Telegram Channel Join Now
Facebook Page Join Now

Durand Cup History | Know the Winner List and Runners-up

Durand Cup: The Durand Cup, initiated by Sir Henry Mortimer Durand in 1888 in Shimla, aimed to boost well-being through sports, initially for Indian Armed Forces. It’s now the world’s third-oldest football event and Asia’s first.

Durand Cup Overview

Founded1888 (135 years)
Founded atShimla, India
FounderSir Henry Mortimer Durand
RegionIndia
Organizing BodyDurand Football Tournament Society
and AIFF
WebsiteDurand Football
Durand-Cup-Logo

Durand Cup History | Durand Football Origin and Legacy

Sir_Henry_Mortimer_Durand
Sir Henry Mortimer Durand

The Durand Football Tournament, also known as the Durand Cup, was established in 1888 in Shimla.

Sir Henry Mortimer Durand, who served as the Foreign Secretary of British India from 1884 to 1894, took the initiative to inaugurate the Durand Cup.

During his stay in Shimla, primarily driven by health-related considerations, Sir Henry keenly recognized the potential of sports in enhancing physical well-being. This perception motivated him to institute an award aimed at fostering sports competitions across India.

In its initial stages, the tournament was structured as an inter-departmental and inter-regimental competition, specifically tailored for the Indian Armed Forces.

The Durand Cup holds the distinction of being the world’s third-oldest football tournament and the oldest in Asia and India.

Durand Cup Pre-Independence | British Raj Era

The Durand tournament initially focused on military participants, including the British Armed Forces, the Indian Army, and other armed units like frontier-security regiments and volunteer reserve regiments.

The matches were held near Shimla, in a place called Dagshai. The first tournament had Scottish teams competing, and the Royal Scots Fusiliers won with a score of 2–1 against the Highland Light Infantry, putting their name on the trophy.

A predecessor of the Durand Cup was played in 1887, involving only government and civil service teams from Simla. Sir Mortimer Durand was the captain of the runners-up.

During the span of 1914 to 1919, the tournament experienced a hiatus due to the disruptions of World War I. Its revival took place in 1920 as the All India Inter Regiment Football Competition in Shimla, continuing its tournament course until 1938. Unfortunately, the 1939 edition was called off due to the outbreak of World War II.

Amidst World War II challenges in 1940, the Durand Committee moved the tournament to Delhi, allowing non-military teams for the first time. In that same year, the Mohammedan Sporting Club secured victory, earning the distinction of being the first civilian team to claim the title at the Irwin Amphitheater.

The period from 1941 to 1947 saw another interruption in the tournament due to the ongoing World War II and the Partition of India.

Durand Cup Post-Independence | After Partition of India

After India became Independent in 1947, the Durand Cup faced an important decision. Pakistan proposed moving the tournament to Lahore, creating a lot of pressure for this shift. However, strategic intervention by the three Service Chiefs and Sh. H.M. Patel, ICS, Defense Secretary, effectively countered this idea. Instead, they advocated for the tournament to continue in Delhi and opened for civilian clubs and teams. Consequently, the event regained its energy and began anew in 1950. Emerging in the year 1950 post-independence, the tournament’s journey witnessed a replayed final where Hyderabad City Police secured victory over Mohun Bagan AC with a score of 1–0.

In 1962, a distinct pause emerged in the tournament due to the Sino-Indian War, followed by a resumption in 1963.

In 2006, Osian’s became the first non-military group to help organize the Durand Cup together with DFTS. This partnership lasted until 2010 and was meant to make the tournament more exciting and bring back people’s interest in the game.

In the year 2020, the tournament once again experienced an unprecedented halt due to the widespread impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, following the challenging year of 2020 marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, a cooperative initiative between the Armed Forces and the Government of West Bengal resulted in a joint hosting arrangement in West Bengal, with the intention to sustain this collaboration until 2025.

Initiated in 2022, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) implemented a directive mandating the participation of all Indian Super League (ISL) clubs in the Durand Cup. This mandate ensured the completion of a minimum of 27 domestic matches, thereby securing eligibility for AFC qualification. As a result of this strategic decision, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) accorded official recognition to the Durand Cup, designating it as one of India’s cup tournaments.

As a result, during the 131st edition of the tournament for the very first time, all the ISL clubs took part in the competition. They were joined by five I-League clubs that were invited, and the usual armed forces teams.

Durand Cup Trophies

What makes the Durand Cup special is that the team that wins gets three trophies. These are:

  1. The Durand Cup (a rolling trophy and the original prize) 
  2. The Shimla Trophy (also a rolling trophy and first given by the residents of Shimla in 1904)
  3. The President’s Cup (for permanent keep and first presented by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, India’s first President, in 1956)

Durand Cup Competition Format

Despite the competition’s early format remains less documented, the current Durand Cup competition format consists of two phases: group stage round and knockouts.

