Kolkata: Asia’s oldest football tournament – the Durand Cup – will host its 135th edition when Mohun Bagan Super Giant and East Bengal FC will square off at the Salt Lake Stadium in the first leg of the tournament on Saturday.However, in the 134 years of the tournament’s existence, Indian women’s football has grown exponentially, and at the end of the Durand Cup Trophy Tour in the city on Wednesday, the organizers of the prestigious tournament – the Indian Army – revealed their interest in including a women’s tournament in the coming years.At a ceremony and a press conference at AOI Vijay Durg, where the three famous trophies of the tournament were presented, Major General Dinesh Kumar Singh, the vice-chairman of the Durand Cup Organizing Committee, said that they are considering the establishment of a women’s tournament along with the men’s event soon.“Why girls?” it was a question that was on their minds six months ago when they started preparing for the upcoming season, Singh said.“So, this is what we have already thought about. The issue is how many places and what places (will be available) for it. So maybe in the next edition we can have a truncated or a small part of the events of the girls,” he added.Adding to the expectations, a special women’s exhibition match was organized jointly by the Indian Armed Forces and the Manipur government at the SAI Ground in Takyel, Imphal, in preparation for the main tournament.This time, the tournament will see 24 men’s teams competing in five venues, with Ranchi being the new addition and the Assam match returning to Guwahati after two matches in Kokrajhar.“We saw interest among the people in Kokrajhar. But the state government wanted to return it to Guwahati to make it easier,” said Lieutenant General Gambhir Singh, Chief of Staff, Headquarters Eastern Command, and chairman of the Planning Committee.Among the dignitaries at the event was the chief guest Dr. Indranil Khan, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Department of Youth and Sports and Consumer Affairs, West Bengal.“In recent years FIFA World Cupwe all supported clubs all over the world. Now is the time to unite behind Indian football and our footballers,” Khan said.Meanwhile, Ranchi will host its first Durand Cup match on Sunday, when Jamshedpur FC take on Defenders FC at the Birsa Munda Stadium. Protecting professionals NorthEast United FC will begin their defense against Bodoland FC at Guwahati’s Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium on Aug 1. Other cities hosting the tournament are the football-crazy north-eastern cities of Shillong and Imphal.
