The fixtures for the Super Cup 2025 are out following a draw done virtually on Thursday, with fans set for a blockbuster clash as Kolkata giants East Bengal and Mohun Bagan find themselves clubbed together in Group A. The two will lock horns in the group stage, setting up another chapter in Indian football’s greatest rivalry.
Joining them in Group A are Real Kashmir and Chennaiyin FC. The stakes are already high, with East Bengal having defeated Mohun Bagan in the Durand Cup quarter-final earlier this year, adding further spice to the derby. Chennaiyin FC, meanwhile, will be led by their first-ever Indian head coach, Clifford Miranda, who previously served as an assistant coach at Mohun Bagan. For Miranda, this tournament marks his maiden assignment as head coach, and he faces the sternest of tests in what is already being dubbed the ‘Group of Death’.
Real Kashmir, carrying the pride of the Valley, also add a compelling narrative. Their rivalry with Mohun Bagan traces back to 2019, when they stunned the Mariners at Salt Lake Stadium in their debut I-League season. While much has changed since then, the fixture remains a captivating contest.
The opening day will see East Bengal take on Real Kashmir at 5 pm, followed by Mohun Bagan facing Chennaiyin FC at 7:30 pm. The marquee Kolkata derby is scheduled for October 31 at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, with kick-off at 7:30 pm.
Elsewhere, Group B features defending champions FC Goa, Jamshedpur FC, I-League champions Inter Kashi and Durand Cup champions North East United FC. Group C includes Bengaluru FC, Mohammedan SC, Punjab FC and Gokulam Kerala, while Group D pits Mumbai City FC, Kerala Blasters, Hyderabad FC, and Rajasthan United against each other.
The group stage concludes on November 6, although Mohun Bagan and FC Goa will be exempted from the group stage early due to their AFC Cup commitments on November 4 and 5. The tournament will then pause for the Indian national team’s AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers against Bangladesh, resuming with the knockout stages after November 18.
Unlike the previous edition’s straight knockout format, this year’s Super Cup follows a group-stage system. Only the champions of each group will progress to the semi-finals, with the eventual winners not only lifting the trophy but also securing a coveted spot in the AFC Champions League 2.
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