The Kolkata Derby holds significance regardless of the tournament it is part of. While the derby is yet to occur in this ISL season, the upcoming Kalinga Super Cup 2024 is poised to delight Indian football fans. With Mohun Bagan Super Giant and East Bengal drawn in Group A, this tournament has been eagerly awaited since the Durand Cup Final this season.
Starting from January 9th, and running until the 28th, the Kalinga Super Cup is set to be a grand tournament with 16 teams vying for the continental spot in the 2024-25 AFC Champions League 2. The matches will be played across two different venues in Odisha. Both Indian Super League and I-League teams have been invited to take part in the annual tournament for 2024.
Kalinga Super Cup 2024 Group Draw:
Arch rivals Mohun Bagan Super Giant and East Bengal have drawn in Group A, alongside Hyderabad FC paving the way for an awaited Kolkata Derby. Holders Odisha FC will however, face stiff competition from the likes of FC Goa and Bengaluru FC as they look to retain their title. However, the fixtures are yet to be released.
A: Mohun Bagan SG, East Bengal FC, Hyderabad FC, I-League 1
B: Kerala Blasters FC, NorthEast United FC, Jamshedpur FC, I-League 2
C: Mumbai City FC, Chennaiyin FC, Punjab FC, I-League 3
D: FC Goa, Odisha FC, Bengaluru FC, I-League 4 (winner of qualifying play-off)
Kalinga Super Cup 2024 Group Draw procedure:
The team draw involved four pots, with the 12 ISL teams placed in Pots 1-3 based on their points per match in the ISL 2023-24 as of December 17, 2023. Teams like Mohun Bagan Super Giant, FC Goa, Mumbai City FC, and Kerala Blasters were in Pot 1, while Odisha FC, Chennaiyin FC, East Bengal FC, and NorthEast United FC were in Pot 2. Bengaluru FC, Jamshedpur FC, Punjab FC, and Hyderabad FC found themselves in Pot 3, and the three I-League teams were in Pot 4.
Five I-League teams, including Gokulam Kerala FC, Sreenidi Deccan FC, Shillong Lajong FC, Inter Kashi, and Rajasthan United FC, confirmed their participation in the Kalinga Super Cup. The top three teams from these will qualify directly for the group stage, while the bottom two will compete in a single-leg qualifying play-off on January 9 to determine the fourth I-League team in the group stage, known as I-League 4, which automatically got placed in Group D at Position D4.
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