East Bengal FC etched their name into Indian football history on May 21, 2026, clinching their maiden Indian Super League (ISL) title in dramatic fashion.
After a 22-year wait for a major national trophy, their last coming in the 2003-04 National Football League, the Red and Gold Brigade topped the 2025-26 ISL standings with 26 points from 13 matches, pipping arch-rivals Mohun Bagan Super Giant on goal difference.
East Bengal ended the season with a goal difference of +19, while the Mariners ended the season with a GD of +14.
The season, shortened due to administrative delays and played in a single round-robin format without playoffs, delivered one of the tightest title races in ISL history. Heading into the final day, five teams - East Bengal,
Mohun Bagan, Mumbai City, Punjab FC, and Jamshedpur FC - were mathematically alive. East Bengal, under Spanish coach Óscar Bruzón, sat atop the table with 23 points and a superior goal difference, needing a win against Inter Kashi at Kishore Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata to seal the deal.
How East Bengal became Champions on Final Day
The match unfolded as a classic comeback. Inter Kashi took a shock 15th-minute lead through Alfred Planas's clinical volley. East Bengal, however, showed resilience. Moroccan striker Youssef Ezzejjari, the season's standout with around 10-11 goals, leveled in the 50th minute with a composed finish. Captain Mohammed Rashid then delivered the winner in the 73rd minute with an expert strike.
Simultaneously, Mohun Bagan fought back from a deficit to win 2-1 against SC Delhi, but it wasn't enough to overcome the goal-difference gap. Mumbai City secured third place with a win over Punjab. East Bengal's consistency - 7 wins, 5 draws, 1 loss, and 30 goals scored - proved decisive.
Key contributors included Ezzejjari's firepower, midfield control from Saúl Crespo and Rashid, and a solid defensive unit. Bruzón's pragmatic approach turned a team that had struggled in prior ISL campaigns into champions.
This victory qualifies East Bengal for AFC Champions League Two qualifiers and ends a long drought for one of India's most storied clubs. For millions of passionate fans, it marks the beginning of a new era of dominance in Kolkata and Indian football.
Mohun Bagan Super Giant, East Bengal's arch rivals, also finished with same points but the goal difference won it for the Torch Bearers. Similarly, Mumbai City also won their match against Punjab and finished just a point behind the two Kolkata giants.
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