Starting from 2022, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) mandated the participation of all Indian Super League (ISL) clubs, alongside with five invited I-League clubs and the customary armed forces teams. These teams compete in the group stage round.

Following the group stage round, the top teams from each group progress to the knockout stage, heading to a final match where two teams contend for victory.

Durand Cup Results 1888-2022

Durand Cup Pre-Independence Results (1888-1940)
Year Final Date Champion Score Runners-up
1888 Royal Scots Fusiliers 2-1 Highland Light Infantry
1889 9 Oct Highland Light Infantry 8-0 Simla Club
1890 10 Oct Highland Light Infantry 4-2 Royal Irish Regiment
1891 30 Oct King’s Own Scottish Borderers 2-1 East Lancashire Regiments
1892 28 Oct King’s Own Scottish Borderers 3-0 Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
1893 Highland Light Infantry 2-1 Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
1894 29 Oct Highland Light Infantry 1-0 Royal Scots Fusiliers
1895 20 Oct Highland Light Infantry 6-1 Somerset Light Infantry
1896 Somerset Light Infantry 1-0 The Black Watch
1897 26 Oct The Black Watch 4-0 2nd Punjab (Simla) Volunteer Rifle Corps
1898 The Black Watch 2-0 North Staffordshire Regiment
1899 29 Oct The Black Watch 2-0 Yorkshire Regiment
1900 28 Oct South Wales Borderers 2-0 East Lancashire Regiment
1901 27 Oct South Wales Borderers 2-1 South Staffordshire Regiment 
1902 27 Oct Hampshire Regiment 2-1 East Lancashire Regiment
1903 26 Oct Royal Irish Rifles 1-0 Queen’s Regiment
1904 30 Oct North Staffordshire Regiment 2-0 The Black Watch
1905 25 Oct Royal Dragoons 1-0 Dorsetshire Regiment
1906 29 Oct Cameronians 3-0 Bedfordshire Regiment
1907 28 Oct Cameronians 1-0 Royal Welsh Fusiliers
1908 26 Oct Lancashire Fusiliers 2-0 Royal Irish Rifles
1909 25 Oct Lancashire Fusiliers 2-1 King’s Regiment
1910 27 Sept Royal Scots 1-0 King’s Royal Rifles
1911 9 Oct The Black Watch 1-0 Lancashire Fusiliers
1912 9 Oct Royal Scots 1-0 Lancashire Fusiliers
1913 4 Oct Lancashire Fusiliers 1-0 3rd King’s Royal Rifles
1914-19 Tournament not held due to Word War I.
1920 16 Oct The Black Watch 2-1 Cameronians
1921 8 Oct 3rd Bn, Worcestershire Regiment 1-0 Royal Welsh Fusiliers
1922 8 Oct 2nd Bn, Lancashire Fusiliers 1-0 23rd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
1923 7 Oct 1st Bn, Cheshire Regiment 1-0 2nd Bn, Essex Regiment
1924 11 Oct 1st Bn, Worcestershire Regiment 2-0 2nd Bn, Essex Regiment
1925 3 Oct 2nd Bn, Sherwood Forcesters 3-1 1st Bn, Worcestershire Regiment
1926 2 Oct Durham Light Infantry 1-0 2nd Bn, Sherwood Forcesters
1927 1 Oct York & Lancaster Regiment 2-0 East India Railways
1928 29 Sept Sherwood Foresters 4-2 York & Lancaster Regiment
1929 5 Oct York & Lancaster Regiment 3-1 East Yorkshire Regiment
1930 4 Oct York & Lancaster Regiment 2-0 Leicestershire Regiment
1931 5 Oct Devonshire Regiment 3-1 Border Regiment
1932 1 Oct Shropshire Light Infantry 2-1  Devonshire Regiment
1933 30 Sept Shropshire Light Infantry 2-1 Leicestershire Regiment
1934 1 Oct “B” Corps Signals 3-1 Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
1935 28 Sept Border Regiment 1-0 Royal Norfolk Regiment
1936 5 Oct Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders 2-1 Green Howards
1937 2 Oct 2nd Bn, Border Regfiment 3-1 2nd Bn, Royal Scots
1938 1 Oct South Wales Borderers 1-0 North-Western Railways Loco Sports Club (Lahore)
1939 Tournament not held due to World War II
1940 7 Dec Mohammedan Sporting 2-1 Royal Warwickshire Regiment
1941-49 Tournament not held due to World War II and the Partition of India.
Durand Cup Post-Independence Results (1950-2022)
Year Final Date Champion Score Runners-up
2024        
2023 3-Sep-23 Mohun Bagan 1-0 East Bengal
2022 18 Sept Bengaluru FC 2-1 Mumbai City FC
2021 3 Oct  FC Goa 1-0 (AET) Mohammedan SC
2020 Tournament not held due to COVID-19 Pandemic
2019 24 Aug Gokulam Kerala FC 2-1 Mohun Bagan AC
2016 11 Sept Army Green  0-0 (6-5 pen) NEROCA FC
1950-51 1 Jan 1951 Hyderabad Police 2-2 (AET) 1-0 (AET) Mohun Bagan
1951 22 Oct East Bengal 1-1 (AET) 2-1 Rajasthan Armed Constabulary
1952 22 Nov East Bengal 1-0 Hyderabad Police
1953 15 Nov Mohun Bagan 4-0 National Defence Academy
1954 13 Nov Hyderabad Police 1-1 (AET) 1-0 Hindustan Aircraft Limited
1955 27 Nov Madras Regimental Centre

