Mohun Bagan to host Sreenidi Deccan in IFA Shield 2026 opener on September 23
Mohun Bagan will host Sreenidi Deccan at the Mohun Bagan Ground on 23 September 2026 in the opening match of the IFA Shield 2026, with kick-off scheduled for 3:00 PM IST; the Mariners enter as defending champions. The match is part of the 126th edition of the IFA Shield.
Mohun Bagan won the IFA Shield in 2025 to claim their 23rd title after beating East Bengal FC in a penalty shootout, a result that relied on saves by goalkeeper Vishal Kaith. The IFA Shield is one of India’s oldest club competitions and the source notes Mohun Bagan were the first Indian club to win the British-dominated tournament in 1911. Both Mohun Bagan and Sreenidi Deccan are drawn in Group A alongside NorthEast United FC.
The Mariners arrive off a pre-season in which they won the Calcutta Football League, recording a narrow victory over Mohammedan SC on the final matchday. Mohun Bagan are expected to deploy a well-tested side featuring Sahal Abdul Samad, Alberto and Manvir Singh, players the preview cites as having delivered in both the Durand Cup and the CFL. The home venue is described in the preview as a small morale boost to Panagiotis’ side, and the team will prioritise defensive shape while seeking a comprehensive win because the subsequent game against NorthEast United FC may prove their hardest test.
Sreenidi Deccan finished fourth in the first stage of the Indian Football League (IFL) with 15 points and ended the second stage with 28 points, placing third behind Diamond Harbour FC and Shillong Lajong FC. The club have added several recruits from multiple ISL clubs, including veterans Pritam Kotal and Pronay Halder, and have signed Jerry Mawihmingthanga from East Bengal FC. The preview notes Sreenidi aim to score early and use a balanced frontline and experienced players to gain momentum in an away fixture at the Mohun Bagan Ground.
Squad availability and lineups mentioned in the preview include, for Sreenidi Deccan: Kamaljit Singh (GK), Pritam Kotal, Hadi Idrissou, Gurmukh Singh, Abhash Thapa, Pronay Halder, Pape Gassama, Adriano Castanheira, Jerry Mawihmingthanga, David Castañeda, Fabrice Kah. For Mohun Bagan: Vishal Kaith (GK), Raj Basfore, Rahul Bheke, Alberto Rodriguez, Subhasish Bose, Deepak Tangri, Samir Zeljkovic, Miguel Figueira, Kiyan Nassiri, Liston Colaco, Lee Erwin. The preview also notes Mohun Bagan will be monitoring the fitness of Dejan Drazic, who missed the team’s previous clash, while stating both sides will have most of their players available for the opener.
The preview singles out new signing Lee Erwin as a fresh face who has joined the Mariners’ camp and could feature in the IFA Shield, noting he has previously played for Leeds United and St. Mirren. The piece advises that Erwin should be effective through pressing, link-up play and movement in the opposition half to prove his worth on this stage.
Mohun Bagan SG’s opening fixture against Sreenidi Deccan FC on 23 September 2026 is the first match of their IFA Shield campaign and will be live streamed on the FanCode app and website, with the preview stating the rest of the tournament’s matches will also be available on the same platforms.