The 2025–26 season was the 106th season of East Bengal Football Club and their sixth season in the Indian Super League, and the thirtieth consecutive season in the top flight of Indian football. The club finished as the champions of the 2025–26 Indian Super League ending a twenty-two year wait for a national league title for the club.
Before the start of the season, East Bengal was very active in the transfer market. The club roped in some quality domestic and international players and started their preseason early in July. The season began with a semi-final exit in the Durand Cup, followed by two final defeats via penalty-shootout in the IFA Shield and AIFF Super Cup. The club then began the Indian Super League campaign with two victories in the first two matches. The club suffered only one defeat in the campaign followed by a ten-match undefeated run till the final match against Inter Kashi where East Bengal won 2–1 to lift the title. Youssef Ezzejjari won the golden-boot of the league with eleven goals and Miguel Figueira was awarded with the best player of the league golden-ball award.
Background
East Bengal finished ninth in the 2024–25 Indian Super League. Just after the season finished, East Bengal appointed former Hyderabad and Shillong Lajong manager Thangboi Singto as the Head of Football at the club. The club became active right after the end of the previous season, roping in Indian wingers Bipin Singh Thounaojam from Mumbai City for free, and Edmund Lalrindika from Inter Kashi for transfer-fee ahead of the start of the new season. East Bengal also roped in Martand Raina from Rajasthan United for . The club also signed Ramsanga Tlaichhun from Real Kashmir on a free transfer. East Bengal also renewed the contract of head coach Oscar Bruzon for one more season keeping him at the club till the end of the 2025–26 season. On 12 June, the club announced the departure of three foreign players: Richard Celis, Messi Bouli and Héctor Yuste as their contract were not renewed.
Transfers
Incoming DateNameSigned fromFeeRef 9 July 2025 16 DF Martand Raina Rajasthan United Undisclosed 11 July 2025 31 MF Ramsanga Tlaichhun Real Kashmir Free Transfer 13 July 2025 29 MF Bipin Singh Thounaojam Mumbai City Free Transfer 13 July 2025 10 MF Edmund Lalrindika Inter Kashi Undisclosed 15 July 2025 27DF Jay Gupta FC Goa Undisclosed 18 July 2025 8MF Miguel Figueira Bashundhara Kings Free Transfer 18 July 2025 74MF Mohammed Rashid Persebaya Surabaya Free Transfer 18 July 2025 6DF Kevin Sibille Ponferradina Free Transfer 29 July 2025 17 FW Hamid Ahadad Raja CA Free Transfer 17 September 2025 9 FW Hiroshi Ibusuki Western United Free Transfer 29 January 2026 17 FW Jerry Mawihmingthanga Odisha Free Transfer 6 February 2026 9 FW Youssef Ezzejjari Tanjong Pagar United Free Transfer 18 February 2026 77 FW Anton Søjberg Monterey Bay Free Transfer Spending:
Outgoing Exit DateNameSigned toFeeRef 16 April 2025 10 FW Cleiton Silva Released 12 June 2025 7 FW Richard Celis Técnico Universitario Released 12 June 2025 28 FW Messi Bouli Jamshedpur FC Released 12 June 2025 44 DF Héctor Yuste Released 14 July 2025 22 DF Nishu Kumar Jamshedpur FC Released 17 July 2025 19 DF Hijazi Maher Al-Faisaly Released 1 September 2025 9 FW Dimitrios Diamantakos APOEL FC Released 4 September 2025 33 DF Gursimrat Singh Gill Rajasthan United FC Released28 September 20258MF Madih Talal Jamshedpur FCReleased1 October 202588MF Mark Zothanpuia Jamshedpur FCReleased5 January 202617FW Hamid Ahadad Hassania AgadirReleased15 January 20269FW Hiroshi Ibusuki Western Sydney WanderersReleased Income:
Team
First-team squad The below list contains the names and details of the players registered for the first-team squad for East Bengal. This list does not include any reserve player who has never played in the first-team squad.
