Imphal: Chief Minister N Biren Singh who himself had been a footballer said that tournaments like the Durand Cup will have more encouragement for the players in Manipur.
Singh was a very good player and was known for his skills in football.
The CM in his early 20s had represented Manipur.
In 1981 at just 21, he won the Durand Cup which is the oldest football tournament in Asia.
Even though now he is the CM of a state, he has not let go of the football in him by any means. Singh has been looking into the preparation of the Durand Cup 2022 games that will be held in Manipur.
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This is the first time that the Durand Cup will be hosted in Imphal.
The CM said that the tournaments like the Durand Cup will give more encouragement to football in Manipur.
It may be mentioned that the Duran Durand Cup, the oldest football tournament in Asia, kickstarted on August 16, 2022.
Besides Kolkata and Imphal, Guwahati will also host the 131st edition Durand Cup.
Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati will host a total of ten matches between August 17 and September 4.
Initially, Emami East Bengal and ATK Mohun Bagan were supposed to start the tournament, but their match was rescheduled after a request from the former club.
The Durand Cup, which started in 1888, is the oldest football tournament in Asia.