East Bengal FC (women)

Women's football club in India From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

East Bengal Football Club, commonly referred to as East Bengal, is a professional women's football club based in Kolkata, West Bengal. It is the women's section of East Bengal FC. They compete in the Indian Women's League, the women's premier football league in India, having won the tournament twice. The club has also won the Calcutta Women's Football League (Kanyashree Cup) four times and the Women's IFA Shield once. They also won the inaugural SAFF Women's Club Championship in 2025.

Full nameEast Bengal Football Club
NicknamesLal Holud Brigade (The Red and Yellow Brigade)
Moshal Bahini (The Torch Bearers)
Bangal Brigade
Moshal Girls
Short nameEBFC
Founded1920; 106 years ago (1920)
Quick facts Full name, Nicknames ...
East Bengal
Full nameEast Bengal Football Club
NicknamesLal Holud Brigade (The Red and Yellow Brigade)
Moshal Bahini (The Torch Bearers)
Bangal Brigade
Moshal Girls
Short nameEBFC
Founded1920; 106 years ago (1920)
GroundEast Bengal Ground
Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (selected matches)
Capacity23,500
85,000
OwnerEast Bengal Club
PresidentMurari Lal Lohia
Head coachAnthony Andrews
LeagueIndian Women's League
Calcutta Women's Football League
Websiteemamieastbengal.com
Current season
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History

Formation and early beginnings

The East Bengal women's football team was formed in 2001 and in their inaugural season of the Calcutta Women's Football League, they lifted the title defeating arch-rivals Mohun Bagan 10 in the final at the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium with Shanta Dhara scoring the solitary goal for the club.[1][2][3] The following season, East Bengal women's team reached the final again but lost in the final against Mohun Bagan after the game ended 11 in the regulation time and Mohun Bagan won 32 in the penalty shootout at the Sailen Manna Stadium in Howrah.[2][3] The team was however disbanded after the season.

Relaunch and another halt

In their centenary year, the East Bengal club again decided to relaunch the women's team and participate in the Calcutta Women's Football League.[4] They had appointed former India International Kuntala Ghosh Dastidar as the head coach of the team.[5][6] In October, initial trials were conducted by the club under Kuntala Ghosh Dastidar, with over 150 women participating.[7][8] On 27 December, IFA registration of 21 players was done for the Women's League that commenced in January 2020.[9] The East Bengal Women's team started off their campaign in the 2020 Kanyashree Cup in style as they defeated Dipti Sangha by 61.[10]

On 13 February East Bengal Women's team made history as they faced Biddyut Sporting. They led 18–0 within 30 minutes when the opposing team forfeited the game and the referee awarded it to East Bengal.[11] On 6 March, the East Bengal Women's team surpassed their own record once again as they scored 20 goals against Bhangore SWF. East Bengal's forward Tulsi Hembram scored 8 goals and Mamata Hansda 4.[12] The team qualified for the Super Six competition without losing a single game, and qualified for the Semi-Final where they faced Police AC. East Bengal won the semi-final 54 in the penalty shootout after the game had ended 11 in regulation time. However, the game was replayed due to issues with player registration and East Bengal team once again won the replayed match 54 in the penalties after the game ended goalless to reach the final. On 30 December 2020, East Bengal faced SSB Women's at the Salt Lake Stadium in the final of the Kanyashree Cup and finished runners up with a 20 loss, with a goal conceded in each half.[13]

However, due to a tussle between the club officials and the investor group Shree Cement, the women's football team and all the players were released. It was informed that they would not be fielding a team for the 202122 Kanyashree Cup.[14]

