Kolkata club Mohammedan Sporting Club will begin their Durand Cup 2025 campaign with a Group B opener against newcomers Diamond Harbour FC at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on Monday. This fixture marks the start of Group B action, which also includes Mohun Bagan Super Giant and BSF FT.
It is the first Kolkata derby of the Durand Cup 2025, and interestingly, there will be a total of three derbies in Group B itself in this year's Durand Cup.

Mohammedan SC will be keen to make a strong start after falling agonisingly short of the knockout stage last season. Although they finished second in their group behind Bengaluru FC, they failed to qualify as one of the best second-placed teams. The Kolkata giants previously reached the final in 2021 and the semi-finals in 2022, underlining their pedigree in the tournament.
Monday's encounter will also serve as vital preparation for their highly anticipated clash against arch-rivals Mohun Bagan Super Giant later in the group stage. MBSG, the 2024 runners-up, remain among the frontrunners to lift the trophy this year.
Diamond Harbour FC, meanwhile, are set for their Durand Cup debut. Fresh off winning the I-League 2 and securing promotion to the I-League for the upcoming season, the club enters the tournament with momentum. Under the guidance of former Kerala Blasters FC head coach Kibu Vicuna, the squad boasts seasoned campaigners like Jobby Justin, Mirshad Michu, and Melroy Assisi-all of whom bring prior ISL experience.
After facing Mohammedan SC, Diamond Harbour will meet BSF FT before squaring off against Mohun Bagan in their final group game.
Having endured a tough ISL debut season where they finished at the bottom of the table, Mohammedan SC will view the Durand Cup as an opportunity to reset and regain momentum ahead of the upcoming domestic campaign.
The Durand Cup 2025 Group B match will be telecast on the Sony Ten network from 7 pm IST on Monday. The match will also be live-streamed on the Sony LIV app and website.