Punjab FC Name 27-Member ISL Squad for 2026-27, Ten Academy Graduates Earn Places

Punjab FC have announced a 27-member squad for the 2026-27 Indian Super League season, with ten academy graduates earning places in the senior team as the club seeks to combine competitive ambition with its commitment to developing young Indian footballers.

The Shers will begin their fourth ISL campaign against Odisha FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi on Wednesday, October 14. Under new head coach Pavlos Dermitzakis, the squad combines an established domestic core, five foreign players and emerging academy talent promoted after their performances in age-group competitions and the recently concluded IFA Shield.

Fourteen players from last season’s ISL squad have been retained, providing continuity as Punjab FC prepare for a demanding campaign.

The 2026-27 season will be Dermitzakis’s first in charge of Punjab FC. The Greek coach has assembled a squad designed to offer options across all departments, with experienced players expected to provide stability while younger members compete for opportunities.

“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,” Dermitzakis said.

“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 retained contingent includes national team players Bijoy Varghese, Ricky Shabong, Muhammed Uvais, Nikhil Prabhu and Muhammad Suhail F, alongside goalkeeper Arshdeep Singh, Khaiminthang Lhungdim and Leon Augustine. Punjab FC have also added domestic reinforcements Mohammad Inam and Gurkirat Singh, while Patrick Bahanack, Mickaël Malsa, Diego Raposo, Alfred Planas Moya and Raphaël Messi Bouli form the foreign contingent.

Ten academy graduates underline development strategy

The most notable feature of the squad announcement is the inclusion of ten academy graduates, three more than last season. Their promotion reflects the club’s efforts to create a pathway from youth football to the senior team. Goalkeeper Ayush Deshwal, midfielder Manglenthang Kipgen and forward Muhammad Suhail F, along with forward Vishal Yadav, were part of last season’s squad. They are joined by defenders Ngarin Shaiza, Sohel Khan and Karish Soram, midfielders Bishu Sharma and Laishram Rishikanta Meitei, and forward Konsam Sanathoi Singh.

The young players earned their places through their performances in age-group leagues and the IFA Shield, where Punjab FC reached the semi-finals.

For the club, the academy contingent represents more than squad depth. Their inclusion gives emerging players the opportunity to train and compete alongside established professionals, while providing the senior coaching staff with additional options over a long season. Bishu Sharma and Rishikanta Meitei, in particular, impressed during the IFA Shield and will look to carry that form into the new campaign. Their development could be important as Punjab FC seek to maintain energy and competition in midfield.

Punjab FC have retained all three goalkeepers from last season, with the experienced Arshdeep Singh expected to lead the department. Muheet Shabir and academy graduate Ayush Deshwal provide the other options. The defensive unit features Bijoy Varghese, Muhammed Uvais, Suresh Meitei and Khaiminthang Lhungdim, alongside new signing Patrick Bahanack. Academy graduates Ngarin Shaiza, Sohel Khan and Karish Soram complete a group that offers Dermitzakis a mix of experience and youth.

Integrating the new defensive options while maintaining the understanding among returning players will be an early priority. With the ISL schedule demanding consistency, depth across the back line could prove valuable when teams face congested stretches of fixtures.

Midfield combines control, creativity and energy

Mickaël Malsa and Manglenthang Kipgen are expected to play important roles in organising Punjab FC’s midfield and linking their defensive and attacking phases. Nikhil Prabhu, Ricky Shabong and Mohammad Inam add further options, giving Dermitzakis alternatives for maintaining balance and controlling the centre of the pitch. The presence of young players Bishu Sharma and Rishikanta Meitei also creates competition for places.

The challenge will be finding combinations that allow Punjab FC to retain possession, progress attacks and remain defensively secure. The balance between experienced professionals and younger midfielders could be central to the team's approach this season.

Punjab FC’s forward line combines international experience with promising Indian talent. Raphaël Messi Bouli has made an encouraging start to life at the club, recording three goals and three assists in the IFA Shield. Diego Raposo and Alfred Planas Moya have also begun the season positively, providing additional attacking options.

Muhammad Suhail F offers pace on the wings, while the versatile Leon Augustine can be deployed in different situations. Gurkirat Singh, Under-20 Indian international Vishal Yadav and Konsam Sanathoi Singh give the club further domestic options in attack. The range of profiles should allow Dermitzakis to adjust his forward line depending on the opposition and match situation. However, translating their pre-season and IFA Shield performances into consistent ISL contributions will be the next challenge.

A fourth ISL campaign begins against Odisha FC

Punjab FC enter the new season with a clear objective: remain competitive while continuing to develop homegrown players. The retained core provides familiarity, the five overseas signings add experience and the ten academy graduates underline the club’s long-term approach.

Dermitzakis will now look to turn that squad balance into results, beginning with the home fixture against Odisha FC on October 14.

The opening weeks should offer an early indication of how quickly the new signings settle, which academy graduates emerge as regular options and whether Punjab FC can build consistency under their new head coach.

For the Shers, the campaign represents an opportunity to pursue results without compromising the player-development model that remains central to the club’s identity.

Punjab FC squad — ISL 2026-27

• Goalkeepers: Arshdeep Singh, Muheet Shabir, Ayush Deshwal

• Defenders: Khaiminthang Lhungdim, Ngarin Shaiza, Patrick Bahanack, Sohel Khan, Bijoy Varghese, Suresh Meitei, Muhammed Uvais, Karish Soram

• Midfielders: Nikhil Prabhu, Mickaël Malsa, Ricky Shabong, Bishu Sharma, Laishram Rishikanta Meitei, Manglenthang Kipgen, Mohammad Inam

• Forwards: Raphaël Messi Bouli, Diego Raposo, Alfred Planas Moya, Leon Augustine, Muhammad Suhail F, Bikash Singh, Konsam Sanathoi Singh, Vishal Yadav, Gurkirat Singh