Kokrajhar: The 132nd edition of Durand Cup kicked off in Kokrajhar, Assam on August 5, 2023. Defence minister Rajnath Singh graced the opening ceremony, which marked the grand beginning of the annual football competition for the first time in the Assamese city. The tournament is organised by the Armed Forces and supported by the Assam government.
Addressing the enthusiastic crowd at the Sai Stadium, the defence minister complimented the efforts of the Armed Forces and Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) for creating a positive environment in Kokrajhar which resulted in the event being organised in the city for the first time. He commended the people of the Northeast for their excitement and love for football, terming ‘the beautiful game’ as not just a sport, but an emotion. Stating that Assam has produced many football talents in recent times, Singh exuded confidence that the Durand Cup will encourage the youth to join the sport with renewed vigour.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma spoke at length about the rich sports culture of the region and extended his best wishes to all participating teams. He thanked the Indian Army for organising the tournament in Kokrajhar and appreciated the efforts of BTC for its assistance.
The opening ceremony was witnessed by nearly 12,000 football fans from across the state and the region. Main attractions of the ceremony included a flypast by Sukhoi-30 MKI aircraft and Mi-17 helicopter, martial displays, Gatka and Bhangra along with the display of Bodo cultural dance by the local troupe.
The Inaugural ceremony was followed by the opening match of the tournament between Bodoland FC and Rajasthan United FC. Kokrajhar will witness eight group matches and one quarter-final to be played on August 24, 2023. A total of 24 teams, including two foreign teams from Nepal and Bangladesh, all three teams of Indian Armed Forces and the local team of Bodoland FC will clash at three venues in Kolkata, Guwahati and Kokrajhar during the tournament.
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