0-0 (AET) 3-2

Indian Air Force
1956-57 5 Jan 1957 East Bengal 2-0 Hyderabad Police
1957-58 1 Jan 1958 Hyderabad Police 2-1 East Bengal
1958 29 Nov Madras Regimental Centre 1-1 (AET) 2-0 Gorkha XI
1959-60 11 Jan 1960 Mohun Bagan 1-1 (AET) 3-1 Mohammedan Sporting
1960-61 19 Jan 1961 Mohun Bagan 0-0 East Bengal (Joint Winners declared) 1-1 (AET), 0-0 (AET)
1961 22 Nov  Andhra Pradesh Police 1-0 Mohun Bagn
1962 Tournament not held due to Sino-Indian War
1963 11 Dec Mohun Bagan 0-0 (AET) 2-0 Andhra Pradesh Police
1964 10 Dec Mohun Bagan 2-0 East Bengal
1965-66 9 Jan 1966 Mohun Bagan 2-0 Punjab Police
1966-67 11 Jan 1967 Gorkha Brigade 2-0 Sikh Regimental Centre
1967-68 11 Jan 1968 East Bengal 1-0 Bengal-Nagpur Railway
1968-69 10 Jan Border Security Force 1-0 East Bengal
1969-70 18 Jan Gorkha Brigade 1-0 Border Security Force
1970-71 4 Feb East Bengal 2-0 Mohun Bagan
1971-72 28 Feb Border Security Force 0-0 (AET) 1-0 Leaders Club
1972-73 12 Jan East Bengal 0-0 (AET) 1-0 Mohun Bagan
1973-74 23 Jan Border Security Force 2-1 Rajasthan Armed Constabulary, Bikaner
1974-75 9 Jan  Mohun Bagan 3-2 Jagajit Cotton & Textile Mills
1975-76 30 Jan Border Security Force 1-0 Jagajit Cotton & Textile Mills (JCT)
1976 9 Dec BSF 1-1 JCT Mills (Joint Winners Declared) 1-1 (AET),  0-0 (AET)
1977 31 Dec Mohun Bagan 1-1 (AET) 2-1 Jagajit Cotton & Textile Mills (JCT)
1978-79 17 Dec East Bengal 3-0 Mohun Bagan
1979 29 Nov Mohun Bagan 1-0 Punjab Police
1980-81 3 Jan Mohun Bagan 1-0 Mohammedan Sporting
1981 13 Dec Border Security Force 1-0 Jagajit Cotton & Textile Mills (JCT)
1982-83 10 Feb Mohun Bagan 0-0 East Bengal (Joint Winners Declared) 0-0 (AET)
1983 30 Dec Jagajit Cotton & Textile Mills (JCT) 1-1 (AET) 2-1 Mohun Bagan
1984 19 Nov Mohun Bagan 1-0 East Bengal
1985 2 Nov Mohun Bagan 0-0 (AET) (3-2 Pen) Jagajit Cotton & Textile Mills (JCT)
1986 9 Nov Mohun Bagan 1-0 East Bengal
1987-88 6 Jan Jagajit Cotton & Textile Mills (JCT) 1-0 Mohun Bagan
1988 28 Dec BSF 3-2 East Bengal
1989 30 Dec East Bengal 0-0 (AET) (3-1 Pen) Mohun Bagan
1990 23 Oct East Bengal 3-2 Mahindra & Mahindra
1991 29 Oct East Bengal 1-1 (AET) (5-3 Pen) Border Security Force
1992 10 Nov JCT 1-0 Mohammedan Sporting
1993 10 Nov East Bengal 1-0 Punjab State Electricity Board
1994 8 Nov Mohun Bagan 1-0 East Bengal
1995-96 6 Jan East Bengal 0-0 (AET) (4-3 Pen) Tata Football Academy
1996 23 Nov JCT 1-0 Al-Naft (Baghdad)
1997 14 Oct Kochin 3-1 Mohun Bagan
1998 31 Oct Mahindra & Mahindra 2-1 East Bengal
1999 4 Dec Salgaocar 0-0 (AET) (3-2 Pen) East Bengal
2000 11 Nov Mohun Bagan 2-1 (Golden Goal) Mahindra United
2001-02 16 Feb Mahindra United 5-0  Churchill Brothers
2002-03 10 Jan East Bengal 3-0 Army XI
2003 10 Nov Salgaocar 1-1 (4-3 Pen) East Bengal
2004 10 Nov East Bengal 2-1 Mohun Bagan
