East Bengal FC clinched the Indian Women's League (IWL) 2025-26 title — their second in the competition's history — with a commanding 2-0 victory over Sribhumi Football Club at the East Bengal Ground in Kolkata on 18 May 2026. The Kolkata club had already sealed the championship with a match to spare, and used the final fixture to sign off in style before a jubilant home crowd.

How East Bengal Sealed the Final Match

The hosts dominated from the first whistle. Fazila Ikwaput — the league's top scorer — converted a penalty in the 41st minute after Karthika Angamuthu was brought down in the box, netting her 20th league goal of the season. Sulanjana Raul doubled the advantage in the 55th minute, latching onto a precise through ball from Angamuthu to poke the ball past the goalkeeper. Sribhumi's disciplined defensive shape offered brief resistance, but East Bengal's quality proved decisive throughout.

The result condemned Sribhumi Football Club to relegation to IWL 2 next season, alongside Sesa Football Academy. Meanwhile, Garhwal United FC survived the drop with a crucial 3-1 win over Sesa at the National Centre of Excellence, securing their top-flight status in their debut IWL season.

Ikwaput's Historic Goalscoring Milestone

The title triumph was framed by a remarkable individual achievement. Fazila Ikwaput, East Bengal's Ugandan forward, had already become the outright highest goalscorer in Indian Women's League history in the previous match, taking her career tally to 62 goals — surpassing the previous record held by Sabitra Bhandari. Her composed spot-kick in the finale underlined why she was the standout player of the season.

Individual Awards and Ceremony

The trophy presentation ceremony was held in the presence of Kalyan Chaubey, President of the All India Football Federation (AIFF); Prince Rufus, FIFA Regional Office South Asia Lead; Debabrata Sarkar, Director of East Bengal FC; and Ajit Banerjee, President of the Indian Football Association (WB).

Individual honours were distributed across clubs. Fazila Ikwaput (East Bengal FC) was named Best Striker. Nirmala Devi Phanjoubam (Sethu FC) received the Best Defender award. Sanfida Nongrum (Garhwal United FC) was adjudged the Best Midfielder. Panthoi Chanu Elangbam (East Bengal FC) won the Best Goalkeeper award.

Other Final-Day Results

Gokulam Kerala FC were held to a 1-1 draw by Nita Football Academy at the East Bengal Ground. Gokulam had taken the lead through Priyadharshini in the 9th minute before Pyari Xaxa headed in an equaliser for Nita in first-half stoppage time. Neither side could find a winner in the second half.

At the National Centre of Excellence, Kickstart FC, Karnataka and Sethu FC drew 1-1. Emem Peace Essien gave Kickstart the lead in the 22nd minute with a composed lob, before T Hoshika equalised for Sethu in the 83rd minute. In the other fixture at the same venue, Garhwal United FC beat Sesa Football Academy 3-1, with Elizabeth Danso scoring twice and Shruti Kumari also on the scoresheet. Payel Layek of Sesa was shown a red card in the 85th minute, compounding a difficult afternoon for the relegated side.

What This Means for Indian Women's Football

East Bengal's second IWL title — and the scenes of players dancing with fans under flares at the East Bengal Ground — reflect a growing fan culture around women's club football in India. The league's concluding round featured competitive relegation battles and individual milestones that signal a maturing competition. With Ikwaput's record-breaking season drawing global attention to the IWL, the stage is set for a more high-profile 2026-27 edition.