Inter Kashi to host East Bengal in ISL clash at Balewadi on October 23
Inter Kashi FC will face East Bengal FC at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex (Balewadi Stadium) in Pune on October 23, 2026, with kick-off scheduled for 17:00 IST in a match of the Indian Super League 2026-27 season.
East Bengal enter the fixture as the reigning ISL champions and come off a 4-0 opening-day victory over Churchill Brothers SC; they also conceded a 2-1 lead in their recent AFC Champions League Two tie against Al Shorta SC. Inter Kashi have recorded a draw and a defeat early in the league phase, with Thoi Singh’s equaliser cancelling out Pratik’s own goal in the draw with Odisha FC and a 2-0 loss to Kerala Blasters FC also on their record. The two clubs share personnel links: five members of the East Bengal setup, including the head coach and his assistant, were associated with Inter Kashi within the last 18–24 months.
Inter Kashi’s squad construction has been shaped by financial and regulatory constraints; the club has faced transfer-related sanctions over unpaid salaries and a recent transfer registration ban that will see them field an all-Indian squad until the January window. Portuguese coach Carlos Vaz Pinto has installed a predominantly Indian group as a result of those restrictions. The preview states the club missed out on two players due to the registration ban.
The Varanasi side’s preparation has been disrupted by off-field issues outlined in the preview: prolonged legal disputes, problems finalising a new investment deal, the absence of a settled home venue and multiple registration bans. Those circumstances forced a late flurry of recruitment — nearly 16 new signings in a matter of days before the season started — leaving many arrivals without a full pre-season. The preview contrasts that rushed assembly with East Bengal’s comparatively stronger squad on paper and smoother preparation.
East Bengal’s squad picture, as set out in the preview, shows a group carrying momentum from their league opener and balancing domestic and continental commitments; the coaching staff face rotation questions ahead of a scheduled double-header against Al-Seeb in AFC competition. The preview lists several East Bengal players in notable form, naming Bipin Singh, PV Vishnu, Edmund Lalrindika, Dani Ramírez, Ake Loba and Mohammed Rashid among those to watch.
The article reproduces the names put forward as likely selections in the build-up: Albino Gomes (GK); Laldinliana Renthlei, Pratik Chaudhari, Gursimrat Singh Gill, Wayne Vaz; Rosenberg Gilbert Gabriel, Hitesh Sharma, Jitendra Singh, Manvir Singh; Sumeet Passi, Ayush Chhikara. It also lists Phurba Lachenpa (GK); Jay Gupta, Anwar Ali, Diego Zivulic, Sandip Mandi; Dani Ramírez, Jeakson Singh, Mohammed Rashid; PV Vishnu, Bipin Singh, Edmund Lalrindika.
The preview singles out Sumeet Passi and Dani Ramírez in player spotlights. It notes Passi has remained with Inter Kashi through difficult times, is Haryana-born, has made over 40+ appearances for Kashi, was part of the club’s I-League-winning squad, and previously played for Sporting Goa, Jamshedpur, Round Glass Punjab and East Bengal after rising through a Chandigarh youth academy. For East Bengal, the preview highlights Dani Ramírez as a principal creative threat, mentioning his stunning free-kick goal in the win over Churchill Brothers, his role alongside Jeakson Singh and Mohammed Rashid in Habas’s midfield following Miguel Figueira’s departure, and that his start against Inter Kashi is uncertain as Habas may rest him for upcoming AFC Champions League Two fixtures.
The match will kick off at 17:00 IST on October 23 at the Balewadi Stadium in Pune and will be broadcast live on Sony Ten 2 and Sony Ten 2 HD, with a free digital stream available on YouTube.