Constabulary |
1952 | East Bengal | Hyderabad City Police |
1953 | Mohun Bagan | National Defence Academy |
1954 | Hyderabad City Police | Hindustan Aircraft Limited |
1955 | Madras Regimental Centre | Indian Air Force |
1956 | East Bengal | Hyderabad City Police |
1957 | Hyderabad City Police | East Bengal |
1958 | Madras Regimental Centre | Gorkha Brigade |
1959–60 | Mohun Bagan | Mohammedan |
1960–61 | Mohan Bagan and East Bengal Joint Winners | |
1961 | Andhra Pradesh Police | Mohun Bagan |
1962 | Cancelled because of Indo-China war | |
1963 | Mohun Bagan | Andhra Pradesh Police |
1964 | Mohun Bagan | East Bengal |
1965 | Mohun Bagan | Punjab Police |
1966 | Gorkha Brigade | Sikh Regimental Centre |
1967 | East Bengal | Bengal-Nagpur Railway |
1968 | Border Security Force | East Bengal |
1969 | Gorkha Brigade | Border Security Force |
1970 | East Bengal | Mohun Bagan |
1971 | Border Security Force | Leaders Club |
1972 | East Bengal | Mohun Bagan |
1973 | Border Security Force | Rajasthan Armed Constabulary (Bikaner) |
1974 | Mohun Bagan | JCT |
1975 | Border Security Force | JCT |
1976 | BSF and JCT Joint Winners | |
1977 | Mohun Bagan | JCT |
1978 | East Bengal | Mohun Bagan |
1979 | Mohun Bagan | Punjab Police |
1980 | Mohun Bagan | Mohammedan |
1981 | Border Security Force | JCT |
1982 | Mohan Bagan and East Bengal Joint Winners | |
1983 | JCT | Mohun Bagan |
1984 | Mohun Bagan | East Bengal |
1985 | Mohun Bagan | JCT |
1986 | Mohun Bagan | East Bengal |
1987 | JCT | Mohun Bagan |
1988 | Border Security Force | East Bengal |
1989 | East Bengal | Mohun Bagan |
1990 | East Bengal | Mahindra United |
1991 | East Bengal | Border Security Force |
1992 | JCT | Mohammedan |
1993 | East Bengal | Punjab State Electricity Board |
1994 | Mohun Bagan | East Bengal |
1995–96 | East Bengal | Tata Football Academy |
1996 | JCT | Al-Naft |
1997 | FC Kochin | Mohun Bagan |
1998 | Mahindra United | East Bengal |
1999 | Salgaocar | East Bengal |
2000 | Mohun Bagan | Mahindra United |
2001–02 | Mahindra United | Churchill Brothers |
2002–03 | East Bengal | Army XI |
2003 | Salgaocar | East Bengal |
2004 | East Bengal | Mohun Bagan |
2005 | Army XI | Sporting Goa |
2006 | Dempo | JCT |
2007 | Churchill Brothers | Mahindra United |
2008 | Mahindra United | Churchill Brothers |
2009 | Churchill Brothers | Mohun Bagan |
2010 | Prayag United | JCT |
2011 | Churchill Brothers | Prayag United |
2012 | Air India | Dodsal |
2013 | Mohammedan | ONGC |
2014 | Salgaocar | Pune |
2016 | Army Green | NEROCA |
2019 | Gokulam Kerala | Mohun Bagan |
2020 | Cancelled because of Covid | |
2021 | Goa | Mohammedan |
2022 | Bengaluru FC | Mumbai City FC |
2023 | Mohun Bagan SG | East Bengal |
2024 | Northeast United FC | Mohun Bagan SG |
Most Durand Cup Wins:
Kolkata giant Mohun Bagan is the most successful team in the history of the tournament. They have won it a record 17 times.
Royal Scouts Fusiliers were the first-ever winners and Mohammedan Sporting were the first Indian to win the competition.
Team | Titles |
Mohun Bagan | 17 |
East Bengal | 16 |
BSF | 7 |
JCT | 5 |
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