East Bengal to play Wuhan Jiangda, Bam Khatoon, Nasaf in maiden AFC Women's Champions League group stage appearance

New Delhi [India], September 11 (ANI): East Bengal FC were placed alongside Wuhan Jiangda FC (China), Bam Khatoon FC (Iran) and PFC Nasaf (Uzbekistan) in Group B of the AFC Women's Champions League Group Stage, following the draw conducted at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Thursday.

East Bengal, the champions of the 2024-25 Indian Women's League, qualified for the Group Stage in their maiden continental appearance after emerging as Group E toppers in the Preliminary Stage, ahead of Kitchee SC (Hong Kong) and Phnom Penh Crown FC (Cambodia), which was played in Cambodia last month.

Twelve teams were divided into three groups for the second edition of the AFC Women's Champions League and will battle in a centralised league format. Group B will be hosted by China's Wuhan Jiangda WFC, who are also the defending champions, from November 17 to 23.

Following the Group Stage, eight clubs -- the top two finishers of each group and the two overall best third-placed clubs -- will advance to the Knockout Stage, with the single-leg Quarter-final pairings to be decided by a draw and played in March 2026.

The centralised Semi-finals and Final are scheduled for May 20 to May 23, 2026.

East Bengal FC's biggest challenge will be Wuhan Jiangda WFC, five-time champions of the Chinese Women's Super League and the champions of the inaugural AFC Women's Champions League 2024-25. The Iran's Bam Khatoon FC are making their fourth appearance in an AFC competition and was a quarter-finalist last season. PFC Nasaf are record 16-time champions of the Uzbekistan Women's League and, like East Bengal, navigated the Preliminary Stage to qualify for the Group Stage for the first time.

AFC Women's Champions League 2025-26 Group Stage Draw

Group A: Melbourne City FC (AUS), Ho Chi Minh City Women's FC (VIE, hosts), Stallion Laguna FC (PHI), Lion City Sailors FC (SGP)

Group B: Wuhan Jiangda Women's FC (CHN, hosts), Bam Khatoon FC (IRN), East Bengal FC (IND), PFC Nasaf (UZB)

Group C: Suwon FC Women (KOR), Tokyo Verdy Beleza (JPN), Naegohyang Women's FC (PRK), ISPE WFC (MYA, hosts)

East Bengal FC's fixtures:

November 17: Bam Khatoon FC vs East Bengal FC

November 20: East Bengal FC vs Wuhan Jiangda WFC

November 23: East Bengal FC vs PFC Nasaf. (ANI)

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