East Bengal FC will lead the title race heading into the final round of the 2025-26 Indian Super League season, with eight teams playing simultaneously across four venues on Thursday.
A league fixture that remained uncertain for much of the season has now reached a thrilling climax, with five of the eight teams still mathematically in contention for the title.
East Bengal and defending champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant currently occupy the top two spots with 23 points each from 12 matches. However, East Bengal has the advantage due to a superior goal difference of +5 (East Bengal has a goal difference of 18 compared to Bagan’s 13).
A win against Inter Kashi FC in the final match at the Kishore Bharati Stadium would almost certainly give the Red and Golds the league title, ending the 22-year wait for a domestic league title. The club last won the National Football League in 2004.
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Facing Sporting Club Delhi at the Salt Lake Stadium, Mohun Bagan need a win by a significant margin to overturn East Bengal’s goal difference advantage and retain the title.
The other contenders – former champions Mumbai City FC (22 points), Punjab FC (22) and Jamshedpur FC (21) – can become champions if they win their respective matches and both East Bengal and Mohun Bagan draw or lose theirs.
With the tournament being played in a condensed single round-robin format, the final round has created immense excitement, especially among East Bengal supporters, who are hoping that their team can finally bring home the league title after more than two decades.
ISL 2025-26 points table
What did the East Bengal and Mohun Bagan coaches say?
Oscar Bruzon (East Bengal): «Tomorrow there are five teams left that can become champions. It will be a very important day, but we have the advantage because we are only focused on our own performance. We cannot hide from the fact that it is now one game for one title. If we want to take one game at a time, this is the time to take one title at a time.»
Sergio Lobera (Mohun Bagan): «We have to believe in it. To be honest, we are not in the scenario we wanted to be in, but there are still options. If there are options, we have to fight for them. We have to prepare well for the match and we have to win.»
Published on May 20, 2026
