Kolkata, July 31 (NationPress) East Bengal FC has confirmed the renewal of contracts for 14 vital players from their women's squad for various terms, leading into the 2025-26 season. This includes goalkeepers Panthoi Chanu and Mamani Das, as well as defenders Sarita Yumnam, Sathi Debnath, Supriya Kispotta, and Riya Sarkar, all retained for one season.

Midfielders Karthika Angamuthu, Sandhiya Ranganathan, Sangita Basfore, and Thandamoni Baskey are among those who will also continue for another season, alongside forwards Soumya Guguloth, Sulanjana Raul, Sandhya Maity, and Resty Nanziri. Additionally, six players – Ngangbam Sweety Devi, Ashalata Devi, Sushmita Lepcha, Buli Sarkar, Astam Oraon, and Naorem Priyangka Devi – were secured on two-year contracts last season.

Under the guidance of head coach Anthony Andrews, the EB Women had an exceptional 2024-25 season, clinching the domestic league double – triumphing in the Indian Women’s League (IWL) in April and the Calcutta Women’s Football League (also known as the ‘Kanyashree Cup’) in May.

By securing their inaugural IWL title, the ‘Moshal Girls’ will represent India in the preliminary round of the AFC Women’s Champions League this August, where they are grouped with Hong Kong’s Kitchee SC and Cambodia’s Phnom Penh Crown FC.

The contract extensions include notable Indian internationals such as Panthoi, Karthika, Sandhiya, Sangita, Soumya, and Sulanjana, as well as Ugandan international Resty. Panthoi was honored as the Best Goalkeeper of the IWL 2024-25 and received accolades from the AIFF for her outstanding performance.

Soumya earned the AIFF Women’s Player of the Year award for her remarkable contributions to both her club and the national squad, finishing as the leading Indian scorer in the IWL 2024 -25 with 9 goals. Karthika, a consistent starter for both club and country, was EB’s top scorer in the victorious CWFL 2025 season with 7 goals and also netted a goal in the IWL against HOPS FC in Kalyani.

When Sweety was sidelined with an injury, Sathi stepped up to play as a centre-back, teaming up with the experienced Ashalata, who holds the record for over 100 appearances for the Indian women’s national team.

Sangita, a captain of the Indian women’s national team, scored 4 goals, including a crucial brace in the decisive match against Thailand during the recent AFC Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers, propelling the team into the main tournament.

Commenting on the contract renewals, Emami East Bengal FC Women’s head coach Anthony Andrews stated, “These players exemplify our club’s values – not just in terms of performance on the pitch, but also the mentality, discipline, and drive that encapsulate East Bengal’s spirit. They grasp our style, meet our expectations, and elevate the standards. Extending their contracts is a crucial move towards establishing continuity, enhancing our goals, and fostering a culture that can lead to significant achievements for the club and our supporters this season.”

Player registrations are subject to the completion of necessary regulatory procedures.