Asia’s oldest football tournament is coming home to one of Indian football’s most storied talent hubs. Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla and Chief Minister N. Biren Singh led a Trophy Showcase Ceremony at the City Convention Centre in Imphal on July 15, unveiling the three trophies of the 135th Durand Cup 2026 — the Durand Cup, the President’s Cup and the Simla Trophy — ahead of group-stage matches to be played in the state.

The tournament, organised jointly by the Indian Armed Forces and the Manipur government, will see six Group D matches played at the Khuman Lampak Main Stadium in Imphal between July 28 and August 12. Three teams with strong local roots — TRAU FC, NEROCA FC and debutants FC Raengdai — will share the group with the Indian Navy Football Team, giving Manipuri fans a rare chance to watch home clubs compete on one of the country’s most historic football stages.

For a state that has produced generations of footballers who went on to play at the national and international level, the trophy tour carried weight beyond ceremony. Dignitaries at the event pointed to the Durand Cup’s 138-year history and its association with discipline, unity and national integration, while organisers framed the visit as encouragement for young players still working their way up through district and state leagues.

The timing matters. Manipur’s football ecosystem has had to keep running through nearly three years of ethnic conflict and displacement, with clubs, academies and grassroots coaches — including indigenous coaches in hill districts such as Ukhrul — continuing to train young players despite strained infrastructure and funding. A tournament of the Durand Cup’s stature choosing to stage matches in Imphal, rather than routing around the state, is being read locally as a vote of confidence in that effort.

Group D fixtures at Khuman Lampak begin July 28. Ticketing and match-day details are expected to be released by the Durand Cup organising committee closer to kickoff.