Defending champions East Bengal FC Women are set to play against as they take on NITA FA in a top-of-the-table encounter in the Indian Women’s League 2025–26 at the Kalyani Stadium on Thursday afternoon which kicked -off at 2.30 PM.
NITA FA currently lead the standings with 10 points from four matches, having registered three wins and a draw. East Bengal FC Women sit just behind them on nine points from three games, with a match in hand. Both sides remain unbeaten, adding further weight to what promises to be a high-stakes clash in the context of the title race.
East Bengal FC is in a good momentum
East Bengal have seamlessly transferred their momentum from continental success into the domestic league. Fresh from their triumph in the SAFF Women’s Club Championship, the Red and Golds opened their IWL campaign with a victory over Sethu FC. They followed it up with a 2–1 win against Garhwal United FC before delivering a statement performance with a 9–0 win against SESA FA, the club’s biggest win in IWL history.
Striker Fazila Ikwaput has led the scoring charts for East Bengal so far, netting five goals in the competition, including a four-goal haul against SESA. Soumya Guguloth is just behind the with four goals, highlighted by her maiden hat-trick for the club in the previous outing.
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NITA FA, meanwhile, began their campaign with a 1–1 draw against Gokulam Kerala FC but have since gathered confidence with consecutive wins, 6–1 against SESA FA, 5–0 versus Kickstart FC, and a hard-fought 1–0 victory over Garhwal United. Their attacking output stands at 13 goals, while their defensive unit has conceded just twice, underlining their balance at both ends of the pitch.
The two sides crossed paths twice last season, with East Bengal FC Women emerging dominant on both occasions, a 4–1 away victory followed by a comprehensive 5–1 win at home.
EBFC coach addressed the challenges
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, EBFC Women’s head coach Anthony Andrews said, “The win against SESA has been a huge confidence booster for the team. NITA have scored 13 goals and conceded just twice, which shows that they have a solid defensive organisation too. Even though these are early days in the tournament, we need to win this game and claim the top spot. We need more fans in the stands tomorrow.”
EBFC Women’s defender Sushmita Lepcha added,“Personally, for me, 2025 was an incredible year. I am grateful to East Bengal and Coach Anthony for showing constant faith in me and helping me adapt to the role of a wing-back. As a unit, we are focused on defending our IWL crown and securing a spot in next season’s AFC Women’s Champions League.”
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The match will be streamed live on the Indian Football YouTube channel.