Comeback

In 2022, the East Bengal women's football team began the season by participating in the Kaliaganj MLA Cup held at Uttar Dinajpur and won the four-team tournament by defeating MLA Kaliaganj 1–0 in the final.[15] On 18 December, they announced the squad for the 202223 Kanyashree Cup.[16][17] East Bengal started their campaign with a 20 win against WB Police on 20 December at the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium, with Sulanjana Raul and Kabita Saren scoring for the team.[18] On 10 January 2023, in their fourth match of the season, East Bengal defeated Behala Aikya Sammilani by 350, creating a record as the biggest win by an Indian team in any women's football game conducted by AIFF.[19][20][21] Mousumi Murmu and Kabita Saren scored six goals each, Deblina Bhattacharjee and Gita Das scored five each, Sushmita Bardhan scored four, Aishwarya Arun Jagtap scored thrice, Sulanjana Raul and Tanushree Oraon scored a brace while Birsi Oraon and Piyali Kora scored one each.[20] On 19 January, East Bengal defeated Adivasi United Students Club 30 in the last match of the group stages to enter the knockouts. They finished top of the group with seven wins, including two walkovers given by Dipti Sangha and Kolkata Union Sporting Club, having scored fifty-eight goals without conceding a single.[22][23] On 23 January, East Bengal faced New Alipore Suruchi Sangha in the quarter-finals and won 21 with goals from Mousumi Murmu and Sulanjana Raul.[24] On 25 January, East Bengal defeated Mohammedan Sporting 30 in the semi-finals at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan. Rimpa Halder scored a brace while Nimita Gurung of Mohammedan scored an own goal as East Bengal reached the final of the 202223 Kanyashree Cup.[25][26] On 28 January, East Bengal faced Sreebhumi in the final of the Kanyashree Cup at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan and won 10 courtesy of a solitary goal from 15 year old Sulanjana Raul as East Bengal became the champions for the second time after 2001 and qualified for the Indian Women's League.[27][28][29]

Indian Women's League, Women's IFA Shield

East Bengal women's football team qualified for the Indian Women's League for the first time after becoming the champions of the 2022–23 Kanyashree Cup.[30] They were grouped alongside the defending champions Gokulam Kerala in Group A along with six more teams, with top four from each group qualifying for the knockout stages and be eligible for direct qualification to the next season, irrespective of their results in the state leagues.[31][32] On 22 April, the club announced the squad for the Indian Women's League campaign, with eleven names from the Kanyashree Cup championship team.[33] On 26 April, East Bengal made their debut in the Indian Women's League against defending champions Gokulam Kerala and suffered an 82 defeat at the TransStadia in Ahmedabad with Rimpa Haldar and Tulsi Hembram scoring for East Bengal.[34][35] On 29 April, East Bengal women's team earned their first ever victory in the Indian Women's League as the defeated Kahaani 10 at the Shahibaug Police Stadium with captain Ratna Haldar scoring the only goal for East Bengal.[36][37][38][39] On 2 May, East Bengal registered their second win as they defeated Mata Rakmani FC 20 with goals from Mousumi Murmu and Rimpa Haldar.[40] On 4 May, East Bengal grabbed their third win in succession as they defeated Mumbai Knights 42 with Rimpa Haldar scoring twice and Tulsi Hembram and Mousumi Murmu scoring the other for the team.[41] On 12 May, East Bengal defeated HOPS 10 in the last match of the group stage courtesy of a solitary strike from captain Ratna Halder as they secured a top four finish and ensured a place in the knockouts in their maiden appearance and also earned an automatic qualification for the 202324 Indian Women's League.[42][43] On 16 May, East Bengal faced former champions Sethu in the quarter-finals of the IWL and were eliminated after the game ended 90 for Sethu, thus ending the campaign for East Bengal in their inaugural season in the Indian Women's League.[44]

After the Indian Women's League, East Bengal Women's team participated in the inaugural Women's IFA Shield held at Tehatta, Nadia, West Bengal and emerged victorious defeating Sreebhumi 50 in the final on 2 June 2023.[45] East Bengal won all four matches in the tournament, scoring twenty-seven goals in them and conceding none as they lifted the inaugural title. Tulsi Hembram was adjudged the player of the tournament after becoming the top scorer with fifteen goals in four matches.[45][46][47]

In the 202324 season, East Bengal failed to retain the Kanyashree Cup as they became runner-up to Sreebhumi.[48] In January 2024, East Bengal women's team signed their first ever foreign player as they roped in Bangladesh women's national football team winger Sanjida Akhter to play in the 2023–24 Indian Women's League.[49] East Bengal finished sixth in the 2023–24 Indian Women's League.[50][51]

