Sony Sports Network (SPN) will broadcast the prestigious IndianOil Durand Cup, continuing its association with Asia’s oldest football tournament.

SPN acquired exclusive media rights last year to broadcast the event in India from 2023 to 2024. The 133rd edition is also being broadcast in Afghanistan, Maldives, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal.

The Durand Cup, deeply rooted in a 136-year-old legacy intertwined with the Indian Armed Forces, is often referred to as ‘Desh Ka Cup.’ This year’s tournament features 24 teams across six groups in four cities, with the group winners and the two best second-placed sides advancing to the quarter-finals.

President Droupadi Murmu unveiled the three coveted trophies up for grabs — the President’s Cup, the Shimla Trophy, and the Durand Cup —at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on July 10, while also flagging off the Trophy Tour. The grand finale is scheduled for August 31, 2024 at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) in Kolkata.

Group league games are being played in Jamshedpur, Shillong, Kokrajhar, and Kolkata, with Jamshedpur and Shillong hosting the tournament for the first time. Fans can watch all the action on the Sony Sports Ten 2 channel and livestream matches exclusively on Sony LIV.

Rajesh Kaul, Chief Revenue Officer – Distribution & International Business and Head – Sports Business, Sony Pictures Networks India, expressed pride in broadcasting the Durand Cup. He said, “It’s an honour for us to have a competition of football heritage and immense prestige as the Durand Cup on our roster. This year’s edition brings a lot of promising competition to the table, and fans can look forward to some top-quality games as the new football season kicks off in style.”

Lt. Gen. RC Srikanth, VSM, Chief of Staff, HQ Eastern Command and Chairman of the Durand Cup Organizing Committee, highlighted the tournament’s significance in providing a platform for budding footballers to compete with top talents.

He stated, “The Durand Cup is no ordinary tournament as it provides a unique platform for budding footballers from every corner of the country to rub shoulders with world-class legends.”

The Durand Cup, first held in 1888 and named after its founder Sir Henry Mortimer Durand, pits Indian Super League teams against top I-League and other invitational teams, including those from the Armed Forces. This year, a team from the Royal Nepal Army is also participating.