Published on Aug 22
KOLKATA: Asia’s oldest football tournament returns to where it began four weeks ago as East Bengal FC and Mohun Bagan Super Giant meet once more at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on Sunday. The final of the 135th IndianOil Durand Cup will kick-off at 5-00 PM.
Sunday’s final will be the 13th meeting between East Bengal and Mohun Bagan in a Durand Cup showpiece, a rivalry stretching back through the decades of the tournament’s post-independence history.
The two clubs enter locked at five final victories apiece, with two further finals — separated by decades — ending in the sides being declared joint champions, underlining how finely balanced this fixture has historically been at the last hurdle. The most recent instalment came in 2023, when Dimitrios Petratos’s 71st-minute strike helped ten-man Mohun Bagan edge East Bengal 1-0.
A title context overlays everything else. Mohun Bagan arrive as the record 17-time Durand Cup champions, with the chance to extend that lead to 18 and further cement their status as the tournament’s most successful club. East Bengal, on 16 titles, have the opportunity to draw level with their oldest rivals.

Coaches corner:
Habas (East Bengal Coach) : The Kolkata Derby is a uniquely special match in India, but we have to approach it like any other game. In fixtures of this magnitude, you don't need any extra motivation; you simply need to control your emotions for the full 90 minutes. There are no excuses. Ultimately, the team that plays with more intelligence on the pitch will win the match.
Dilmperis (Bagan coach): East Bengal has undeniable quality and experience, but we are looking to finish this game in 90 minutes. We have a lot of experience in our squad, but in a match like this, experience alone is not enough. If you don't play with passion, it becomes a problem. These games are won in the mental battle, and tomorrow we have to master our emotions to get the win.