East Bengal to face SC Delhi in Durand Cup 2026 semifinal at VYBK on Aug 19
East Bengal will meet Sporting Club Delhi in the first semifinal of the Durand Cup 2026 at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) Stadium in Kolkata on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, with kick-off at 7:00 PM IST. Only one place in the final is available from this match.
Both clubs arrive on the back of strong tournament form: SC Delhi routed FC Raengdai 5-1 in their quarter-final and recorded heavy wins earlier in the competition, while East Bengal progressed past Indian Army FT with a 1-0 quarter-final victory thanks to PV Vishnu’s goal. East Bengal secretary Antonio Lopez Habas criticised the congested schedule after the match, calling such programming in Indian football "stupid" and noting the workload of three matches in 10 days that included an AFC Champions League Two playoff and Durand Cup fixtures. The match also presents East Bengal an opportunity to pursue a 17th Durand Cup title and to uphold the club’s century-old legacy.
East Bengal’s quarter-final performance was not without flaws: the side missed several clear chances but relied on goalkeeper Phurba Lachenpa for important saves and a clean sheet. Under new head coach Antonio Lopez Habas the team combined defensive discipline with attacking intent, though players appeared fatigued following the recent congested schedule.
SC Delhi’s run in the Durand Cup has featured high-scoring results across the group stage and knockouts, including a group-stage win over Jamshedpur FC, a 7-0 victory over a Sri Lankan side, a 7-1 win against Indian Air Force FT and the 5-1 quarter-final over FC Raengdai. The club’s tournament form and recent additions are described in the source as having bolstered a solid core, and a semi-final victory would put SC Delhi into the grand finale in what the report describes as their debut appearance in the competition.
Spanish midfielder Dani Ramírez has contributed goals and assists for East Bengal in this Durand Cup and is cited as a central creative figure for the Torchbearers. At 34 years old, Ramirez’s experience is noted as a midfield asset; the report states he can control play, supply the frontline and exploit space behind SC Delhi’s midfield, and that East Bengal may look to win the ball in transition and use counter-attacking tactics to maximise his strengths.
Rodriguinho is identified as SC Delhi’s primary attacking threat, having scored seven goals in the tournament including a five-goal haul against Defenders FC in the group stage, and he also scored SC Delhi’s third goal in the quarter-final versus FC Raengdai. The report warns East Bengal defenders such as Anwar Ali and Sandip Mandi not to allow the Brazilian freedom around the box given his recent scoring form.
Availability and probable selections are outlined in the preview: East Bengal’s new Spanish defender Nacho Monsalve is injured and will probably miss the match, while PV Vishnu has a slight cramp but is fit to play; otherwise East Bengal are reported to have a fully fit squad. SC Delhi are expected to have a fully fit unit. The preview lists the following players as East Bengal’s likely XI: Phurba Lachenpa (GK), Hardik Bhatt, Lalchungnunga, Anwar Ali, Sandip Mandi, Mohammed Rashid, Dani Ramirez, Jeakson Singh, Edmund Lalrindika, Rohit Danu and PV Vishnu; and SC Delhi’s likely XI: Nora Fernandes (GK), Duvan Viáfara, Ashutosh Mehta, Manoj Md, Lamgoulen Gogou Hangshing, Lalrinliana Hnamte, Juan Pena, Mohammed Azhar, Tomba Singh, Md. Aimen, and Rodriguinho. The two sides have not met previously in the history of the Durand Cup, according to the report.
The semifinal kicks off at 7:00 PM IST on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, at the VYBK (Salt Lake) Stadium in Kolkata and will be broadcast live on Sony Ten 2 and streamed on Sony LIV. The winner of this match will claim the sole remaining place in the Durand Cup 2026 final.