Kalinga Super Cup complete schedule, groups, teams, format, schedule, timings: The All India Football Federation (AIFF) revealed the schedule for the upcoming Kalinga Super Cup set to take place in Odisha in January. The fierce rivals Mohun Bagan Super Giant and East Bengal FC are scheduled to clash in the first Kolkata Derby of 2024 on January 19th. The AIFF revealed the fixtures for the Super Cup, slated to take place at the Kalinga Stadium in Odisha, during its announcement on Wednesday.
The draw for the Kalinga Super Cup group stage took place on Monday, December 18, at the AIFF Football House in New Delhi. Sixteen teams will vie for victory, with the ultimate winner securing a spot in the ACL 2 Preliminary Stage of the AFC 2024-25 season. The roster includes the 12 Indian Super League (ISL) teams and four I-League teams. The top three I-League teams, ranked post-December 24, 2023, among the confirmed participants, will be placed in the initial three groups. The fourth slot in the I-League will be determined through a playoff between the fourth and fifth-placed I-League sides, scheduled for January 8.
The tournament kicks off with a match between East Bengal FC and Hyderabad FC on January 9, followed by a face-off between Mohun Bagan Super Giant and I-League 1 on the same day.
Odisha FC, the reigning Super Cup champions, will encounter last season's runners-up Bengaluru FC in their opening match on January 12, setting the stage for a rematch of the previous final.
Here are the groups for the Kalinga Super Cup:
GROUP A:
- Mohun Bagan SG
- East Bengal FC
- Hyderabad FC
- I-League 1
GROUP B:
- Kerala Blasters FC
- NorthEast United FC
- Jamshedpur FC
- I-League 2
GROUP C:
- Mumbai City FC
- Chennaiyin FC
- Punjab FC
- I-League 3
GROUP D:
- FC Goa
- Odisha FC
- Bengaluru FC
- I-League 4 (winner of qualifying playoff)