Maiden Indian Women's League Title

After spending two seasons in the IWL, the East Bengal team management made efforts to build a strong squad for the 202425 season, and roped in India women's national football team players: Sandhiya Ranganathan, Soumya Guguloth, Loitongbam Ashalata Devi, Ngangbam Sweety Devi, Anju Tamang, Karthika Angamuthu, Elangbam Panthoi Chanu and Naorem Priyangka Devi, along with three foreign players: Elshaddai Acheampong of Ghana, Resty Nanziri of Uganda and Maurine Achieng of Kenya.[52] East Bengal also roped in the two-time IWL-winning coach Anthony Andrews from Gokulam Kerala by paying a record transfer fee in women's football in India.[53] The result bore fruit as on 11 April 2025, East Bengal clinched their maiden Indian Women's League title with a game to spear after defeating Odisha 10 at the Kalyani Stadium.[54] East Bengal, with the championship, also qualified for the preliminary round of the 2025–26 AFC Women's Champions League.[55] The team also completed a famous double winning the 2024–25 Calcutta Women's Football League defeating Sribhumi in the final.[56]

Participation in AFC Women's Champions League and a Historic Treble Winning Season

East Bengal qualified for the 2025–26 AFC Women's Champions League after being the champions of the 2024–25 Indian Women's League.[55] East Bengal was grouped into Group-E of the Preliminary round alongside Kitchee of Hong Kong and Phnom Penh Crown of Cambodia, with all the matches of the group set to be played at the RSN Stadium in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.[57] In the opening match against Phnom Penh Crown on 25 August, East Bengal won 10 to begin the campaign with Fazila Ikwaput scoring the only goal of the match.[58] On 31 August, East Bengal faced Kitchee and drew 11 and topped the group and secured a qualification for the group stages of the AFC Women's Champions League.[59] East Bengal was grouped into Group-B alongside hosts Wuhan Jiangda of China, Bam Khatoon from Iran and Nasaf from Uzbekistan, with all the matches to be played at the Hankou Cultural Sports Centre in Wuhan, China.[60] On 17 November 2025, East Bengal faced Bam Khatoon in the opening match of the group stage and won 31 with goals from Shilky Devi Hemam, Fazila Ikwaput and Resty Nanziri to register their first ever win in the AWCL group stages.[61] However, East Bengal lost in the next two matches against defending champions and hosts Wuhan Jiangda and Nasaf to get eliminated from the tournament with an inferior goal difference, finishing just below the best two third placed side, thus ending their inaugural journey in the AFC Women's Champions League.[62]

East Bengal also participated in the inaugural SAFF Club Women's Championship as the sole representative from India after becoming champions of the 2024–25 Indian Women's League.[63] The tournament consists of teams from hosts Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Bhutan, alongside East Bengal with all the matches to be played at the Dasharath Rangasala in Kathmandu.[64] On 8 December, East Bengal debuted in the tournament with a 40 victory over Transport United of Bhutan with Fazila Ikwaput scoring a brace and Sulanjana Raul and Resty Nanziri scoring the rest.[65]On 20 December 2025, East Bengal created history to become the first Indian women's football team to win an international tournament as they defeated APF of Nepal 30 in the final with Fazila Ikwaput scoring a brace and Shilky Devi Hemam scoring the other, as East Bengal became the inaugural champions of the SAFF Club Women's Championship.[66][67]

East Bengal also went on to defend their Indian Women's League title with three matches to spare, thus winning their second title in consecutive seasons.[68] On 21 May, East Bengal clinched a historic treble after winning the Kanyashree Cup as well, making it three trophies for the season.[69]

Back to Back AFC Women's Champions League

After winning the 2025–26 Indian Women's League, East Bengal once again earned a spot in the 2026–27 AFC Women's Champions League preliminary group stage.[68] East Bengal was grouped into group A of the Preliminary round alongside hosts Sabah of Malaysia, Rovers of Guam and Rajshahi Stars of Bangladesh, with all the matches of the group set to be played at the Likas Stadium in Sabah, Malaysia.[70] East Bengal won all the three matches, scoring eighteen goals without conceding a single goal, to win the group and become the first Indian team to qualify for the group stages of the AFC Women's Champions League in back-to-back seasons.[71][72]

Stadium

The East Bengal Ground is located in Kolkata, and is the home ground of the club. The stadium lies on the Maidan (Kolkata) area on the northern side of Fort William and near the Eden Gardens. This stadium is also used mostly for Calcutta Football League and academy players.

