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East Bengal End 22-Year Wait, Clinch Historic First ISL Title

  • By Thetripurapost Desk, Kolkata
  • May 22, 2026
  • 322

Indian football giants East Bengal FC scripted history on Thursday by winning their maiden Indian Super League (ISL) title, ending a 22-year wait for a top-flight domestic league championship. The Red and Gold Brigade sealed the crown after a dramatic final day of the season, sparking massive celebrations among supporters across Kolkata and beyond.

Goals from Youssef Ezzejjari and Mohammed Rashid helped East Bengal defeat Inter Kashi 2-1 at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan to secure the historic triumph.

Five-Team ISL Title Race Goes Down to the Wire

The ISL title race remained wide open heading into the final round of matches, with East Bengal FC, Mohun Bagan Super Giant, Mumbai City FC, Punjab FC and Bengaluru FC all mathematically in contention for the trophy.

East Bengal ultimately held their nerve under pressure, combining a crucial win with favourable results from other fixtures to finish at the top of the standings and lift the league title.

East Bengal Produce Stunning Comeback Against Inter Kashi

Playing in front of a packed home crowd, East Bengal suffered an early setback when Alfred gave Inter Kashi the lead in the 15th minute with a brilliant first-time finish.

The hosts created several chances before halftime but failed to convert. However, the momentum shifted immediately after the restart when Youssef Ezzejjari scored the equaliser in the 50th minute.

East Bengal continued pressing forward and completed the turnaround in the 73rd minute as Mohammed Rashid found the net to seal a memorable 2-1 victory and ignite celebrations among the supporters.

Youssef Ezzejjari Wins ISL Golden Boot

Star striker Youssef Ezzejjari once again proved decisive for East Bengal during the title-deciding clash.

The 33-year-old striker finished the season as the league’s top scorer, winning the Golden Boot award after scoring 11 goals in just 13 matches. The Spain-born forward, who previously represented Morocco at youth level, played a pivotal role throughout East Bengal’s championship-winning campaign.

Mohun Bagan Win But Miss Out on Title

Arch-rivals Mohun Bagan Super Giant also secured a 2-1 victory over Sporting Club Delhi at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan, but the result was not enough to overtake East Bengal in the final standings.

Both Kolkata clubs entered the final round level on 23 points. However, East Bengal’s superior goal difference of +18 proved decisive over Mohun Bagan’s +13.

Elsewhere, Mumbai City FC defeated Punjab FC 2-0, while Odisha FC and Jamshedpur FC played out a goalless draw.

First Major League Triumph Since 2003-04

This historic success marks East Bengal’s first top-tier domestic league title since the 2003-04 National Football League triumph under legendary coach Subhash Bhowmick.

The ISL followed a shortened single-leg round-robin format this season, featuring 13 matches without playoffs. With the league leaders directly crowned champions, East Bengal rose to the challenge and finally ended their long wait for league glory.