Mohun Bagan Super Giant are favourites to defend their ISL Shield for the second time after a significant managerial overhaul ahead of the 2025-26 league season. The Mariners became the first side in ISL history to top the chart for back-to-back seasons, where they recorded the most points, wins, suffered the fewest defeats of any side and registered the most clean sheets. They also became the second ISL team to do a double after lifting the ISL Cup in front of the home fans. However, the shine of their historical feat was taken away by their controversial decision to pull out of the AFC Champions League 2 for the second time. That imposed a two-season AFC ban on them, which means they cannot compete continentally even if they win the ISL Shield this time as well.
Despite that, the legacy-driven club has not moved away from its ambition of winning silverware and has appointed one of ISL’s most successful coaches, Sergio Lobera, to maintain their dominance at the top of the Indian football pyramid. The two-time Shield-winning coach was snapped from Odisha FC after Jose Molina, who guided the club to success last year, fell out with the board and was sacked in November last year. The stature of the side and the profile of the job are enough to lure some of the best minds around, no matter the circumstances, as proven by this appointment, ushering in a new era that will be showcased in the new league season.
Pre-season
Mohun Bagan was involved in three cup competitions at the start of the 2025-26 season amid the ISL delay, with Jose Molina in charge of the side. Other than the IFA Shield, which the Mariners won for the 23rd time in history by beating rivals East Bengal in an intense penalty shootout, the side performed underwhelmingly in the Durand Cup and the Super Cup. The Red and Golds sought revenge by eliminating them from both competitions. However, the atmosphere around the team changed when Lobera took the head coach role.
Upon learning that ISL will resume in February 2026, the club arranged a series of friendlies, absolutely dominating them, typical of a Lobera side. The Mariners played friendlies with Diamond Harbour, their reserve team, Bidhannagar Municipal Sports Academy and the Young Champs. They started with a 6-2 victory against the fellow Calcutta Football League side, but got more refined in their preparation by registering spectacular wins over BMSA and the Young Champs, putting eight past them. Lobera’s side is scheduled to play their last friendly before the league season on 31st January against Vivekananda FA.
Mohun Bagan ISL 2025-26 Signings
IN: Kiyan Nassiri, Abhishek Singh, Mehtab Singh, Robson Robinho
OUT: Arsh Shaikh, Amandeep Singh, Ashique Kuruniyan, Nuno Reis, Greg Stewart
Mohun Bagan has not made any further additions to their three big summer signings in the January window, which came in the form of two exciting Indian defenders and a star foreign forward. Abhishek Singh became one of the finest fullbacks with Punjab FC and demonstrated his best last season, leading to a transfer battle with East Bengal. The Green and Maroons eventually won the bid war, paying 1.8 Cr to claim his signature. Another 2.5 Cr was paid to secure the service of the talented and commanding centre-back, Mehtab Singh. The 27-year-old brings a bag full of ISL experience and has been a serial winner for Mumbai City FC, while also having played for the Red and Golds during the I-League days.
The most exciting transfer, though, has been of Robson Robinho. The Brazilian made his name playing in the Bangladesh League, becoming a legend for the club Basundhara Kings, where he scored a stunning 84 goals in 88 appearances for the club. Not only domestically, but Robinho also made his mark on the Asian stage, even scoring against Mohun Bagan in the AFC Cup a few years back. The 30-year-old also has experience of playing in his home nation, even sharing the pitch with Neymar. To top it off, the Mariners got him for free from Brazilian club Agua Santa, adding him as a sixth foreigner to the team, replacing the departed chief creator of last season, Greg Stewart. Kiyan Nassiri also makes his return after one season with Chennaiyin FC.
Mohun Bagan ISL 2025-26 Squad (Probable)
Goalkeepers: Vishal Kaith, Syed Zahid
Defenders: Tom Aldred (foreign), Subhasish Bose, Alberto Rodríguez (foreign), Abhishek Singh, Asish Rai, Mehtab Singh, Dippendu Biswas
Midfielders: Anirudh Thapa, Abhishek Suryavanshi, Apuia, Glan Martins, Sahal Samad, Deepak Tangri
Forwards: Dimitri Petratos (foreign), Manvir Singh, Kiyan Nassiri, Jamie Maclaren (foreign), Jason Cummings (foreign), Robson Robinho (foreign), Suhail Bhat
Head Coach: Sergio Lobera
Apart from the Scotsman, Mohun Bagan have held on to their champion squad from last season and only made it better with four crucial arrivals. Not only do Kiyan, Abhishek, Mehtab and Robson bring additional qualities to the squad, but they also bring the necessary depth required for the long run and freshness with fixtures in the truncated league coming thick and fast. More than the signings, Bagan fans will be delighted about the club’s Dimitri Petratos rediscovering his charm under Sergio Lobera after a forgetful campaign last time, which almost called for his departure from the club. The Australian has been in terrific form in the friendlies, deployed in a number 10 position that has been his liking. It shows that Petratos is a key figure in Lobera’s plan and he could turn out to be the maskman for the side once again.
