---
title: "Which is the oldest football tournament in india ?"  
description: "Which is the oldest football tournament in india ?"  
author: "Ward ryan"  
published: 2018-08-14  
canonical: https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/48166/which-is-the-oldest-football-tournament-in-india  
category: "sports"  
tags: ["football - soccer"]  
reading_time: 2 minutes  

---

# Which is the oldest football tournament in india ?

Which is the [oldest](https://yourviews.mindstick.com/story/4758/top-10-oldest-trees-in-the-world-and-their-stories) [football tournament in india](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/34300/which-is-the-oldest-football-tournament-in-india) ?\
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## Answers

### Answer by Harshal Vispute

**The Durand Football Tournament**, popularly known as the **Durand Cup**, is an **annual Indian domestic football competition that began in Annadale, Shimla, in 1888. The Durand [Football Tournament](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/48166/which-is-the-oldest-football-tournament-in-india) Society hosts the event (DFTS).** \
The **competition is Asia's [oldest football](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/48171/name-the-oldest-football-club-in-the-world) tournament**, and the **world's third oldest professional club football tournament.**\
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Before the commencement of the **Indian domestic football** season each year, the event serves as a **pre-season knockout tournament for [Indian football clubs](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/39679/in-which-city-the-association-of-indian-football-coaches-has-been-launched) from all categories.** \
The tournament is **named after Sir Mortimer Durand**, **British [India](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/23266/how-rooftop-solar-can-benefit-india-s-healthcare-industry)'s Foreign Secretary from 1884 to 1894**. The Army's presence has been maintained after independence by the participation of many teams of the Indian Armed Forces. In **2016, Army Green** became the most recent **Army squad to win the competition.** **The Durand Cup is currently held by FC Goa.** \
**Sir Mortimer Durand founded the Durand football event**, often known as the **Durand Cup**, in **Shimla in 1888**. **Sir Durand was in Shimla**, India, recovering from **illness**. He decided to award a prize to stimulate sporting competition in India after becoming aware of the benefits of sport as a means of maintaining health. The tournament's location was changed to **New Delhi in 1940.** \
The **Durand Cup has two stages**: **round-robin and knockouts**. The group stage round has a total of **16 teams**, divided into **four groups of four teams** each. \
To complete their team rosters, each team must have a **minimum of 22 players** and a **maximum of 30**. In terms of the overseas player limit, a team is only allowed to have **four players in its lineup**, with only **three being named as starters**. \
![Which is the oldest football tournament in india ?](https://answers.mindstick.com/questionanswer/daf8af90-68bd-4c7a-9b56-b0fca5cabf91/images/280380d0-f51a-4fd5-b9ba-aebeee1c21ad.jpeg)\
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Following the **round-robin stage**, the **top 1 or 2 teams** from each group advance to the **knockout stage**, which concludes in a **final between two teams.** \
The **winning team** receives **three trophies**: the **Durand Cup (the original tournament trophy, which has been a rolling trophy since 1965); the President's Cup (first presented by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, India's first President); and the Shimla Trophy (first presented by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, India's first Prime Minister) (first presented by citizens of Shimla in 1903 and, since 1965 became a rolling trophy).**


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Original Source: https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/48166/which-is-the-oldest-football-tournament-in-india

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