New Delhi, Dec 19 (NationPress) The ninth edition of the Indian Women’s League is set to kick off this Saturday, featuring eight teams vying for the prestigious title of the nation’s top women’s football club. East Bengal FC, who clinched their first IWL trophy last season, will look to defend their title on home turf as the 2025-26 league unfolds in a centralized format across Kolkata and Kalyani.

In the past three seasons, the IWL has seen three distinct champions, with East Bengal and Odisha FC (2023-24) both capturing the title for the first time, ending Gokulam Kerala FC’s dominance, who previously secured three consecutive championships from 2020 to 2023. Last season featured an unexpected twist as Odisha FC became the first reigning champions in Indian top-flight history to face relegation in the following season.

The 2025-26 IWL will adopt a double round-robin format, divided into two equal phases, coinciding with the Asian Cup campaigns for both the Indian senior and U20 women’s teams. The initial phase will run from December 20, 2025, to January 9, 2026, where each club will compete in seven matches. The second phase will commence on April 20, 2026, concluding on May 10, 2026.

From East Bengal aiming to be the second team to retain the IWL title, to Gokulam Kerala seeking to add a fourth star to their crest, and Sethu FC yearning for another trophy, there are numerous captivating narratives to follow this season. Newly-promoted Garhwal United FC and Sesa Football Academy, eager to experience top-tier football for the first time, alongside Sribhumi FC, who lived up to their dark horse reputation last season, will also be contenders to watch.

East Bengal FC

Undoubtedly, 2025 has been a remarkable year for East Bengal. In their third season in the IWL, they emerged as dominant champions, finishing eight points clear of Gokulam. Since August, the Moshal Girls have been showcasing their talents across Asia. They successfully navigated the preliminary rounds of the AFC Women’s Champions League in Cambodia, facing formidable opponents in the group stage in China.

Despite their ambitions of reaching the knockout stage being dashed by a last-minute goal, East Bengal has maintained high spirits, displaying an impressive performance in the SAFF Women’s Club Championship, scoring 13 goals and conceding none so far. As they prepare for their title defense starting a little later on December 24 against Sethu FC, a potential international trophy could bolster their confidence.

Gokulam Kerala FC

As the IWL enters its ninth season, Gokulam Kerala remains the only team to have won the trophy multiple times. The club has played a pivotal role in reshaping Indian women’s football but has settled for second place in the last two seasons.

With a coaching staff overhaul this summer, new head coach Raman Vijayan has been preparing his team for five months. Gokulam has made several eye-catching signings, including national team players like goalkeeper Shreya Hooda and midfielder Priyadharshini S.

While they lament the loss of Ugandan striker Fazila Ikwaput, who netted an impressive 24 goals previously but has now joined East Bengal, they have retained Kenyan defender Phoeby Okech and signed Ghanaian midfielder Sandra Atinga as well as Mozambique international forward Cidália Daniel Cuta, known as Ninika.

Sribhumi FC

As a newly-promoted team, Sribhumi FC exceeded expectations by finishing third in their debut IWL season. Under coach Sujata Kar, the AIFF Women’s Coach of the Year, they aim for a higher finish and may even challenge for the title, evident from their busy off-season filled with significant signings.

The team has retained their prolific duo from last season, Bala Devi and Mousumi Murmu, who collectively scored 14 goals. They will complement experienced players with talented youngsters, including Sibani Nongmeikapan and others who were part of the Indian squad that qualified for the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup.

Kickstart FC

Kickstart FC has consistently finished in the top half of the league, holding positions of third, second, third, and fourth in the last four seasons. While they have not been serious title contenders, their consistency is commendable. The Bengaluru team faced a rocky start last season but managed to finish strongly without losses in the final six matches.

Head coach Chaoba Devi enters her third season with Kickstart, looking to maintain momentum from the start. They have introduced a fresh lineup of foreign players, including Nigerian talents Rafiat Titilayo Aweda, Edeh Loveth, and Emem Essien Peace, while retaining a solid core of Indian players.

Sethu FC

One of the three former champions in this season’s IWL, Sethu FC has struggled to add a second star to their crest since their runners-up finish in 2021-22, coming up just three points short of Gokulam. The Madurai team has finished fourth and fifth in the last two years, grappling with consistency issues.

With a new head coach Manoj Joshi and fresh attacking signings, including Indian international Lynda Kom and Ghanaian players Doreen Graham and Abigail Antwi, they hope to turn their fortunes around. Retaining key players like Malavika P and others who played every match last season will be crucial for their ambitions.

Nita Football Academy

Nita FA had a decent start but ended their campaign winless in the final five matches, narrowly avoiding relegation in their debut season. With new signings like prolific scorer Pyari Xaxa and several U20 talents, they aim for a more stable season ahead.

Garhwal United FC

Garhwal United FC is embarking on their debut IWL campaign with great enthusiasm after narrowly missing promotion two seasons ago. They dominated last season’s lower league, winning all eight matches. With many academy players in their squad and notable foreign signings, they are set to make their mark.

Sesa Football Academy

Thanks to their third-place finish in IWL 2 last season, Sesa FA will be the first Goan team in the IWL since Churchill Brothers. With numerous squad changes, they aim to build on their key players while integrating new foreign talents.

All matches will be streamed live on the Indian Football YouTube channel.