The Trades Cup (also known as the Trades Challenge Cup^[1] or IFA Trades Challenge Cup)^[2] is an Indian football tournament held in Kolkata and organised by Indian Football Association.^[3][4] Incorporated in 1889, it is the second oldest football tournament in Asia and the oldest in Kolkata.^[5][6][7] It is the traditional curtain raiser for the Kolkata football season.

The Trades Cup was instituted in 1889 by the trading community of Calcutta and was organised by the Dalhousie AC committee.^[1][8] It was the first open football tournament in India, where Indian, British, regimental and college clubs participated.^[9][10]

The first Indian club to win a match against a British team was Nagendra Prasad Sarbadhikari's Sovabazar Club.^{[11][12][13][14]} They won the opening match of the 1892 Trades Cup by defeating the East Surrey Regiment with the score of 2–1.^[15][16][17] The first Indian club to win the Trades Cup was the National Association who won the trophy in the 1900 edition. The Indian club from South Calcutta under the guidance of Manmatha Ganguly defeated the British side, Shibpur Engineering College on 11 August 1900 at the Shobhabazar Ground.^[15][18][19] Mohun Bagan completed a hat-trick of Trades Cup titles between 1906 and 1908,^[20] which enabled them to make their IFA Shield debut in 1909.^[21]

The Trades Cup was revived after not being held for 25 years in 2004 by the IFA. The tournament gives the Kolkata clubs outside the "Big Three" playing in the Premier and lower divisions the chance to field and organise their teams ahead of the start of their league season.^[22]

List of Trades Cup Finals^[23][24]

Year	Winners	Score	Runners-up	Ref.
1889	Dalhousie	2–1	Howrah
1890	The Buffs Regiment
1891	2nd King's Liverpool Regiment
1892	1st East Lancashire Regiment
1893	St Xavier's College
1894	Medical College
1895	Medical College
1896	Shibpur Engineering College
1897	Apprentice Engineers' Recreation Club, Jamalpore
1898	Apprentice Engineers' Recreation Club, Jamalpore
1899	Hastings FC
1900	National Association		Shibpur Engineering College
1901	Shibpur Engineering College
1902	National Association
1903	Medical College
1904	Medical College
1905	Shibpur Engineering College
1906	Mohun Bagan			[25]
1907	Mohun Bagan	3–2	Dalhousie B	[25]
1908	Mohun Bagan			[25]
1909	Wanderers
1910	Eastern India Railway, Asansol
1911	Chandernagore FC
1912	National Association
1913	Aryan			[26]
1914	Kumartuli			[26]
1932	Howrah Union			[27][28]
1938	Mohun Bagan			[29]
1939	Mohun Bagan
1943	Mohun Bagan
1944	Mohun Bagan
1945	Mohun Bagan
1949	Mohun Bagan
1950	Mohun Bagan
1960	East Bengal			[30]
1965	Mohun Bagan
1966	East Bengal			[30]
1975	East Bengal			[30]
1976	East Bengal			[30]
1979–2003	Not held
2004	Calcutta	2–1	Eastern Railway	[22]
2005	Eastern Railway	(3–2 p)	Wari	[31]
2006	Peerless	0–0 (5–4 p)	United	[32]
2007	Chirag United	3–1	Eastern Railway	[33]
2008	West Bengal Police	3–0	SAIL	[34]
2011	Howrah Union	1–0	Food Corporation of India
2012	Janbazar SC	1–0	Howrah Union
2013	Pathachakra FC	1–0	Milan Bithee FC	[35]
2014	Food Corporation of India	5–1	Mohammedan AC	[36]
2015	City AC	2–1	Barisha SC
2016	Calcutta Port Trust	0–0 (5–4 p)	Wari
2017	City AC	2–1 (5–4 p)	BSS	[37]
2018	Howrah Union		Calcutta Police	[38]
2019	Dalhousie	2–1	Howrah Union	[2]

• History of Indian football
• Football in Kolkata
• List of oldest football competitions

Bibliography

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Others

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