2005 17 Dec Army XI 0-0 (AET)(5-4 Pen) Sporting Clube de Goa
2006 27 Nov Dempo 1-0 Jagajit Cotton & Textile Mills (JCT)
2007 7 Nov Churchill Brothers 1-0 Mahindra United
2008 7 Sept Mahindra United 3-2 (AET) Churchill Brothers
2009 22 Sept Churchill Brothers 3-1 (AET) Mohun Bagan
2010 7 Nov Chirag United 1-0 Jagajit Cotton & Textile Mills (JCT)
2011 15 Oct Churchill Brothers 0-0 (AET)  (5-4 Pen) Prayag United
2012 1 Sept Air India 0-0 (AET) (3-2 Pen) Dodsal FC
2013 19 Sept Mohammedan SC 2-1 ONGC
2014 8 Nov Salgaocar 1-0 Pune FC
Team Performance Data | Durand Cup Winners / Runners-up Tally
Rank Team Total Wins Runners-up Last Win
1 Mohun Bagan 16 12 2000
East Bengal 16 10 2004
2 Border Security Force 7 2 1988
3 JCT 5 7 1996
Black Watch 5 2 1920
Highland Light Infantry 5 1 1895
4 Hyderabad City Police /
Andhra Pradesh Police
4 3 1961
Lancashire Fusiliers 4 2 1922
5 Mahindra & Mahindra / Mahindra United 3 3 2008
Churchill Brothers 3 2 2011
York and Lancaster Regiment 3 1 1930
Salgaokar 3 0 2014
South Wales Borderers 3 0 1938
6 Mohammedan 2 4 2013
Gorkha Brigade 2 1 1969
Border Regiment 2 1 1937
Sherwood Foresters 2 1 1928
Worcestershire Regiment 2 1 1924
Royal Scots 2 1 1912
Cameronians  2 1 1907
Madras Regimental Centre 2 0 1958
King’s Shropshire Light Infantry 2 0 1933
King’s Own Scottish Borderers 2 0 1892
7 Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders 1 3 1936
United / Prayag United 1 1 2010
Army XI / Army Red 1 1 2005
Devonshire Regiment 1 1 1931
North Staffordshire Regiment 1 1 1904
Royal Irish Rifles 1 1 1903
Somerset Light Infantry 1 1 1896
Royal Scots Fusiliers 1 1 1888
Goa 1 0 2021
Gokulam Kerala  1 0 2019
Army Red 1 0 2016
Air India 1 0 2012
Dempo 1 0 2006
Kochin  1 0 1997
Royal Corps of Signals 1 0 1934
Durham Light Infantry 1 0 1926
Cheshire Regiment 1 0 1923
Royal Dragoons 1 0 1905
Hampshire Regiment 1 0 1902
Bengalaru FC 1 0 2022

Related articles,

  1. Durand Cup fixtures 2023
  2. Durand Cup 2023

FAQs

1. Which teams have the most wins in the Durand Cup Football Tournament?

Both Mohun Bagan and East Bengal share the record for the most wins, with each team having won the tournament 16 times.

2. Which teams have the most consecutive wins in the Durand Cup Football Tournament?

The record for the most consecutive wins is jointly shared by 4 teams.
> Mohun Bagan achieved this record in (1963, 1964, 1965) and (1984, 1985, 1986).
> East Bengal in 1989, 1990, and 1991.
> Highland Light Infantry in 1893, 1894, and 1895.
> Black Watch in 1897, 1898, and 1899.

3. Which team has made the most appearances in the Durand Cup Football Tournament?

Mohun Bagan holds the record for the most appearances in the tournament, having participated 30 times.

Sharing Is Caring:

Leave a Comment