Indian Army FT v East Bengal FC - Durand Cup 2026 quarter-final in Kolkata on August 16
Indian Army FT meet East Bengal FC at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK), Kolkata in the Durand Cup 2026 quarter-final on Sunday, 16 August 2026 with kick-off scheduled for 7 PM IST; the winner will advance to the semi-finals.
East Bengal reached the last eight after finishing as one of the best second-placed teams from Group A, following a 1-0 opening defeat to Mohun Bagan Super Giant and subsequent group wins of 8-0 over CISF Protectors Football Team and 5-0 against South United FC, giving them a +12 goal difference. Indian Army FT topped Group B with nine points from three matches, recording victories of 1-0 over Samaleswari Sporting, 4-0 against Baghpat FC and 2-1 versus Mohammedan SC to secure their knockout place.
The matchday lineups have been published; one reported list reads: Bhabindra (GK) (C), Sunil, Pardeep, Lethaolen, Chabin, Shafeel, Abhishek, Kamei, Shubham, Samir, Borish Lachenpa (GK), Boris, Chungnunga, Gehlot, Jay, Rohit K, Rashid (C), Vishnu, Ramirez, Ikonomidis, David. Another reported set of starting XIs lists Prabhsukhan Singh Gill (GK), Hardik Bhatt, Jay Gupta, Anwar Ali, Sandip Mandi, Mohammed Rashid, Dani Ramirez, Jeakson Singh, Edmund Lalrindika, Bipin Singh, PV Vishnu for one side and Bhabindra Malla Thakuri (GK), Pardeep Singh, Sunil B, Shafeel PP, Abhishek Shankar, Saikhom Borish Singh, Lethaolen Khongsai, Shubham Rana, Chabin Rabha, Samir Murmu, P. Christopher Kamei for the other.
Matchday conditions at the VYBK are expected to be testing, with the temperature around 28°C, cloudy skies and a 47% chance of rain. Organisers noted very high humidity that may increase physical demands on players and a possibility of rain that could affect the pitch and the flow of play; air quality at the stadium is reported as fair.
East Bengal arrive off a 4-1 win over Kuwaiti club Al-Arabi SC in the AFC Champions League Two qualifier, with the side overturning the tie in the second half of extra time to seal a place in the ACL Two 2026-2027 group stages and becoming the only Indian club to qualify for the group stage this year. In the Durand Cup group phase East Bengal scored 13 goals in three matches, with Indian players PV Vishnu, Edmund Lalrindika, Jesin TK, Bipin Singh, Jay Gupta, Hardik Bhatt and David Lalhlansanga among the contributors, while the Dani Ramirez and Mohammed Rashid midfield partnership is described as gradually settling and Chris Ikonomidis is a new recruit who may feature.
Indian Army FT are noted in match coverage as having produced strong group-stage performances and are referred to as two-time Durand Cup champions; coverage says they will need a high level of performance, a sturdy defensive shape and concentration to contain East Bengal’s attacking threats, which include Jessin TK, PV Vishnu, Edmund Lalrindika and David Lalhlansanga. The reporting also stresses the need for Indian Army FT to be clinical in converting chances in a knockout fixture where a loss would result in elimination.
Squad updates list East Bengal’s new Spanish defender Nacho Monsalve as injured and unavailable for the tie, Mohammed Rashid carrying a slight cramp but declared fit to play, and Boris Singh and Danish Farooq recovering from their respective injuries; otherwise East Bengal are reported to have a fully fit squad. It is noted that this is the second Durand Cup meeting between the sides, the previous encounter coming in the 2002-2003 Durand Cup final when East Bengal defeated Army XI 3-0 at Ambedkar Stadium, Delhi on January 10, 2003 to claim their 15th Durand Cup title, with historical head-to-head figures shown as East Bengal wins – 1 and Indian Army FT (Then Army XI) wins – 0.
This quarter-final tie is a knockout for a place in the Durand Cup semi-finals and will be broadcast live on Sony Ten 2 and streamed on Sony LIV.