Chandigarh, Oct 9 (IANS) Punjab FC announced a strong 27-member squad for the Indian Super League (ISL) 2026-27 season, which includes an established core and ten academy graduates. The team will start its ISL campaign with a home fixture on Wednesday against Odisha FC at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi.
Fourteen players from last season’s ISL squad, including national team players Bijoy Varghese, Ricky Shabong, Muhammed Uvais, Nikhil Prabhu and Muhammad Suhail F, along with Arshdeep Singh, Khaiminthang Lhungdim and Leon Augustine, have been retained.
Patrick Bahanack, Mickael Malsa, Diego Raposo, Alfred Planas Moya and Raphaël Messi Bouli are the foreign players in the squad. The squad also includes new domestic signings Mohammad Inam and Gurkirat Singh.
The team comprises 10 academy graduates, three more than last season, who were rewarded with a place in the squad for their performances in the age group leagues and the recently concluded IFA Shield, where the Shers reached the semifinals.
Goalkeeper Ayush Deshwal, midfielder Manglenthang Kipgen and forwards Muhammad Suhail F and Vishal Yadav, all part of last season’s squad, are joined by defenders Ngarin Shaiza, Sohel Khan and Karish Soram; midfielders Bishu Sharma and Laishram Rishikanta Meitei; and forward Konsam Sanathoi Singh.
Speaking ahead of the new campaign, Head Coach Pavlos Dermitzakis expressed his confidence in the squad and its readiness for the season: “This is a squad built with a clear idea of how we want to play, and I am very happy with the balance we have. We have experience in every department, players who know this club and the league, and ten young players from our academy who have earned their place through their work every single day. The ISL has a demanding schedule, and every player in this group will have a role to play. The players have prepared well, the hunger in the dressing room is there, and we are ready to begin.”
The Head Coach will be supported by Assistant Coach Georgios Angelidis and Indian Assistant Coach Sankarlal Chakraborty, along with Christos Vorgiatzidis as the Strength and Conditioning Coach and Vinay Singh as the Goalkeeping Coach.
All three goalkeepers from last season have been retained, with the experienced Arshdeep Singh leading the department along with youngsters Muheet Shabir and Ayush Deshwal.
Bijoy Varghese, Muhammed Uvais, Suresh Meitei and Khaiminthang Lhungdim will lead the defensive lineup, along with new signing Patrick Bahanack, with academy graduates Ngarin Shaiza, Sohel Khan and Karish Soram completing a defensive unit with plenty of depth.
In midfield, Punjab FC possess a dynamic blend of creativity, control, and energy. Mickaël Malsa and Manglenthang Kipgen are expected to play a pivotal role in orchestrating attacking moves, with Nikhil Prabhu, Ricky Shabong and Mohammad Inam offering stability in the middle of the pitch.
Bishu Sharma and Rishikanta Meitei, who caught the attention with their performances in the IFA Shield, will bring youthful energy and exciting football to the side.
The forward line carries both variety and attacking promise. The experienced Raphaël Messi Bouli has started his life in Punjab FC with three goals and three assists in the IFA Shield, while the other foreign signings, Diego Raposo and Alfred Planas Moya, have also started the season well.
Muhammad Suhail, one of the most exciting talents of the country, will add pace in the wings, while the versatile Leon Augustine can be relied upon in any given situation. Local lad Gurkirat Singh, along with under-20 Indian international Vishal Yadav and Sanathoi Singh, will provide valuable options for the side.
Punjab FC squad for Indian Super League 2026-27:
Goalkeepers: Arshdeep Singh, Muheet Shabir, Ayush Deshwal
Defenders: Khaiminthang Lhungdim, Ngarin Shaiza, Jephthe Patrick Gerard Bahanack, Mohammed Sohel Khan, Bijoy Varghese, Nongmaikapam Suresh Meitei, Muhammed Uvais Moyikkal, Karish Soram
Midfielders: Naravi Nikhil Jayantha Prabhu, Mickaël Ramon Vincent Malsa, Ricky John Shabong, Bishu Sharma, Laishram Rishikanta Meitei, Manglenthang Kipgen, Mohammad Inam
Forwards: Raphael Eric Messi Bouli, Diego Henrique Oliveira Raposo, Alfred Planas Moya, Leon Augustine, Muhammad Suhail F, Bikash Singh Sagolsem, Konsam Sanathoi Singh, Vishal Yadav, Gurkirat Singh
–IANS
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