Pune, 22 October 2026: Defending champions East Bengal FC face Inter Kashi FC in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2026-27 at the Balewadi Stadium on Friday, 23 October. Kick-off is at 5pm IST.
The fixture is a repeat of last season’s title decider, when East Bengal beat Inter Kashi 2-1 and Mohammed Rashid scored the winner to give the club its first ISL title.
Champions juggling two competitions
East Bengal opened their season with a 4-0 win over Churchill Brothers SC. Inter Kashi drew 1-1 with Odisha FC in their first match.
The Kolkata side have a busy week. After Friday’s game they travel to Oman for an AFC Champions League Two match against Al-Seeb.
Head coach Antonio López Habas said he would make only a few changes. “We have plenty of players ready to take their chance. Teams that want to win trophies must be prepared for a demanding schedule, and I hope we don’t suffer injuries that force us to change our plans,” he said.
Winger Bipin Singh came off the bench to score twice against Churchill Brothers and is pushing for a starting place. “Whether you are in the second half or the starting eleven, it is very important to contribute,” he said.
Kashi short of midfielders
Inter Kashi head coach Carlos Vaz Pinto admitted his side have had limited preparation and are working with a small squad. They finished the Odisha match with four wingers on the pitch because they did not have enough fit midfielders.
Vaz Pinto said the team would not change their approach for the champions. “We cannot change our idea of the game because of the opponent. We believe we can win,” he said.
Defender Nischal Chandan said the players had chosen to trust each other and the coaching staff after a difficult build-up. He accepted that the absence of foreign players could make a difference but backed Kashi to give East Bengal a hard game if they stick to the plan.
The ISL has 13 clubs this season and runs under a club-led commercial model.
