East Bengal FC to host Indian Army FT in Durand Cup 2026 quarter-final at VYBK on August 16

East Bengal FC will face Indian Army FT in the Durand Cup 2026 quarter-final at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) in Kolkata on Sunday, 16 August 2026, with kick-off scheduled for 19:00 IST. The winner of this match will secure a place in the tournament semi-finals.

The fixture pits ISL champions East Bengal FC against Group B leaders Indian Army FT in quarter-final 2 of the Durand Cup, staged at East Bengal’s home ground. East Bengal began the competition with a 0-1 defeat to Mohun Bagan SG in the Kolkata Derby but recovered to finish as the best second-placed team alongside Jamshedpur FC. Indian Army FT topped their group by winning all their group-stage matches. Organisers and local reports expect a full house at the VYBK.

East Bengal arrive after a run of positive results, including a 4-1 comeback victory over Al-Arabi SC in the AFC Champions League Two Qualifiers, and will be led by coach Antonio Lopez Habas. The club’s recent results and form during the group stage were cited as reasons they are considered favourites for the quarter-final. Team management have identified maintaining consistency as a requirement for mounting a challenge in the Durand Cup.

Indian Army FT qualified from Group B with a perfect record in the group stage, recording wins over Mohammedan SC, Samaleswari and Baghpat FC. Match previews have stressed the need for the Army side to combine defensive discipline with attacking intent when facing East Bengal.

The quarter-final will be available to viewers via live stream on Sony LIV and on television through Sony Ten 2. Broadcast arrangements provided by the organisers and media partners confirm those platforms for live coverage of the match.

Promotional material for the tie described it succinctly: "Two teams. One battle. One place in the semi-finals." Supporters and followers seeking updates were directed to Khel Now’s social channels and mobile applications for live coverage and post-match content.

Rohit Mistri, the reporting journalist, is from Kolkata and has over two years of experience covering Indian football; his work includes reporting on the Calcutta Football League and the Indian Super League, on-ground match coverage, interviews and feature storytelling.

The immediate outcome is straightforward: the winner at VYBK on 16 August will advance to the Durand Cup semi-finals.