Odisha FC signs four foreign players for 2026-27 ISL season

Odisha FC has confirmed four foreign players for the 2026-27 ISL season, targeting defensive, midfield, and attacking improvements. The Kalinga Warriors announced the signings of Nigerian defender Stephen Eze, Georgian midfielder Giorgi Aburjania, Spanish midfielder Manu Molina, and Brazilian forward Everton Nascimento. All four have signed contracts that run until the end of the 2026-27 campaign. The club stated the new arrivals add defensive experience, midfield control, and attacking quality to the roster.

Player profiles and backgrounds

Each signing brings distinct experience. Stephen Eze is a 6'6" Nigerian centre-back who previously played for Jamshedpur FC in the ISL. He has also played for Lokomotiv Plovdiv in Bulgaria, winning the Bulgarian Cup in 2019, and has represented the Nigeria national team.

Manu Molina is a seasoned Spanish midfielder with over a decade of experience. He came through the youth systems of Espanyol and Valencia and has played for clubs including Espanyol, Huesca, Real Zaragoza, and Málaga. Molina was part of the UD Ibiza team that secured promotion to Spain's Segunda División in 2021.

Giorgi Aburjania is a Georgian international midfielder with 39 caps. His career has taken him to Georgia, Cyprus, Spain, the Netherlands, Portugal, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, with clubs including Gimnàstic de Tarragona, Sevilla Atlético, FC Twente, Gil Vicente, and Hatayspor.

Everton Nascimento is a Brazilian forward with a history of winning league titles across Asia. He won the Indonesian Liga 1 with PSM Makassar in 2023, the Lebanese Premier League with Nejmeh in 2024, and helped Garudayaksa win the Indonesian Championship in the 2025-26 season. He has also played in Brazil, South Korea, Bahrain, Portugal, and Saudi Arabia.

Club context and recent form

Odisha FC are building on a challenging 2025-26 ISL season where they finished 11th. Their record for that campaign is detailed below.

The club's best ISL finish is 4th, achieved in the 2023-24 season. That same year, they topped the AFC Cup South Zone. Odisha FC also won the Super Cup in 2023, beating Bengaluru FC 2-1 in the final.

Upcoming fixtures and season outlook

The 2026-27 ISL season begins for Odisha FC on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, with a 7:30 PM IST away match against Punjab FC in Delhi. The official Phase 1 fixtures were announced on 26 September 2026. Odisha FC will play 12 matches in Phase 1, which runs from 14 October 2026 to 15 January 2027, split evenly between six home and six away games.

Their first home game is against NorthEast United FC on 24 October 2026 at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, which has a capacity of around 15,000. A key stretch of the schedule sees Odisha FC play four consecutive home games in December at the Kalinga Stadium.

Key fixtures in Phase 1 include:

Phase 2 fixtures, covering January to May 2027, will be added when released by the league. Odisha FC's first home game is against NorthEast United FC on 24 October 2026 at Kalinga Stadium.