East Bengal Ground
Capacity: 23,500

Current squad

As of 1 August 2025[73]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

More information No., Pos. ...
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Current technical staff

As of August 2025
More information Position, Name ...
Position Name
Head coach India Anthony Andrews
Assistant coach India Pratima Biswas
Goalkeeping coach India Gowtham Ganesan
Strength and conditioning coach India Aarav Kumar
Team manager India Moumi Paul
Physiotherapist India Srushti Patil
Masseur India Kakali Dalal
Kit Manager India Ashik Sarkar
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Records and statistics

Firsts

  • First goal in Women's IFA Shield: Tulsi Hembram (against Nadia DSA, 25 May 2023).[77]
  • First goal in SAFF Women's Club Championship: Fazila Ikwaput (against Transport United, 8 December 2025).[65]
  • First win in Indian Women's League: East Bengal 10 Kahaani, 29 April 2023 (During the 2022–23 season).[38]
  • First hat-trick in SAFF Women's Club Championship: Fazila Ikwaput (against Nasrin, 14 December 2025, 2025).[79]

Records

  • Biggest win in Indian Women's League: East Bengal 90 Sesa, 30 December 2025 (During the 2025–26 season).[80]
  • Biggest win in Women's IFA Shield: East Bengal 110 Chandney, 29 May 2023 (During the 2023 season).[81][82]
  • Biggest win in AFC Women's Champions League: East Bengal 120 Rovers, 20 August 2026 (During the 2025–26 season).[83]
  • Biggest win in SAFF Women's Club Championship: East Bengal 70 Nasrin, 14 December 2025 (During the 2025 season).[79]
  • Longest winning streak in Indian Women's League: 8 matches (During the 2024–25 continuing into the 2025–26 season).[84]
  • Longest winning streak in Kanyashree Cup: 12 matches (During the 2022–23 season into the 2023–24 season).[27]
  • Most individual scorers in an Indian Women's League match: 6 (against HOPS, during the 2024–25 season).[87]
  • Most individual scorers in an AFC Women's Champions League match: 9 (against Rovers, during the 2025–26 season).[83]

League history

More information Season, International ...
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All Time Top Scorer

List of all-time top scorers for East Bengal women's team in competitive fixtures.

Player names in bold are part of the current squad.
As of 21 May 2026
More information Ranking, Nationality ...
All-time Top Scorer for East Bengal in competitive fixtures
Ranking Nationality Name Indian Women's League Kanyashree Cup[b] Women's IFA Shield AFC Women's Champions League SAFF Women's Club Championship Total
1IndiaSulanjana Raul1146203 62
2IndiaTulsi Hembram22915 46
3UgandaFazila Ikwaput200029 31
4IndiaMousumi Murmu3127 22
4IndiaSandhya Maity02200 22
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Overall record in Indian Women's League

As of 18 May 2026
More information Season, P ...
East Bengal Women's Team overall record in Indian Women's League
Season P W D L GF GA GD Win % Final position Top Scorer Goals
2022–2384131222−10050.00 Quarter-finals India Rimpa Haldar4
2023–24121110831−23008.33 6th India Sulanjana Raul3
2024–251412113810+28085.71 Champions Ghana Elshaddai Acheampong10
2025–26141301475+42092.86 Champions Uganda Fazila Ikwaput20
Overall 483031510568+37062.50
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Top scorers in Indian Women's League

List of top scorers for East Bengal in the Indian Women's League.[88][89]

Player names in bold are part of the current squad.
As of 18 May 2026
More information Ranking, Nationality ...
Top Scorer for East Bengal in Indian Women's League
Ranking Nationality Name Goals
1  UgandaFazila Ikwaput20
2  IndiaSoumya Guguloth19
3  UgandaResty Nanziri11
4  IndiaSulanjana Raul11
5  GhanaElshaddai Acheampong10
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Hat-tricks in Indian Women's League

List of all hat-tricks by an East Bengal player in the Indian Women's League:

More information Hat-tricks in Indian Women's League, Season ...
Hat-tricks in Indian Women's League
Season Date Nationality Name Against Final score Ref
2024–25 9 March 2025 Ghana Ghana Elshaddai Acheampong Odisha 1 – 3 [78]
2025–26 30 December 2025 Uganda Uganda Fazila Ikwaput Sesa 9 – 0 [80]
2025–26 30 December 2025 India India Soumya Guguloth Sesa 9 – 0 [80]
2025–26 27 April 2026 Uganda Uganda Fazila Ikwaput Sribhumi 3 – 1 [86]
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Overall record in Kanyashree Cup

