East Bengal Women’s Team head coach Anthony Andrews has called for greater investment, more competitive matches and stronger grassroots support to develop Indian women’s football, warning that the sport’s growing popularity on social media does not necessarily reflect its reality on the ground.

Speaking exclusively to MyKhel ahead of the 2026-27 Indian Women’s League (IWL), Andrews discusses East Bengal’s historic achievement in the AFC Women’s Champions League, the impact of Capri Sports’ commercial partnership with the All India Football Federation (AIFF), and the structural challenges facing women’s football in the country.

The new IWL season begins on November 13, with East Bengal entering as defending champions and aiming for a third consecutive title. The eight-team competition will feature 56 matches across Kolkata, Jamshedpur and Bengaluru, with each team facing the other seven clubs twice.

For Andrews, the challenge of defending the title remains as significant as ever, particularly with other teams viewing a positive result against East Bengal as a major achievement.

“More than anybody else, I also like to win titles. I also like to compete. And I know that all the teams want to compete against us and put their best foot forward. Even if they win against or draw against us, it’s a win for them. That makes us stronger,” he said.

From continental heartbreak to history

East Bengal’s domestic dominance has also translated into progress on the continental stage. The Kolkata club became the first Indian side to reach the knockout stages of the AFC Women’s Champions League after qualifying for the quarter-finals of the 2026-27 competition.

The achievement was particularly significant for Andrews and his players after narrowly missing out on the last eight in the previous edition on goal difference.

“The dream was always to make it into the top eight. From last season, I was chasing this. Last season, we just missed narrowly, and that heartbreak was haunting me every single day. Not only me, but all the players as well,” Andrews recalls.

The coach credited the decision to retain the majority of the core squad for the continental campaign, adding that the experience of the previous season helped the team approach the challenge with greater clarity and confidence.

However, Andrews believes the achievement should be a stepping stone rather than the destination. He wants East Bengal to perform even better in the quarter-finals and inspire younger girls to consider football as a profession rather than merely a passion.

Capri Sports partnership brings optimism

The IWL enters a new commercial phase following the AIFF’s 15-year partnership with Capri Sports for the commercial development and marketing rights of the IWL and IWL 2.

Andrews welcomed the initiatives introduced around the competition, particularly the increased interaction involving players, coaches and the media.

“Whatever positive changes are happening, it’s massive. I really appreciate what Capri is doing at this moment,” he said.

However, he also stressed that the long-term sustainability of the project would be crucial, rather than judging its impact solely through the initial enthusiasm.

Social media popularity versus ground reality

Despite acknowledging the positive developments, Andrews offered a blunt assessment of the wider women’s football ecosystem in India.

“On social media, definitely. Reality, no,” he says when asked whether the growing attention around women’s football was translating into meaningful development.

“People are more into fan engagement, this and that on social media. But realistically, on the ground level, very few people want to see a game or want to invest in women’s football. Like I always say, good stakeholders, good people, if they want to really develop the game, if they come and genuinely do their job, then I think we can do it.”