Churchill Brothers vs Mumbai City FC Preview - Team news, lineups | ISL 2026-27
Marquez’s Islanders eye big win against debutants Red Machines at Fatorda
The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, Goa, gears up to host the fourth game of the opening matchweek of the Indian Super League 2026-27 season, where home team Churchill Brothers are all set to take on former champions of India, Mumbai City FC, in what is set to be a thrilling contest between the two teams.
The Red Machines will be playing their first-ever game in the Indian Super League, and no better occasion to kick off top-tier football infront of the home fans in Goa. They have made some decent signings ahead of the new season and Dimitris Dimitriou will be keen to make this a historic debut in the ISL for the Goan outfit.
Mumbai City FC, on the other hand, parted ways with Petr Kratky and have acquired the services of former Indian national team gaffer Manolo Marquez ahead of the new season. After players like Chhangte, Ortiz and Lachenpa departed, the Islanders have roped in Delgado, Llamas and Lazar Ćirković.
The Marquez era begins tomorrow in Goa, while the debutants will be eager to kick off the ISL season with a win. Who will emerge victorious? Will it be Marquez’s experience or Dimitriou’s tactics? We have to wait and find out.
The Stakes
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Churchill Brothers
For the first time in the history of the Indian Super League, India’s smallest state will have two football clubs. After a long struggle to play top tier football in India, Churchill Brothers are finally back at the Indian Super League after Tata group transferred their ISL license to the Red Machines.
The two-time I-League champions wasted no time in retaining and bringing back their core group of players and coaches, who helped them become the provisional champions of the ISL 2024-25 season. Cypriot gaffer Dimitris Dimitriou is back at the helm.
Alexandre Primael Yeoule of Ivory Coast, Burkinian Dramane Salou, Sebastián Gutiérrez of Colombia, Nigerian John Okoli and Wayde Lekay of South Africa make up Churchill’s foreign contingent for the ISL. Kingslee Fernandes, Vincy Barretto, Trijoy Dias and Gaurav Bora are some major Indian arrivals.
Mumbai City FC
The Islanders were in the title contention until the final matchday last season in the Indian Super League. After parting ways with City Football Group, the Islanders roped in Manolo Marquez from FC Goa, who is a former ISL champion and has massive experience coaching in the top tier of Indian football.
They built a strong squad around Indian players like Vikram Partap, Farukh and Brandon. Players like Akash Mishra, TP Rehenesh, Valpuia and Sahil Panwar will be tasked with the responsibility of keeping clean sheets for the Islanders.
Talking about their foreign unit, they boast players with a lot of experience in the ISL, including the likes of Carlos Delgado, Lazar Ćirković, Wilmar Jordán Gil, Sergio Llamas and Leandro Otormín from Uruguay.
Team News
With this being the first game of the ISL 2026/27 season, both Churchill Brothers and Mumbai City FC are expected to have fully fit squads in contention for their season opener.
Head-to-Head
- Total Matches – 01
- Churchill Brothers wins – 00
- Mumbai City FC wins – 01
- Draws – 00
Predicted Lineups
Churchill Brothers (4-2-3-1)
Vikram Singh (GK); Lalbiakhlua, Gaurav Bora, Jose Luis Moreno, Lalremruata; Dramane Salou, Kingslee Fernandes; Vincy Barretto, Sebastián Gutiérrez, Trijoy Dias; Wayde Lekay
Mumbai City FC (4-2-3-1)
TP Rehenesh (GK); Valpuia, Bijay Chhetri, Carlos Delgado, Akash Mishra; Lazar Ćirković, Sergio Llamas; Vikram Partap, Brandon Fernandes, Farukh Choudhary; Wilmar Jordán Gil
Players to Watchout
Wayde Lekay (Churchill Brothers)
The Red Machines roped in the South African striker on the deadline day of the transfer window. His maiden season in India with Churchill Brothers grabbed a lot of limelight after he scored a lot of goals, clocking an average of more than a goal every two games.
Lekay, who spent his formative years in South Africa with TS Galaxy and Steenberg United, made a move to Sweden with FC Trollhättan before finding his new home in the smallest state of India.
Despite interest from Basundhara Kings, Churchill Brothers were successful in bringing back their star striker. A tall aerial presence, standing at 187 centimetres, Lekay will be a player to watch out for in the upcoming season and will also be one of the strongest contenders for the ISL Golden Boot.
Farukh Choudhary (Mumbai City FC)
The Indian international winger made a high-profile switch from Chennaiyin FC to Mumbai City FC. Farukh was part of Khalid Jamil’s squad in the marquee FIFA International window against Panama, Brazil and Uruguay.
Choudhary has previously played for Kerala Blasters and Jamshedpur FC before making a move to Mumbai for his second innings. The Maharashtra-born winger will be tasked with the responsibility of lighting up the left wing with his accelerated runs and creating chances for Jordan Gil upfront.
Telecast details
The match between Churchill Brothers and Mumbai City FC will take place on October 11, 2026, at the Fatorda Stadium, Goa.
The match kicks off at 7:30 PM IST. The match will be shown live on Sony Ten 2 and Sony Ten 2 HD and will be available to stream digitally for free on YouTube.
When are Churchill Brothers facing Mumbai City FC in ISL 2026-27?
Churchill Brothers vs Mumbai City FC will take place on October 11, 2026, in the fourth match of the ISL 2026-27 opening matchweek. The match is scheduled to kick off at 7:30 PM IST.
Where can fans watch Churchill Brothers vs Mumbai City FC live?
The match will be broadcast live on Sony Ten 2 and Sony Ten 2 HD, with free digital streaming available on YouTube.
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