Elangbam Panthoi Chanu

Panthoi Chanu Elangbam (, born 1 February 1996) is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for the Indian Women's League club East Bengal and India women's football team. In March 2024, she played the South Australia Women's National Premier Leagues for Metro United WFC to become the first woman from India to play the Australian Football League.

Early life Chanu is from Keirak village, Kakching district, Manipur. She is the daughter of Elangbam Chinglenkhomba and Elangbam Ongbi Shanti Leima of Keirak Makha Leikai.

She started playing football at the local club, Women Football Academy Kakching. In 2012, she moved to Eastern Sporting Union. She played for Union and Manipur Police in the Indian Women's League and the regional Manipur Women's League. During her early days, she used to travel for 50 km everyday to the Imphal Academy to learn the game.

In 2024, she signed a contract with the second tier National Premier Leagues Women's club Metro United WFC in the South Australian league, becoming the first Indian footballer to play professional football in Australia. She was spotted by head coach Paul Morris at the Women in Sports Elite Football Trials in October 2023 and later trained at the A-League club, Adelaide United FC.

Career statistics International

Honours

India SAFF Women's Championship: 2014, 2016, 2026 South Asian Games Gold medal: 2016, 2019

East Bengal SAFF Women's Club Championship: 2025 Indian Women's League: 2024–25, 2025–26

Eastern Sporting Union Indian Women's League: 2016–17

Manipur Rajmata Jijabai Trophy: 2019–20

Individual Indian Women's League Best Goalkeeper: 2017–18

Awards

She bagged the Women's goalkeeper of the year award by AIFF for 2024 season. She played for East Bengal.