Durand Cup tournament was started in:

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is (1):
The Durand Cup tournament was first started in the year 1888. This historical fact establishes it as the oldest existing football tournament in India, the oldest football competition in Asia, and one of the oldest in the world. The tournament was founded by Sir Henry Mortimer Durand, who was serving as the Foreign Secretary of British India at the time, and its inaugural edition took place in Annadale, Shimla, primarily as an 'Army Cup' to foster health and sportsmanship among British Indian Army troops.

The incorrect option is (2):
The year 1890 is incorrect because the tournament was already a running competition by this time, having started two years earlier. The 1890 edition of the Durand Cup was actually the third staging of the event. Historical records show that the Highland Light Infantry successfully defended their title in 1890, which confirms that the foundation of the cup was prior to this date.

The incorrect option is (3):
The year 1900 is significantly later than the tournament's actual founding date. By the time the new century began, the Durand Cup was already an established annual fixture in Shimla. The 1900 edition was successfully contested, with the South Wales Borderers emerging as champions. This shows a long-standing tradition was already in place, making 1900 merely one year in the tournament's early history, not its origin.

The incorrect option is (4):
The year 1904 is not the starting year of the Durand Cup. By this point, the cup had been held consistently for over a decade and a half. The year 1904 holds a different, albeit significant, place in the tournament's timeline: it was the year the citizens of Shimla donated the 'Shimla Trophy,' an additional rolling cup, which demonstrated the strong local support and growing prestige of the competition.