New Delhi, Sep 25 (PTI) The Kolkata Derby will light up the group stage of the Super Cup as arch-rivals Mohun Bagan and East Bengal were drawn together on Thursday and the two teams will clash for a third time in less than six months.
The traditional giants have been placed in Group A alongside Chennaiyin FC and Real Kashmir FC, setting the stage for a high-voltage clash, which is likely to be held at the Fatorda Stadium in Margao on October 31.
The Super Cup will commence on October 25 with action from Group A as East Bengal FC take on Real Kashmir FC while Mohun Bagan SG face Chennaiyin FC.
Mohun Bagan will play their three group matches on October 25, 28 and 31, with the derby scheduled on the final day.
The 16 participating teams have been divided into four groups of four.
Group B consists of FC Goa, Jamshedpur FC, NorthEast United FC and Inter Kashi. Bengaluru FC, Mohammedan Sporting, Punjab FC and Gokulam Kerala FC form Group C, while Group D has Mumbai City FC, Kerala Blasters FC, Hyderabad FC and Rajasthan United FC.
The tournament will be staged in Goa, with the Fatorda Stadium hosting both the opening match and the final.
The derby too will be played at Fatorda, while the remaining games are set to be held either at Bambolim or Tilak Maidan.
The group stage will see 24 matches, which will be played between October 25 and November 6, before a brief break for the November FIFA International Window, when India play Bangladesh (November 18) in their AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers final round.
The top teams from each of the four groups will progress to the semi-finals, the dates for which, will be announced later.
So far this season, Mohun Bagan and East Bengal have met twice -- once in the Calcutta Football League Premier Division and again in the Durand Cup -- with East Bengal emerging victorious on both occasions.
Traditionally held as the final tournament of the season, the Super Cup this time will mark the beginning of the domestic calendar.
The winners will earn a berth in the AFC Champions League 2 qualifiers for the 2026-27 season.
Groups: A: Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, Chennaiyin FC, Real Kashmir FC.
B: FC Goa, Jamshedpur FC, NorthEast United FC, Inter Kashi.
C: Bengaluru FC, Mohammedan Sporting, Punjab FC, Gokulam Kerala FC.
D: Mumbai City FC, Kerala Blasters FC, Hyderabad FC, Rajasthan United FC.
Fixtures: October 25: East Bengal FC vs Real Kashmir FC; Mohun Bagan SG vs Chennaiyin FC October 26: NorthEast United FC vs Inter Kashi; FC Goa vs Jamshedpur FC October 27: Punjab FC vs Gokulam Kerala FC; Hyderabad FC vs Mumbai City FC October 28: Chennaiyin FC vs East Bengal FC; Mohun Bagan SG vs Real Kashmir FC October 29: Jamshedpur FC vs NorthEast United FC; FC Goa vs Inter Kashi October 30: Bengaluru FC vs Mohammedan Sporting Club; Rajasthan United FC vs Kerala Blasters FC October 31: Real Kashmir FC vs Chennaiyin FC; Mohun Bagan SG vs East Bengal FC November 1: Inter Kashi vs Jamshedpur FC; FC Goa vs NorthEast United FC November 2: Mohammedan Sporting Club vs Punjab FC; Gokulam Kerala FC vs Bengaluru FC November 3: Rajasthan United FC vs Mumbai City FC; Kerala Blasters FC vs Hyderabad FC November 5: Bengaluru FC vs Punjab FC; Gokulam Kerala FC vs Mohammedan Sporting Club November 6: Rajasthan United FC vs Hyderabad FC; Mumbai City FC vs Kerala Blasters FC.
This report includes content sourced from Press Trust of India (PTI), edited for clarity and context.