Mohun Bagan ISL schedule for the 2025-26 season
February 2026
Saturday, 14 February 2026
Mohun Bagan vs Kerala Blasters - Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata (17:00)
Monday, 23 February 2026
Mohun Bagan vs Chennaiyin FC - Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata (19:30)
Saturday, 28 February 2026
Mohammedan vs Mohun Bagan - The Furnace, Jamshedpur (19:30)
The earlier proposal of the Kolkata derby being the season opener, which would have seen Mohun Bagan Super Giant facing their eternal rivals East Bengal right away, was scrapped. Instead, the Mariners will welcome Kerala Blasters to the Salt Lake Stadium for the curtain raiser on 14 February 2026. The side will face another Southern club, Chennaiyin FC, in the following week as they begin the season with back-to-back home games. The first away match comes as the mini derby against Mohammedan SC on 28th February 2026, who will share Jamshedpur FC’s ground as their home venue this season.
March 2026
6 March 2026
Odisha FC vs Mohun Bagan - Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar (17:00)
14 March 2026
Bengaluru FC vs Mohun Bagan - Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru (19:30)
20 March 2026
Mohun Bagan vs Mumbai City - Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata (19:30)
The second month of the season will prove to be a tough one for the Shield holders as they will make two challenging trips to Bhubaneshwar and Bengaluru to face Odisha FC and Bengaluru FC, respectively. It will be a reunion game for Sergio Lobera, facing his ex-employees on 6th March 2026, while the last edition’s final rematch will be played when they take on the Blues a week later. They will wrap up March with another high-voltage fixture and the only home game of the month against Mumbai City FC at the Salt Lake Stadium. Despite all three teams hit hard by the ISL delay, with the first two even shutting down team operations temporarily and the Islanders losing their City group ownership, they will still pose a considerable threat to the Mariners.
April 2026
4 April 2026
Jamshedpur FC vs Mohun Bagan - The Furnace, Jamshedpur (17:00)
12 April 2026
Mohun Bagan vs Punjab FC - Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata (19:30)
19 April 2026
NorthEast United vs Mohun Bagan - Indira Gandhi Stadium, Guwahati (19:30)
26 April 2026
Mohun Bagan vs Inter Kashi - Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata (19:30)
Mohun Bagan’s schedule in April is comparatively easy, with two home and away games each lined up. However, their away games could be tricky as they visit the Furnace for the second time to face Jamshedpur FC, whom they have beaten just once in the last four away games, while NorthEast United, back-to-back Durand Cup winners, is still a side to watch out for even without their star striker Alaaeddin Ajarie. The home games are against Punjab FC, whom they have defeated every time in the ISL so far and the newly promoted team Inter Kashi.
May 2026
3 May 2026
Mohun Bagan vs East Bengal - Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata (19:30)
9 May 2026
FC Goa vs Mohun Bagan- Fatorda Stadium, Goa (17:00)
17 May 2026
Mohun Bagan vs SC Delhi, Kolkata, TBD
The last month of the season will begin with the electrifying Kolkata derby for Mohun Bagan on 3rd May 2026, before they travel to Fatorda to face Super Cup winners FC Goa six days later. The final game of the campaign is a home fixture on 17th May 2026 against the rebranded entity, Sporting Club Delhi. The Mariners wish to achieve their goal of the season by then, which is to win the third successive ISL Shield.
Mohun Bagan ISL 2025-26 Prediction
It will be a surprise to see Mohun Bagan not lift the ISL League Shield for the third year in a row after the clear intent they showed in hiring Sergio Lobera. Indeed, the Mariners will not get continental football as a prize due to their AFC ban, but retaining the trophy for the second time will continue their dominance and create more history. That is enough motivation for the Kolkata giants to go for the trophy again. They have a two-time League Shield winner in the dugout who won it for FC Goa and Mumbai City FC, doing it over the Mariners while in charge with the latter, giving them a huge chance. The circumstances caused by the ISL delay also hugely favour them and possibly their rivals, East Bengal, as it has led to cost-cutting and foreign player exodus from other clubs. Those teams will play with either an all Indian squad or fewer foreigners in the starting eleven, giving them an edge. The short league period also allows them to seal the honour early if they manage a strong start to the season.
