Punjab FC’s Great Reset: How the Shers Have Rebuilt for the 2025–26 ISL Season

Punjab FC enter the 2025–26 Indian Super League season at a defining moment in their short but ambitious top-flight journey.

After finishing tenth in the 2024–25 campaign, the club did not opt for minor tweaks. Instead, it chose a bold reset releasing 14 players, signing 10 new faces, and reshaping both its tactical identity and squad profile in a single window. This overhaul reflects a clear strategic direction: Punjab FC are no longer content with survival. They are building for sustainable competitiveness.

The 2024–25 season gave Punjab FC valuable information. While the Shers finished 10th, their underlying metrics were among the best for a developing side. They were the youngest squad in the league, ranked among the leaders for interceptions, and scored most of their goals from open play a sign of tactical clarity rather than reliance on set-pieces.

But there were limits. Defensive instability, lack of control in big matches, and over-reliance on Luka Majcen exposed a ceiling. The leadership group led by Director of Football Nikolaos Topoliatis and Head Coach Panagiotis Dilmperis chose evolution over stagnation.

The End of the Majcen Era

No departure was more emotional than Luka Majcen. The Slovenian striker was the face of Punjab FC’s rise, captaining them to I-League promotion and scoring their first ever ISL goal. But football strategy often requires ruthless timing. Majcen’s departure allowed Punjab to change its attacking structure. Instead of building around one talisman, they now aim for a more fluid front line supported by a powerful target striker in Nsungusi Effiong.

The sale of Tekcham Abhishek Singh to Mohun Bagan Super Giant was perhaps the most important transaction of the window. Developed inside Punjab’s youth system, Abhishek had become one of the league’s best full-backs by age 20. His transfer for a multi-crore fee validated Punjab’s development model.

Punjab FC did not just lose a player they proved they can create assets.

This transfer funded much of the squad rebuild while keeping the club financially healthy. The New Foreign Core

Punjab FC’s five foreign signings are not marquee names. They are purpose-built. Samir Zeljković brings defensive intelligence and positional flexibility. Dani Ramírez gives the team a true playmaker something Punjab lacked last season. Effiong adds size and aerial dominance. Pablo Santos adds leadership at the back, while Bede Osuji provides attacking depth. This foreign group is not about glamour it is about balance.

A Domestic Core with Identity

Equally important has been the Indian recruitment. Goalkeeper Arshdeep Singh returns to his home state after a difficult but formative period at Hyderabad FC. Muhammed Uvais replaces Abhishek at left-back. Bijoy Varghese and Bikash Singh add depth, while Ranjeet Pandre offers a local striking option.

Unlike many ISL sides that stockpile names, Punjab have recruited profiles that fit their tactical model. Panagiotis Dilmperis has quietly built one of the league’s most coherent tactical identities. His 4-2-3-1 system is built on High-energy pressing, Midfield discipline, Quick transitions & Wide attacking overloads

With Ramírez operating behind Effiong, and dynamic midfielders like Nikhil Prabhu and Ricky Shabong controlling tempo, Punjab are far more structurally sound than last season.

Punjab FC’s academy is one of the strongest in the country. Five-star rated by AIFF, it continues to feed the first team with players like Pramveer Singh and Muhammad Suhail. This isn’t symbolic it’s functional. Last season, Punjab played more U23 minutes than any ISL club. This season, those youngsters are not apprentices anymore they are core contributors.

The 2025–26 ISL will be unlike any other. A single-leg league format means every match carries playoff-level pressure. Depth, fitness, and tactical clarity will matter more than reputation. Punjab FC might be one of the best-placed teams to thrive in this environment.

While other clubs cut costs and lost key foreigners, Punjab quietly upgraded their spine while staying profitable. Punjab FC will not say it publicly, but their internal benchmark is clear: Top half of the table. With no playoffs this season, consistency will define success. And Punjab’s combination of youth, structure, and tactical discipline makes them dangerous opponents for anyone. This is no longer the story of a promoted side finding its feet.

This is the story of a club building something sustainable and finally, something formidable.