Dempo SC will face Sreenidi Deccan FC at the PJN Stadium in Fatorda on Friday in their final Championship Phase fixture of the Indian Football League (IFL) 2025-26, kicking off at 18:30 IST. The match will be broadcast live on DD Sports and Sony Sports Network, with streaming available on Waves and Sony LIV, according to an IFL press release.

Both sides aim to conclude their campaigns positively following promising performances in recent matches. Dempo drew 1-1 with league leaders Diamond Harbour FC in their last game, a result that secured the title for Diamond Harbour. Dempo head coach Samir Naik said: “We had chances to finish off that game. So, next game we will take it in a positive way, seeing what we have done in the last game.” Defender Mohamed Ali added: “It was positive from the start, but we have gelled more now. Lately, we are improving much better.”

Sreenidi Deccan enter the fixture buoyed by a 2-1 victory over Chanmari FC. Goals from Lalromawia and David Castaneda Munoz secured the win for the Hyderabad-based team. Head coach Carlos Vaz Pinto praised Dempo, stating: “For me, Dempo is one of the best teams in the Indian Football League this season. They have quality players. I feel that they are growing game by game. They are better now than before. I feel the expectations for this season are high for them because last season they did well. They have an experienced coach with quality, and also the players. So, I feel that this is a difficult opponent.” Defender Hadi Idrissou emphasised the need for focus until the season’s end: “I cannot say anything about my performance. I’m a player. I do my job and leave the rest for people to say. I cannot say, ‘Yeah, I know that I’m doing well.’ But for me, nothing is done. I have to go until the end. That’s all I can say.”

Dempo currently stand sixth with 14 points and can move up to fifth if they win, surpassing Chanmari FC, which has finished with 15 points. Sreenidi Deccan occupy third place with 25 points, level with second-placed Shillong Lajong FC; a win for Sreenidi and a slip by Shillong Lajong against Diamond Harbour could see the Deccan Warriors finish as runners-up.

Both teams are expected to adopt attacking approaches without significant pressure on the match outcome. Early goals may prove crucial in determining the match dynamics. Dempo will rely on forwards Joseph, the joint-top scorer of the season with eight goals and one assist, and Sebastian Gutierrez, who has two goals and two assists. Midfielder Seigoumang Doungel is likely to influence wider areas. Defensively, the experienced duo of Jose Luis Moreno and Aubin Kouakou will lead, supported by full-backs Pruthvesh Pednekar and Darell Mascarenhas.