Last season’s runners-up Mohun Bagan look to reclaim their dominance in the ISL as they travel to Guwahati for their 2026-27 season opener against a tricky Northeast United.
Northeast United vs Mohun Bagan Match Details
Date: Monday, 12 October 2026
Kick-off: 19:30 (IST)
Venue: Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Guwahati
Northeast United vs Mohun Bagan Match Preview
Northeast United encountered considerable challenges during the shortened season, finishing in a disappointing ninth place with only four wins and picking up just 16 points from 13 matches. Three of those wins came in the final three games of the season, with nothing to play for, underscoring how disappointing it was for Juan Pedro Benali’s men. Their frustration continued as they lost their two-year hold on the Durand Cup by exiting on penalties in the Durand Cup semifinal against eventual runners-up Mohun Bagan. However, it was the IFA Shield elimination that hurt the most as the Highlanders were drubbed by another Kolkata giant, current ISL holders, East Bengal 7-2 in the last four. Even if last season could be excused because the squad suffered from star striker Alaeddine Ajaraie’s absence while he was out on loan, back-to-back humiliating cup exits with the Moroccan now back are hard to stomach. The result just a week before their first ISL game is also proving detrimental to their preparation. The pressure only piles up as Benali’s side faces the Mariners, buoyant after their IFA Shield victory only days ago, to start their ISL campaign on Monday, even if the fixture is in Guwahati. Despite enjoying an incredible rise under their influential coach, NorthEast ended in the top four of the league only once, making this season almost a make-or-break. Beginning the campaign on a positive note will be significant, but having suffered defeat against the opponents at home in each of the last three seasons, it will keep them on edge.
Mohun Bagan Super Giant also had a miserable season last time, losing their back-to-back title defence to rivals East Bengal FC even after finishing on the same points. The rather short Sergio Lobera era did not work for Bagan, with the club going for another transformation in the summer. The Green and Maroon poached players from their rivals including snapping young talent Sayan Banerjee but most importantly Miguel Ferreira, the prime contributor to the Red and Gold’s success amid other eye-catching signings as part of the revamp. The most crucial switch came on the managerial front as the club hired Panagotis Dimpleris after his excellent work at Punjab FC. However, settling into the job of this magnitude was not easy for the Greek mastermind came into severe questioning as his side suffered a humiliating 4-1 defeat in the Kolkata derby final. Their performance in the IFA Shield was underwhelming as they laboured to the showpiece with a penalty shootout victory over Panos’ ex-employers in the semifinal thanks to the man mountain Vishal Kaith again after a nervy 1-1 draw against NorthEast and a 6-0 thrashing of Sreenidi Deccan in the group stage. Yet, when it mattered ṭhe most, the coach silenced his critics by claiming a 1-0 controlled victory over East Bengal to take the Shield home once again to the delight of the supporters. The triumph could not have come at a better time, with the ISL on the horizon as the Mariners take it as motivation to open a new chapter in the league with three points.
Northeast United vs Mohun Bagan Recent Form (overall)
Northeast United: WDWDL
Mohun Bagan: LWDDW
Northeast United vs Mohun Bagan Recent Form (ISL)
Northeast United: LLWWW
Mohun Bagan: WDDDW
Northeast United vs Mohun Bagan Team News
Northeast United
Northeast United has made a series of new foreign additions this season, with many of them set to earn their full ISL debut. Eneko Satrústegui in defence, Nikola Ninkovic in midfield and forward Ethyan González will be the names to look forward to. There will be new Indian faces in the setup as Pramveer Singh, a recruit from Punjab FC and featured in all three historic friendlies of India in the past international break, could also line up in the back four. Golden Ball winner with 23 goals in his debut campaign, Alaeddine Ajaraie will start an ISL game for NorthEast since March 2025, when he scored a brace against the other half of Kolkata, East Bengal.
Mohun Bagan
Panos is expected to keep the same eleven that guided the club to a 22nd IFA Shield win, which means star winger and once a Mumbai City hero, Lallianzuala Chhangte, will make his ISL debut for Mohun Bagan. The scorer of the derby winner, Samir Zeljkovic, will start his second ISL season of his career but under the same boss. Man of the match in the triumph, Dejan Drazic, has travelled with the squad despite suffering a head injury in the final but is unlikely to start here. Jamie Maclaren is also struggling with fitness, but either way he could not have displaced the new striker signing, Lee Erwin, who has impressed straight away for the Mariners.
Northeast United vs Mohun Bagan Predicted Lineups
NorthEast United
Gurmeet Singh; Asheer Akhtar, Eneko Satrústegui, Pramveer, Buanthanglun Samte; Mayakkannan, Nikola Ninkovic; Abdul Rabeeh, Ethyan González, Jithin MS; Alaeddine Ajaraie
Mohun Bagan
Vishal Kaith; Mehtab Singh, Rahul Bheke, Alberto Rodriguez, Abhishek Singh; Deepak Tangri, Samir Zeljkovic; Manvir Singh, Sahal Samad, Lallianzuala Chhangte; Lee Erwin
Northeast United vs Mohun Bagan Prediction
Facing Northeast United has proven to be a tough challenge for Mohun Bagan in their latest encounters in cup competitions, despite the team’s three consecutive wins in the league in Guwahati. So, we expect the defence that regained solidity in the IFA Shield final to be breached. However, it won’t dampen the spirits of the Mariners, who are in a confident mood after the Calcutta Football League-IFA Shield double after 50 years.
FT: Northeast United 1-2 Mohun Bagan