Odisha FC announce squad for IWL

The Juggernauts have signed top players including Bala Devi.

Odisha Football Club (OFC) is thrilled to announce that the OFC Women's team (OFCW) is going to participate in its first-ever Indian Women’s League-2023 (IWL). The club conducted a press conference on April 21st at the Kalinga Stadium. Head coach Crispin Chetri spoke to the Media along with the players Bala Devi & Pyari Xaxa.

The Indian Women's League, founded in 2016, is India's first professional football league for women. With 16 teams from across the country participating, the 2023 edition will be held in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The winner of the IWL will get a chance to represent India in the AFC Women's Club Championship, Asia's top-tier women's club football competition.

IWL 2023 will consist of two groups, Group A & Group B, with 8 teams in each group. Four teams from each group will qualify for the knockout round consisting of single-leg quarter-final, Semi-final & the Final. The OFCW team has been drawn into Group B.

Odisha FC qualified for IWL by winning the Odisha Women League (OWL) while remaining unbeaten in the 10 games played. Odisha FC Women's team is a strong contender in the IWL, with a lineup consisting of former India captain Bala Devi, Brazilian defender Cynthia dos Santos, and Ghanaian international Faustina Akpo. Cynthia will be the first-ever Brazilian to play in the IWL. The team has a strong base of local players (13 Odia players) including Pyari Xaxa, Juli Kishan, Manisa Panna, etc.

Odisha FC Squad

Arifa Zaheer Sayed, Grace Hauhnar, Sonali Chemate, Shreya Hooda, Pyari Xaxa, Juli Kishan, Jasoda Munda, Karishma Oram, Satyabati Khadia, Sumitra Xalxo, Bannya Kabiraj, Malati Munda, Deepa Nayak, Sasmita Parida, Susmita Tanty, Karthika Angamuthu, Sweety Devi, Munica Minz, Anju Tamang, Sradhanjali Panda, Payal Basude, N. Bala Devi, Serto Lynda Kom, Faustina W. Akpo, Cynthia Santos, Manisa Panna.