No.NameDate of Birth (Age)Goalkeepers13Prabhsukhan Singh Gill (vice–captain)GK Kerala Blasters 2023 2026 86 0 024Debjit MajumderGK Chennaiyin 2024 2026 32 0 026Aaryan AnjaneyaGK Thiruvanant. Kombans 2025 2026 0 0 095Gourab ShawGK Calcutta Port Trust 2023 2026 5 0 0Defenders3Provat LakraRB Jamshedpur 2024 2026 30 1 14Anwar AliCB Delhi FC 2024 2029 45 6 25Lalchungnunga CB Sreenidi Deccan 2022 2026 96 3 26Kevin SibilleCB Ponferradina 2025 2026 19 2 212Mohammad Rakip RB Mumbai City 2022 2026 94 0 016Martand RainaCB Rajasthan United 2025 2028 7 0 027Jay GuptaLB FC Goa 2025 2029 18 1 0Midfielders7Vishnu PVLW Muthoot 2023 2028 101 21 198Miguel FigueiraCM Bashundhara Kings 2025 2026 24 3 915Naorem Mahesh Singh (captain)LW Kerala Blasters 2022 2027 115 16 1917Jerry MawihmingthangaFW Odisha 2026 2026 2 0 021Saúl CrespoCM Odisha 2024 2026 68 17 923Souvik ChakrabartiCM Hyderabad 2022 2027 91 1 225Jeakson SinghDM Kerala Blasters 2024 2028 46 3 029Bipin SinghLW Mumbai City 2025 2027 26 6 831Ramsanga TlaichhunDM Real Kashmir 2025 2028 5 0 074Mohammed RashidDM Persebaya Surabaya 2025 2026 24 4 184Sayan BanerjeeLW Kalighat MS 2023 2026 45 11 6Forwards9Youssef EzzejjariFW Tanjong Pagar United 2026 2026 13 11 010Edmund LalrindikaFW Inter Kashi 2025 2027 31 4 511Nandhakumar SekarFW Odisha 2023 2026 68 15 614David LalhlansangaFW Mohammedan Sporting 2024 2027 50 12 459Jesin TKFW Kerala United 2022 2026 46 26 1377Anton SøjbergFW Monterey Bay FC 2026 2026 10 1 0
New contracts No.Pos.DateNameRef. 23 MF 5 July 2024 Souvik Chakrabarti 82 RW/LW 7 July 2024 Vishnu PV
Current technical staff
PositionName Head of Football Operations Thangboi Singto Head coach Óscar Bruzón Assistant coach Adrian Rubio Martinez Assistant coach Bino George Goalkeeping Coach Felix D'Souza Strength & Conditioning Coach Javier Sánchez Flores Head of Physiotherapist Dr. Firoz ShaikhAssistant Physiotherapist Arghya Bose Assistant Physiotherapist Tejas Lasalkar Performance Analyst Aromal Vijayan Team Manager Pratim Kumar Saha Team Doctor Dr. Mustufa Poonawalla Masseur Rajesh Basak Masseur Robin Das Masseur Raju Bose
Preseason and Friendlies East Bengal started their senior team preseason under coach Óscar Bruzón on 13 July 2025 with two weeks in hand for the 2025 Durand Cup. On 30 July, East Bengal played a friendly match against Bhawanipore FC and won the match 4–2. Miguel scored a brace while Diamantakos and Hamid scored one each in the match. On 28 November, East Bengal played a friendly match with Dempo in preparation for their semi-final encounter in the Super Cup, scheduled a week later. East Bengal won the match 4–1 with a brace from Hiroshi and one goal each by Hamid and Saúl. Matches
Competitions
Overall record Note: Penalty shoot-out wins or losses are counted as draws, as per the official standard.Laws of the Game 2007/2008, p.130: "The kicks from the penalty mark are not part of the match"
Durand Cup
East Bengal participated in the 2025 Durand Cup and was grouped into Group A alongside Namdhari, South United and Indian Air Force and would play their group stage matches in Kolkata. On 23 July, East Bengal began their campaign with a 5–0 victory over South United at the Salt Lake Stadium. East Bengal faced Namdhari in their second fixture of the Durand Cup. The match ended in a 1–0 victory as Hamid Ahadad found the back of the net from a corner kick taken by Miguel Figueira. In the third fixture, East Bengal defeated Indian Air Force 6–1 with goals as East Bengal topped the group with three wins and qualify for the quarter-finals. East Bengal were drawn with Mohun Bagan Super Giant in the quarter-final played on 17 August 2025. East Bengal sealed a 2–1 win courtesy a brace by Dimitrios Diamantakos. On 20 August, East Bengal faced Diamond Harbour in the semi final of the Durand Cup and suffered a shock defeat as Diamond Harbour won 2–1 in an unprecedented result as East Bengal crashed out of the tournament.