As of 21 May 2026
More information Season, P ...
East Bengal Women's Team overall record in Kanyashree Cup
Season P W D L GF GA GD Win % Final position Top Scorer Goals
2020–219621516+45066.67Runners-upIndia Tulsi Hembram16
2021–22did not participate
2022–23101000701+69100.00ChampionsIndia Mousumi Murmu12
2023–2412921555+50075.00Runners-upIndia Sulanjana Raul17
2024–259711457+38077.78ChampionsIndia Karthika Angamuthu7
2025–26111100962+94100.00ChampionsIndia Sandhya Maity14
Total51435331721+296084.31
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Top scorers in Kanyashree Cup

List of top scorers for East Bengal in the Kanyashree Cup[c]

Player names in bold are part of the current squad.
As of 21 May 2026
More information Ranking, Nationality ...
Top Scorer for East Bengal in Kanyashree Cup
Ranking Nationality Name Goals
1 IndiaSulanjana Raul46
2 IndiaTulsi Hembram29
3 IndiaSandhya Maity22
4 IndiaAstam Oraon19
5 IndiaMousumi Murmu12
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Club captains

List of East Bengal Women's captains since its establishment in 2001.

More information Name, Period ...
Name Period
India Sujata Kar2001
India Sunita Sarkar2020–2021
India Mina Khatun2022
India Ratna Halder2023
India Mousumi Murmu2023
India Trisha Mallick2023–2024
India Sweety Devi Ngangbam2025
Uganda Fazila Ikwaput2025–2026
India Shilky Devi Hemam2026–
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Coaching history

List of East Bengal Women's head coaches.

More information Dates, Name ...
Dates Name Ref
2001–2002 Indrani Sarkar
2020–2021 Kuntala Ghosh Dastidar [5]
2022–2023 Sujata Kar [90]
2023 Indrani Sarkar [76]
2023–2024 Dipankar Biswas [91]
2024– Anthony Andrews [52]
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Honours

International

Domestic

Regional

  • Kaliaganj MLA Cup
    • Champions (1): 2022[15]
  • Baranagar MLA Cup
    • Champions (1): 2023[92]

Recognitions

Continental record

More information Season, Competition ...
Season Competition Round Club Result Position Top scorer(s) Goals
2025–26 AWCL Preliminary Stage Cambodia Phnom Penh Crown 0–1 1st in Group E Uganda Fazila Ikwaput 2
Hong Kong Kitchee 1–1
Group Stage Iran Bam Khatoon 3–1 3rd in Group B
China Wuhan Jiangda 0–2
Uzbekistan Nasaf 0–3
SWCC Group Stage Bhutan Transport United 4–0 1st in Group stage Uganda Fazila Ikwaput 9
Pakistan Karachi City 2–0
Bangladesh Nasrin 7–0
Nepal APF 0–0
Final Nepal APF 3–0 Champions
2026–27 AWCL Preliminary Stage Bangladesh Rajshahi Stars 4–0 1st in Group A Ghana Olivia Anokye 5
Guam Rovers 12–0
Malaysia Sabah 2–0
Group Stage TBD TBD
TBD
TBD
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List of foreign players

Key

  • A player name in bold signifies they have been capped by the national team.
As of 17 August 2025

Each player is mentioned only once, if some of them have rejoined the club later again in different seasons, those entries are excluded from the list.

More information No., Season joined ...
No. Season joined Nationality Name Position Ref.
1 2023–24 Bangladesh Bangladesh Sanjida Akhter MF [49]
2 2024–25 Uganda Uganda Resty Nanziri FW [52]
3 Ghana Ghana Elshaddai Acheampong FW [52]
4 Kenya Kenya Maurine Achieng MF [52]
5 2025–26 Uganda Uganda Fazila Ikwaput FW [94]
6 Uganda Uganda Amnah Nababi MF [95]
7 Ghana Ghana Abena Anoma Opoku DF [95]
8 Nigeria Nigeria Maureen Tovia Okpala DF [95]
9 2026–27 Ghana Ghana Adama Alhassan DF
10 Ghana Ghana Olivia Anokye FW
11 Ghana Ghana Abigail Antwi FW
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Notes

  1. Calcutta Women's Football League also referred to as Kanyashree Cup since 2020
  2. Post 2020, No data for previous editions.
  3. Post 2020, after the rebranding of the Calcutta Women's Football League. No data for previous editions.

References

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