IFA Shield 2026: East Bengal name 53-member squad
Red & Gold Brigade will kickstart their campaign against Calcutta Customs FC.
Aiming for their 30th IFA Shield title after they failed to clinch it in the last edition of the tournament when Mohun Bagan defeated East Bengal FC on a dramatic penalty shootout to register the silverware, the Red & Gold Brigade will now play in the IFA Shield 2026. The tournament starts from 23rd September 2026.
East Bengal FC have registered their 53-member squad for the upcoming Indian Football Association Shield 2026 for the first time, comprising both senior and reserve team players. The players are gearing up to take part in the competition when they begin their campaign on 24th September against the CFL side Calcutta Customs FC.
The CFL side were able to participate in the IFA Shield, as they replaced Mohammedan SC after the Black Panthers pulled out of the tournament abruptly.
In this article, we will take a look at the East Bengal FC squad for the IFA Shield 2026.
The reserve squad is given a big chance
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East Bengal FC have announced a 53-member squad ahead of the start of IFA Shield 2026 with a blend of players from the ISL and from the reserve squad who put on a show during the Calcutta Football League 2026, as they finished second in the final matchday points table.
The squad looks to be a perfect mix of domestic young talents who have the opportunity to shine on big occasions along with elite-level players who bring experience, which can automatically gain the team some morale and momentum.
Also Read: Which teams have won most IFA Shield titles
With a large squad at their disposal, East Bengal FC will look to manage their resources during the demanding 2026-27 season as they are playing in the ISL & the ACL Two.
Which means that the IFA Shield will be a great opportunity for the reserve squad to shine considering head coach Antonio Lopez Habas has already restricted his senior team to field in the IFA Shield 2026.
With 5 goalkeepers, 17 defenders, 22 midfielders and 9 forwards and total 4 foreigners registered for the IFA Shield, the Torchbearers seem to be ready to feature in the upcoming games of the competition with Calcutta Customs FC and Punjab FC, who will be their group B opponents.
East Bengal FC’s IFA Shield 2026 Squad
Goalkeepers: Phurba Lachenpa, Prabhsukhan Gill, Subrata Santra, Raunak Ghosh and Gourab Shaw
Defenders: Hardik Bhatt, Anwar Ali, Lalchungnunga, Boris Singh, Narender Gahlot, Diego Zivulic (Foreigner), Jay Gupta, Sandip Mandi, Suvo Biswas, Monotosh Chakladar, Ankan Bhattacharjee, Sonam Lokham, Bikram Pradhan, Jay Baz, Soumik Koley, Chaku Mandi and Joseph Justin
Midfielders: Rohit Kumar, PV Vishnu, Chris Ikonomidis (Foreigner), Daniel Ramirez (Foreigner), Rohit Danu, Raynier Fernandes, Souvik Chakrabarti, Jeakson Singh, Th. Bipin Singh, Mohammed Asif, Ananthu N S, Arunlal M, Sanjib Ghosh, Rapgay Lepcha, Tanmay Das, Laikhuram Ricky, Fazeen Majeed, Dilip Orawn, Mohamad Basim Rashid (Foreigner), Batas Murmu, Bijay Murmu and Debayan Hazra
Forwards: Edmund Lalrindika, David Lalhlansanga, Jesin Tk Thonikkara, Devadath S, Uttam Hansda, Mohamed Bilal, Akash Hemram, Arghya Sarkar and Rabi Das.
How many players are registered in East Bengal FC’s IFA Shield 2026 squad?
East Bengal FC have named a 53-member squad for the IFA Shield 2026.
When will the IFA Shield 2026 start?
The IFA Shield 2026 is scheduled to start on September 23, with the first match being played between Sreenidi Deccan & Mohun Bagan at 3 pm IST at the Mohun Bagan ground in Kolkata.
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