Group stage
Bracket
Matches
IFA Shield
East Bengal will participate in the IFA Shield and was grouped into Group A alongside Namdhari and Sreenidi Deccan. In the opening match on 8 October at the Kalyani Stadium, East Bengal defeated Sreenidhi Deccan by 4–0 with goals from Jay Gupta, Saúl Crespo, Hamid Ahadad and Jeakson Singh. East Bengal faced Namdhari in the all-important group A decider which they won 2–0 with goals from Mohammed Rashid and P.V. Vishnu and sealed a spot in the final held on 18 October. In the final, East Bengal faced Mohun Bagan SG and took the lead in 36th minute courtesy a goal from Hamid Ahadad, but Apuia scored in 45+3rd minute to take the game to extra time and penalties. Jay Gupta missed the crucial penalty and East Bengal lost the match.
Group stage
Matches
Super Cup
East Bengal will participate in the Super Cup and was grouped into Group A alongside Mohun Bagan Super Giants, Chennaiyin and Real Kashmir. However, on 15 October, Real Kashmir withdrew and Dempo were announced as their replacement. East Bengal faced their old rivals Dempo in the opening match of the tournament. Mohamed Ali gave Dempo an early lead in the game. However, East Bengal scored twice in quick succession and took the lead. Laximanrao scored the equaliser for Dempo in the 89th minute as the match ended in a 2–2 draw. On 28 October, East Bengal faced Chennaiyin in a do-or-die match and comfortably won 4–0 with a brace from Bipin Singh and first goals for East Bengal by Kevin and Hiroshi. East Bengal needed a draw against their arch-rivals Mohun Bagan SG in the final match of Group A to qualify for the semi-finals. The match eventually ended in a 0–0 draw despite East Bengal controlling the proceedings for the major part of the game and qualified for semi-finals as Group A toppers. In the semi-final, East Bengal faced Punjab and won comfortably 3–1 with goals from Rashid, Kevin and Saúl thus sealing a spot in the final against Goa.
Group stage
Bracket
Matches
Indian Super League
Summary East Bengal confirmed their participation along with the thirteen other teams for the 2025–26 Indian Super League season, which was delayed due to various administrative issue with the AIFF and their exiting commercial partner FSDL. East Bengal would play their home matches at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.
League table
Result summary
Results by match
Matches
Calcutta Football League
Summary East Bengal participated in the 2025 CFL Premier Division and was drawn into group A for the first phase of the tournament where twenty-six teams were divided into two groups of thirteen. East Bengal fielded mostly the reserve squad led by head coach Bino George for the Calcutta Football League like the previous three seasons. East Bengal opened their group stage campaign on 27 June against Measurers Club at the Bankimanjali Stadium in Naihati and won 7–1, repeating the same scoreline from the opening fixture of the previous season. East Bengal qualified for the Super Six stage being the toppers of Group A with 23 points from 11 matches . In the super-six round, East Bengal first defeated United Kolkata 3–0 and then Diamond Harbour 3–1, as East Bengal cruise their way closer to the league championship title. On 22 September, East Bengal faced United SC in the title decider, as a draw would suffice for East Bengal to win the tournament. East Bengal won the match 2–1 and won the Calcutta Football League for the record 41st time.
Table
Super Six
Matches
Oil India Challenge Gold Cup
East Bengal also participated in the 8th Oil India Challenge Gold Cup held at Duliajan, Assam and fielded mostly their reserve squad for the tournament. East Bengal started the tournament directly from the quarter-final. Oil India scored in the 89th minute and East Bengal suffered a 0–1 loss, thus crashing out of the tournament.
Bracket
Matches
Sikkim Gold Cup
East Bengal also participated in the 41st Sikkim Gold Cup held at Paljor Stadium, Gangtok and fielded mostly their reserve squad for the tournament. East Bengal started the tournament directly from the quarter-final.
Bracket
Matches
Statistics Appearances