The AIFF Super Cup 2025–26 returns with a high-stakes double-header in Group B, promising two contrasting but crucial fixtures that could shape the destiny of this year’s most competitive group.
On one side, Durand Cup champions NorthEast United FC take on I-League title holders Inter Kashi, while later in the evening, defending Super Cup champions FC Goa face last season’s finalists Jamshedpur FC in a heavyweight rematch at Fatorda. With the winner of each group advancing directly to the semi-finals and with AFC Champions League Two qualification on the line every goal, every minute, and every tactical move will carry immense value.
The 2025–26 edition of the AIFF Super Cup serves as India’s premier knockout competition, but with an evolved structure that raises the stakes. The tournament features 16 teams (13 from the ISL and 3 from the I-League), competing in a four-group format. Only the group winners move into the semi-finals making each game a must-win scenario. The cup winner will represent India in the 2026–27 AFC Champions League Two preliminary stage, a continental gateway that adds layers of motivation to the competition.
This year’s edition, entirely staged in Goa, symbolizes a logistical shift from previous editions held in Odisha. The Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (Fatorda) and GMC Stadium (Bambolim) will share hosting duties, ensuring consistency in pitch quality and crowd atmosphere.
Group B: The “Group of Death”
Group B is arguably the toughest pool in this year’s competition, featuring four champions across different competitions and divisions: The composition ensures that every result matters, and the goal difference (GD) could prove decisive in determining who tops the standings.
Match 1: NorthEast United FC vs Inter Kashi (16:30 IST, Bambolim)
The first clash of the day sees Juan Pedro Benali’s NorthEast United FC fresh off their Durand Cup triumph face Inter Kashi, the reigning I-League champions who are unfortunately embroiled in a logistical crisis. Under Benali, NorthEast United have transformed from perennial underachievers into a structured and disciplined outfit. The Moroccan coach’s tactical clarity emphasizing defensive compactness and fluid transitions has turned the Highlanders into one of India’s most improved sides.
Key players like Romain Philippoteaux, Parthib Gogoi, and Redeem Tlang have adapted well to Benali’s philosophy of controlling tempo through calculated possession. The team’s Durand Cup run showcased their attacking sharpness, with Asheer Akhtar and Nestor Albiach playing pivotal roles in orchestrating quick transitions. With the full quota of foreign players available and no injury concerns, NEUFC will aim to start their Super Cup campaign with a statement win.
In stark contrast, Inter Kashi arrive in Goa with significant handicaps. Due to visa delays, their head coach Antonio López Habas and all foreign signings are unavailable for this match. Assistant coach Abhijit Mondal primarily the goalkeeping coach will lead the side on an interim basis. That means Kashi will field an all-Indian lineup against an ISL-standard opponent brimming with confidence and experience. Mondal has expressed optimism, insisting his players will “fight for pride and opportunity,” but the tactical and physical gap between the sides is vast.
Given the disparity in squad depth and preparation, this fixture is expected to be one-way traffic. NEUFC will aim to secure not just three points but also a large goal difference advantage, a critical factor in such a tight group.
Prediction: NEUFC are likely to dominate from the outset. Expect a high-margin win possibly 3–0 or 4–0 setting an early tone for the group.
Match 2: FC Goa vs Jamshedpur FC (19:30 IST, Fatorda)
The evening fixture brings the headline event of Matchday 2 a rematch of last year’s Super Cup final between FC Goa and Jamshedpur FC.
The two clubs have developed a fierce yet respectful rivalry over recent seasons. Their last encounter the 2025 Super Cup final saw Goa dominate 3–0, claiming the title and the continental spot. However, Jamshedpur responded later that year with a 2–1 win in the ISL, keeping the rivalry finely balanced. The narrative now is redemption versus continuity.
Under Manolo Marquez, FC Goa enter the Super Cup as defending champions and as India’s most battle-tested club this season. Having competed in the AFC Champions League Two, the team has gained invaluable exposure to continental intensity, facing top clubs including Al Nassr of Saudi Arabia. That experience has refined their tactical maturity, but also introduced fatigue. Goa are now playing four matches in ten days, forcing Marquez to consider rotation.
Players like Iker Guarrotxena, Carlos Martinez, and Brandon Fernandes are expected to shoulder creative duties, while the likes of Noah Sadaoui and Raynier Fernandes may be managed cautiously. Their home advantage at Fatorda where they traditionally dominate possession will be critical. A controlled, technical display is expected, but the physical toll from recent travel and ACL2 fixtures could make them vulnerable in the latter stages.
For Jamshedpur FC, the Super Cup represents a fresh start under new head coach Steven Dias. A former India international with a reputation for structured, pressing-based football, Dias inherits a squad brimming with both domestic depth and new international quality. The club’s summer transfer activity was purposeful. They added French playmaker Madih Talal, Serbian midfielder Nikola Stojanovic, and Cameroonian striker Raphaël Messi Bouli, significantly boosting their creative and scoring options.
Jamshedpur’s defensive trio Lazar Cirkovic, Stephen Eze, and Rei Tachikawa remains intact, providing continuity and leadership. Dias’ approach is expected to emphasize high pressing, transitional play, and targeted use of width specifically through wingers like Ritwik Das and Daniel Chima Chukwu. Their primary strategy will be to exploit Goa’s potential fatigue, particularly in the second half, using quick counterattacks and set-piece situations.
The match will likely hinge on the midfield duel Brandon Fernandes and Edu Bedia for Goa against Madih Talal and Stojanovic for Jamshedpur. Goa’s possession-heavy approach will test JFC’s pressing discipline, while Jamshedpur’s ability to break lines through Talal could open spaces behind Goa’s full-backs. The afternoon result between NEUFC and Inter Kashi will directly influence the tactical tone of the evening game. A large NEUFC win will force both Goa and Jamshedpur to chase a win rather than settle for a draw, knowing that Goal Difference could determine group supremacy.
Given the single qualification slot, any slip-up could prove fatal. As Marquez remarked pre-match, “In this format, one bad day can end your campaign before it begins.”
Predicted Outcome: FC Goa 2–2 Jamshedpur FC
An open, high-intensity contest with both teams scoring. Goa’s technical control should earn them dominance in possession, but Jamshedpur’s pressing and fresher legs could ensure they walk away with a valuable point. Matchday 2 of the AIFF Super Cup 2025–26 promises both spectacle and significance. For NorthEast United, it’s about capitalizing on opportunity; for FC Goa and Jamshedpur FC, it’s about survival in a group where perfection is the only way forward.
As the lights come on at Fatorda and the rain-soaked turf dries in Bambolim, Indian football’s new season begins not with ease, but with the intensity of continental ambition.
