The AFC Women’s Champions League is a premier Asian Women’s club football tournament. The 2026-27 preliminary stage will be held from August 17 to 23rd, 2026. 24 clubs have been drawn into six centralised groups, with the winners advancing to join six direct entrants in the group stage.
East Bengal FC has been drawn alongside Sabah FA (Malaysia), Rovers FC (Guam), and Rajshahi Stars FC (Bangladesh) in Group A of the AFC Women’s Champions League preliminary stage. The draw was held at the AFC house in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday.
The Indian Women’s League 2025-26 champions will be making their second appearance in Asia’s premier women’s club competition.
In the previous season, East Bengal became the first Indian club to win a match in the AFC Women’s Champions League Group Stage, after progressing from the preliminary stage.
The six qualifiers will join defending champion Naegohyang Women’s FC (DPR Korea) and the five clubs that qualified directly by virtue of their associations’ rankings: Melbourne City FC (Australia), Hwacheon KSPO WFC (Korea Republic), INAC Kobe Leonessa (Japan), Beijing Jingtan FC (China), and Ho Chi Minh City Women’s FC (Vietnam).
East Bengal’s Fixtures:
August 17 – East Bengal vs Rajshahi Stars FC
August 20 – Rovers FC vs East Bengal FC
August 23 – East Bengal FC vs Sabah FA
Draw Results:
Group A: East Bengal FC (India), Sabah FA (Malaysia, host), Rovers FC (Guam), Rajshahi Stars FC (Bangladesh)
Group B: Kaya FC-Iloilo (Philippines), TSL FC (Hong Kong), Phnom Penh Crown FC (Cambodia), FC Ilbirs (Kyrgyzstan, host)
Group C: Banaat FC (UAE), PFC Nasaf (Uzbekistan, host), Master FC (Laos), Royal Thimphu College FC (Bhutan)
Group D: College of Asian Scholars (Thailand, host), 4.25 SC (DPR Korea), Kharaatsai FC (Mongolia), S’Amuser FC (Timor-Leste)
Group E: Bam Khatoon FC (Iran), Etihad Club (Jordan), Al Nassr Club (Saudi Arabia), FC CSKA Dushanbe (Tajikistan, host)
Group F: New Taipei City Hang Yuan FC (Chinese Taipei), Ayeyawady FC Women (Myanmar, host), FC Jurong (Singapore), No Limits FC (Lebanon)
