Football is back in Kolkata, and there’s no gentler way to start a season than the Kolkata Derby. East Bengal FC face Mohun Bagan Super Giant in the opening Group A fixture of the 135th Durand Cup at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on Saturday, and neither side has kicked a competitive ball yet this season.
That alone makes this one worth watching closely. Add two new head coaches, a fresh transfer that’s crossed the divide, and a rivalry that’s been running for over a century, and you’ve got a genuine season opener with real stakes attached. Here’s everything you need to know before kickoff.
Match Details: East Bengal vs Mohun Bagan Kickoff Time and Venue
Before anything else, here’s the basic information for anyone tuning in tonight.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Competition | Durand Cup 2026, Group A, Matchday 1 |
| Date | Saturday, July 25, 2026 |
| Kickoff | 5:00 PM IST |
| Venue | Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (Salt Lake Stadium), Kolkata |
| Status | Both teams’ first competitive match of the season |
(Source: Durand Cup)
This is Asia’s oldest football tournament, and its 135th edition couldn’t have picked a bigger fixture to open with. For the full group breakdown and how this match fits into the wider tournament, FootballMint’s Durand Cup 2026 fixtures guide covers every date and venue across the competition.
Head to Head: How the Kolkata Derby Has Been Won and Lost
Numbers alone don’t capture what this fixture means, but they do set the scene for just how tight things have historically been between these two clubs.
- Mohun Bagan holds the record for most Durand Cup titles, with 17.
- East Bengal sits one behind, with 16 titles.
- The two clubs have met more than 20 times in the tournament.
- East Bengal holds the slender edge in that head to head, with nine wins to Mohun Bagan’s eight.
- Mohun Bagan’s most recent triumph came in the 2023 final, a 1-0 win over East Bengal that ended a 23-year wait for the trophy.
(Source: Durand Cup)
So even though Mohun Bagan owns the bigger trophy cabinet, East Bengal actually has the better record when these two meet directly in this competition. That’s the kind of detail that makes derby day conversations at the ground go on for hours. For a deeper breakdown of every meeting between these two, FootballMint’s East Bengal vs Mohun Bagan head to head stats page has the full record, and the most Durand Cup wins by team piece puts both clubs’ totals in context against the rest of the field.
Team News and Squad Changes for the Durand Cup Opener
Pre-season has been unusually rushed for both clubs this year, and that’s shaping team news heading into kickoff.
East Bengal FC Team News
Antonio Lopez Habas takes charge of his first competitive match since returning to Kolkata, this time in the opposite dugout to the one he occupied when he guided Mohun Bagan to the 2023-24 ISL League Shield. He’s been clear that there’s no sentiment involved.
“No nostalgia. We have to think about the present and the future, because the past is the past,” Habas said.
East Bengal have brought in Nigerian forward Nsungusi Effiong, Spanish defender Nacho Monsalve and Spanish midfielder Dani Ramírez over the off season, while holding onto midfield regular Basim Rashid. Most of those new arrivals are short on match fitness though, which leaves Habas with a genuine selection headache for his starting XI. (Source: Official Club Website)
Mohun Bagan Super Giant Team News
Panagiotis Dilmperis walks into his first Kolkata Derby as head coach after joining from Punjab FC, and he’s inherited a squad that’s changed shape since last season. The headline arrival is Miguel Figueira, signed straight from East Bengal after winning the ISL Golden Ball there last term, though he won’t be involved on Saturday.
“Starting my journey with a derby against East Bengal is exciting because this is why football exists,” Dilmperis said.
Serbian forward Dejan Drazic has joined from FC Goa and remains the only foreign player currently training with the squad, though his availability for the derby is still uncertain. That means Mohun Bagan could lean heavily on players who’ve spent the pre-season in the Calcutta Football League. (Source: Official Club Website)
Predicted Lineups for the Kolkata Derby
With both squads short on preparation time and several new faces still building fitness, here’s how each side is expected to line up.
| Mohun Bagan Super Giant (4-2-3-1) | East Bengal FC (4-4-2) |
|---|---|
| Vishal Kaith (GK) | Prabhsukhan Gill (GK) |
| Tekcham Abhishek Singh, Rahul Bheke, Mehtab Singh, Subhasish Bose | Lalchungnunga, Anwar Ali, Sandip Mandi, Jay Gupta |
| Apuia, Anirudh Thapa | Rohit Kumar, Jeakson Singh |
| Liston Colaco, Sahal Abdul Samad, Kiyan Nassiri | Rohit Danu, Bipin Singh |
| Manvir Singh | Edmund Lalrindika, David Lalhansanga |
(Source: Official Club Website)
Worth flagging that Rahul Bheke is set to line up against his boyhood club for the first time in Mohun Bagan colours, while East Bengal could hand debuts to Rohit Danu, Rohit Kumar and Sandip Mandi if Habas sticks with this setup. Neither manager has had much time on the training pitch to bed these systems in, so don’t be surprised if there are early tweaks once the game gets going.
Tactical Battle: How Both Sides Are Set Up
Dilmperis looks set to go with a 4-2-3-1, built around Sahal Abdul Samad’s creativity and Liston Colaco’s pace feeding Manvir Singh up top. Apuia and Anirudh Thapa will be tasked with controlling the tempo in midfield, which matters a lot given how little time this group has had together.
Habas, meanwhile, appears to be leaning on a more traditional 4-4-2 for East Bengal, with Jeakson Singh and Rohit Kumar holding the middle while Bipin Singh and Danu Mandi provide width. Edmund Lalrindika and David Lalhansanga are expected to lead the line. It’s a setup built for solidity first, and that’s understandable given how few of Habas’s new signings are actually ready to start.
Players to Watch in the Durand Cup Opener
A few individual battles could end up deciding this one.
- Sahal Abdul Samad’s ability to unlock a packed defence gives Mohun Bagan a genuine difference maker in tight games.
- Liston Colaco’s direct running down the flanks should stretch East Bengal’s back line early.
- Jeakson Singh’s experience in midfield will be crucial for East Bengal, especially with a patched together defence in front of him.
- Bipin Singh brings big match experience on the wing, something East Bengal will lean on if the new strike pairing takes time to click.
Keep an eye on how long it takes both new strike forces to find rhythm together. Neither has had a full pre-season to build understanding, and that’s often where derby games swing on small margins rather than grand tactical plans.
Kolkata Derby Kicks Off the 2026 Durand Cup With Two New Head Coaches in Charge
East Bengal go in with the head to head edge and the reigning ISL title, while Mohun Bagan carry the bigger trophy haul and a point to prove under Dilmperis. Both sides are short on preparation, which makes this less about the perfect tactical plan and more about who handles the occasion better. Whatever happens, it sets the tone for the rest of the tournament, and FootballMint will have you covered for it.
