East -Bengal Signs IWL Golden Boot -winner Fazila Ikwaput for AFC Women’s Champions League

Women in East Bengal announced the signing sessions of the former Indian Women’s League (IWL) Champions Fazila Ikwaput, Shilky Devi and Payal Basude for the 2025-26 season on Friday.

All three players have joined the Red & Gold Brigade of Gokulam Kerala FC. The addition of these three football players shows the intention of East Bengal FC to build a formidable team that can defend and compete at the highest level in Asia, when it represents its domestic competition -Double (the IWL and the CWFL) when the India represents in the AFC Women’s League.

Oegandan National Team Vooruit Fazila was the top scorer in the previous two editions of the IWL. Fazila is currently the vice-captain of her country and is completely ready to start her fourth season in Indian football. The double IWL Golden Boot winner has scored 42 goals in the competition and is the first Ugandan female football player who plays in the UEFA Women’s Champions League, when she represented the Kazakhstan Club Biik-Shymkent in 2018.

Read also | Eastern Bengal retains 14 players, including Ugandan Resty Nanziri, prior to AFC Women’s Champions League campaign

Midfielder Shilky and goalkeeper Payal are now important members of the senior national team of Indian women.

A dynamic midfielder known for her vision and tenacity, Indian International Shilky is a regular starter for the Blue Tigresses. She received the best midfielder from IWL 2024-25 for her incredible consistency in the entire competition. In 2022, the player born in Manipur was the youngest player of the AFC Women’s Asia Cup at only 16. After having risen several national team groups, Shilky played a crucial role in helping the Blue Tigresses to earn the qualification in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup to be kept in Australia next year.

Payal is from Maharashtra and is currently part of the Senior Indian Women’s Team Squad. The young keeper has already gained a considerable experience to play in the IWL, which has been representing in recent seasons in recent seasons.