Bengaluru FC to host SC Delhi in ISL 2026-27 opener at Sree Kanteerava on October 10
Bengaluru FC will open their ISL 2026-27 campaign against SC Delhi at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Saturday, October 10, with kickoff scheduled for 5:00 PM IST. The match will be Pep Muñoz’s first full season opener in charge of Bengaluru FC after he took over during the previous campaign.
Muñoz inherits a squad that blends established internationals and recent signings with academy graduates and young prospects. Senior figures named in the preview include Ryan Williams, Sunil Chhetri, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Suresh Singh Wangjam and Nikhil Poojary, while Menno Koch and Borja Martinez are listed as summer additions. Younger players highlighted are Kevin Singh, Soham Varshneya and Vinith Venkatesh, and the club finished fourth in the previous season.
The opening fixture is described as an early chance to see Muñoz’s ideas applied across a full pre-season and into competitive play. The preview notes that a strong start at the Kanteerava would put three points on the board and provide an early indicator of the team’s trajectory under the Spanish coach. Club promotions for the match referenced that this is the first time in MGISL13 history the league kicks off at home.
Sporting Club Delhi enter the match still working to establish a clear identity in the ISL after a debut campaign that fell short of expectations. The preview cites SC Delhi’s encouraging Durand Cup performances as a reason for cautious optimism ahead of the longer league season. The preview also links the challenge of facing an experienced Bengaluru side at the Kanteerava to a test of SC Delhi’s progress under coach Tomasz Tchórz.
The article singles out Menno Koch as a key defensive addition for Bengaluru FC, noting he has been named the club’s fourth-choice captain. Koch is described as an experienced Dutch centre-back who can step into the void left by Rahul Bheke’s departure and provide leadership and composure in defence. The preview underlines Koch’s potential role in organising the back line and dealing with pressure phases of matches.
For SC Delhi, Rodriguinho is identified as the principal attacking threat to watch, with the preview recalling a five-goal performance in a single game and productive displays in the Durand Cup. The piece states Rodriguinho’s strengths as finishing, chance creation, dribbling and the ability to involve teammates in the final third. The preview says reproducing that cup form in the ISL will be important for SC Delhi’s prospects.
Both sides are reported to have fully fit squads for the opener, with no major injury concerns, leaving Pep Muñoz and Tomasz Tchórz free to select from their strongest available groups. The preview provides anticipated lineups: Bengaluru FC — Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (GK); Nikhil Poojary, Menno Koch, Chinglensana Singh Konsham, Naorem Roshan Singh; Suresh Singh Wangjam, Lalremtluanga Fanai; Ryan Williams, Manuel Irionda, Ashique Kuruniyan; Borja Martinez. Sporting Club Delhi — Nora Fernandes (GK), Duvan Viáfara, Ashutosh Mehta, Manoj Md, Lamgoulen Gogou Hangshing, Lalrinliana Hnamte, Juan Pena, Mohammed Azhar, Tomba Singh, Md. Aimen, Rodriguinho. The head-to-head summary shown is: Matches played: 14; Bengaluru FC wins: 5; SC Delhi wins: 4; Draws: 5.
The season opener and the entire ISL 2026-27 season will be available live in India on Sony Sports Network, SonyLIV and on YouTube, with SonyLIV carrying all 163 matches in India and YouTube streaming the season live and free. Sony Sports Network and SonyLIV will provide commentary in English, Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil and Bengali — with Malayalam coverage for Kerala Blasters matches, Tamil for Chennaiyin FC games, and Bengali for East Bengal FC and Mohun Bagan Super Giant fixtures — while YouTube will offer matches in English and Hindi. Bengaluru FC versus Sporting Club Delhi kicks off at 5:00 PM IST on Saturday, October 10, 2026, at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium.
