At the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, 10-man Mohun Bagan Super Giants beat the favorites Mumbai City FC 2-1 and won the Indian Super League Winners Shield for the first time.
Since its inception in 2014, the Indian Super League has been a straight league format, but beginning with the 2019–20 season, the organizers introduced the ISL Shield. This enables the victor to participate in the AFC Champions League, the highest level of AFC competition.
The top 6 then play in a MLS-style playoff to determine the winner of the ISL final. Now that we have that established, let us have a look at the past ISL Shield winners.
With a convincing 5-0 victory over Jamshedpur FC in the 2019–20 season, FC Goa became the first Indian club to advance to the AFC Champions League group stage. ATK however, won the ISL final that year.
The team finished the season with 39 points, having won 12 of its 18 games and only losing three. Additionally, with 46 goals scored this season, the team had the highest goals scored.
Mumbai City FC (2020-21)
The City group-owned team became the second team to qualify for the AFC Champions Cup after they defeated ATK Mohun Bagan 2-0 in Bambolim, Goa.
A closely contested title saw both MCFC and ATK end on 40 points, but Mumbai had beaten them on a head-to-head basis, which granted them the title. They also won the ISL final that year, making them the only team to do so till date.
Jamshedpur FC (2021-22)
The newbies of the league shocked everyone by storming to a title win in the eighth season of the Indian Super League.
A 1-0 win over ATK Mohun Bagan was enough for them to secure the ISL League Shield. They also went on a dream unbeaten run of seven games, which is still the longest streak in the league. Hyderabad FC, who finished second that year, went on to win the ISL final.
Mumbai City FC (2022-23)
Mumbai City FC defeated FC Goa 5-3 at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa to claim the ISL League Winners Shield.
Mumbai City FC saw the reigning champions Hyderabad finish second in the battle for the shield with 36 points from 17 games. Mumbai City FC began its ISL campaign with a thrilling 3-3 draw against Hyderabad FC and ended it with a 46-point tally. This was the second title for the Islanders, as they are fondly known.
ATK Mohun Bagan went on to win the ISL final that year.
Mohun Bagan Super Giant (2023-24)
On April 15, 2024, Mohun Bagan Super Giant defeated Mumbai City FC 2-1 at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata to win the shield. Liston Colaco and Jason Cummings each scored a goal to help the Mariners reclaim the championship from the Islanders.
MCFC scored a late goal in the 89th minute to tie the score, but the home team managed to hold onto their lead even though they were down to 10 men in the 91st minute.
Mohun Bagan Super Giant surged to 48 points from 22 games, narrowly surpassing Mumbai City FC (47), who are currently ranked second, by one point.
Edited by Sudeshna Banerjee
