How can East Bengal FC win the ISL 2025-26 title following draw in Kolkata Derby?

East Bengal FC stands at the top of the ISL table on GD

The exciting Kolkata Derby comes to an end in ISL 2025-26, and it certainly didn’t disappoint. A thrilling game of football, full of highs and lows, turned out to be a complete entertainer. But the question now arises, what happens next? What now after a draw between East Bengal FC and Mohun Bagan SG in the Kolkata Derby?

Who wins the ISL title now? Well, the draw does make things a lot more interesting for neutral fans, as the Indian Super League is heading towards a literal nail-biting finish. In this article, we take a look at how East Bengal FC can still win the ISL title after this draw against Mohun Bagan SG, with multiple teams currently level on points.

RACE TO THE ISL TITLE ON 🔥🔥🔥!!This is how the ISL 2025-26 points table looks after the fierce 1-1 draw between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal in the Kolkata Derby! The Red and Gold still sit at the top of the league with goal difference of +18, while Mariners sit at second… pic.twitter.com/mXqw4vDNGZ

— Khel Now (@KhelNow) May 17, 2026

What can East Bengal FC do now?

Simple, win their final match against Inter Kashi.

If East Bengal win, they will need Mohun Bagan SG to either draw or lose against SC Delhi. Even if Mohun Bagan SG win, East Bengal could still go through because they currently hold the advantage in goal difference.

However, if East Bengal fail to beat Inter Kashi, their chances become much tougher. In case of a draw, they would need Mohun Bagan SG to drop points against SC Delhi and also hope Mumbai City and Punjab FC play out a draw or else the match between Mumbai City and Punjab decide the winners.

For East Bengal FC, the equation is clear: a win is the safest path.

But there is also a dramatic twist in the title race. If Jamshedpur FC win their final game against a struggling Odisha FC side, which is a real possibility, and both Mohun Bagan SG and East Bengal draw their respective matches while Mumbai City and Punjab FC also share points or get a result, then multiple teams could finish level on points.

Even more dramatically, if both Mohun Bagan SG and East Bengal lose their final games, and Mumbai City vs Punjab FC ends in a draw, Jamshedpur FC could come in and win the league title with a victory with just a point gap.

Current scenario as three teams are on equal points

Position	Team	Played	Points	GD	Goals Scored
1	East Bengal FC	2	2	0	4
2	Bengaluru FC	2	2	0	3
3	Mohun Bagan SG	2	2	0	1

Currently, with top 3 teams on equal points, the head-to-head mini table between East Bengal FC, Bengaluru FC and Mohun Bagan SG stands very balanced after all three sides played out draws against one another.

With each team earning two points from their direct encounters and all three maintaining a goal difference of zero. As a result, the battle now shifts to goals scored within these head-to-head matches.

At this stage, East Bengal hold the advantage at the top of the mini-table after scoring four goals in their two encounters. Bengaluru FC follow closely with three goals, while Mohun Bagan SG sit behind with just one goal scored.

If the league table ultimately sees these three clubs finish level on points, the current head-to-head standings would place East Bengal ahead in the title race, showing just how crucial every goal has become in this dramatic end to the season.

But since as of now, both Mohun Bagan SG and East Bengal FC along with few more teams have their last game left this seems unlikely with Bengaluru already playing out all of their games.

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