East Bengal FC announce contract extensions for key women’s team players ahead of 2025-26 season

East Bengal FC won the IWL league title in 2024-25 season

Emami East Bengal FC have announced the contract extensions of some of its key women’s team players for the 2025-26 season.

The likes of goalkeepers Panthoi Chanu and Mamani Das, defenders Sarita Yumnam, Sathi Debnath, Supriya Kispotta and Riya Sarkar, midfielders Karthika Angamuthu, Sandhiya Ranganathan, Sangita Basfore and Thandamoni Baskey, and forwards Soumya Guguloth, Sulanjana Raul, Sandhya Maity and Resty Nanziri have been retained for the upcoming season.

Six players – Ngangbam Sweety Devi, Ashalata Devi, Sushmita Lepcha, Buli Sarkar, Astam Oraon and Naorem Priyangka Devi – were signed on two-year contracts last season.

Under Head Coach Anthony Andrews’ tutelage, EEB Women had an outstanding 2024-25 season, winning the domestic league double – the Indian Women’s League (IWL) in April followed by the Calcutta Women’s Football League (also known as the ‘Kanyashree Cup’) in May.

By virtue of winning their maiden IWL title, the ‘Moshal Girls’ will represent India in the preliminary stage of the AFC Women’s Champions League in late August, where they have been placed in Group A alongside Hong Kong’s Kitchee SC and Cambodia’s Phnom Penh Crown FC.

The extensions include those of India internationals Panthoi, Karthika, Sandhiya, Sangita, Soumya and Sulanjana, and Ugandan international Resty.

Panthoi was adjudged the Best Goalkeeper of IWL 2024-25 and the Best Goalkeeper of the 2024- 25 season by the AIFF.

Soumya was bestowed with the AIFF Women’s Player of the Year award for her consistent performances for her club and the national team. She was the leading Indian scorer in IWL 2024- 25 with 9 goals.

A regular starter for the club and the national team, Karthika was EEB’s top scorer during their triumphant CWFL 2025 campaign with 7 goals. She also scored an IWL goal against HOPS FC in Kalyani.

Another key player of the national team, Sandhiya contributed heavily to EEB’s IWL triumph, scoring 4 goals during the campaign.

During Sweety’s injury layoff, young Sathi adapted to the centre-back position and partnered the vastly experienced Ashalata, who is the first and only player so far to make 100+ appearances for the Indian women’s national team.

Sangita, one of the current captains of the Indian women’s national team, scored 4 goals, including a brace in the deciding fixture against Thailand, during the Blue Tigresses’ recent AFC Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers, helping them enter the main group stage of the tournament.

Ready to embark on her fourth season with the Red & Golds, Sulanjana is EEB women’s all-time top scorer in the CWFL with 34 goals and second highest scorer across all tournaments with 41 goals. Her incredible consistency earned her a maiden senior national team call-up in April. She is currently a vital member of the U-20 women’s Indian national team.

Ugandan national team forward Resty, who scored 6 goals in IWL 2024-25 will continue to bolster EEB Women’s strength up front.

Youngsters Baskey, Mamani, Riya, Sandhya and Supriya gained vital minutes in the previous season and have been retained to add more depth to the squad. Mamani made two crucial saves in the tie-breaker of the CWFL final against Sribhumi FC as her goalkeeping heroics helped EEB Women clinch their third CWFL title.

Speaking about these extensions, Emami East Bengal FC Women’s Head Coach Anthony Andrews said, “These players embody everything we value as a club – not just the on-field quality, but also the mentality, discipline and drive that define East Bengal’s identity. They understand our style, embrace the demands, and bring the kind of presence that lifts standards. Extending their contracts is a big step towards building continuity, raising the bar, and shaping a culture that can help us achieve great things for the club and our fans this season.”

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