The 134-year-old football tournament has been mostly dominated by Kolkata-based club Mohun Bagan Athletic Club (presently ATK MB)
First held in 1888, the Durand Cup was once an important domestic football tournament in India. The tournament is the third oldest football tournament in the world, but after the inception of the Federation Cup and the Super Cup, the Durand Cup turned into a mere exhibition tournament.
Nonetheless, winning the cup is the dream of every Indian football club. However, since 1888, only a few clubs have truly dominated the tournament. In the following paragraphs, we have named the teams with the most Durand Cups in their trophy cabinets.
Mohun Bagan Athletic Club
Founded in 1899, the Mohun Bagan Athletic Club was one of the oldest football clubs not merely in Asia but also in the world. A few years ago, the club merged itself with ATK and therefore, at present, the club is not addressed as Mohun Bagan AC but ATK MB. After the independence of India, Mohun Bagan became the first club to kiss the Durand Trophy in 1953.
The club won 16 Durand Cups (1953, 1959, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1974, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1994 and 2000) along with 12 runner-up finishes.
East Bengal Club
Another Kolkata-based club and Mohun Bagan’s arch-rival, East Bengal, was founded in 1920. In the history of Indian football, East Bengal is one of the most successful clubs, with many wins and trophies. Similar to Mohun Bagan, East Bengal Club also picked up 16 Durand Cups (1951, 1952, 1956, 1960, 1967, 1970, 1972, 1978, 1982, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 2002 and 2004). However, we have listed them below Mohun Bagan because they finished in the runner-up position only on 10 occasions compared to Mohun Bagan’s 12.
Border Security Force Sporting Club
An institutional football club that represents the Border Security Force (BSF), the Border Security Force Sporting Club, presently takes part in the Punjab State Super Football League. In the 80s and 90s, the club enjoyed its prime time because, in that era, the club won the National Football League's second division and two Punjab State Super Football League titles. Not to forget, from 1968 to 1988, the club won seven Durand Cups, along with two runner-up finishes.
Last but not the least, JCT FC, a club that was dissolved in 2011, won five Durand Cups from 1976 to 1996.
