East Bengal Women have added an international layer to their continental ambitions, signing Japanese defender Hitomi Tanaka ahead of their AFC Women’s Champions League group-stage campaign. The move comes at a significant moment for the Kolkata club, which is preparing for its second successive appearance in the competition after establishing itself as one of India’s leading women’s clubs.
Tanaka, who was born in Yokohama, joins the Moshal Girls from Dutch side HERA United and becomes the first Japanese female footballer to join an Indian club, according to reports on the transfer. Her arrival brings experience from both Spanish and Dutch women’s football to an East Bengal squad preparing for a demanding group-stage assignment.
Primarily a defender, Tanaka is also capable of operating in midfield, giving East Bengal another versatile option in the middle and defensive areas. Her profile is backed by extensive experience in European football. She moved to Spain in 2017 and played for clubs including Fundación Albacete, Córdoba CF, Santa Teresa, Cacereño, SE AEM and Sporting de Huelva before moving to the Netherlands.
Sporting de Huelva described her as a disciplined defender with strong ball-playing ability and the capacity to strike the ball with both feet when announcing her signing in 2024. Her most recent spell at HERA United has also provided regular exposure to the Dutch top flight. During the 2025-26 Eredivisie season, Tanaka made 20 appearances, starting 18 matches and playing 1,705 minutes. Her match records show that she was used both as a central defender and defensive midfielder, underlining the positional flexibility she can offer East Bengal.
Reacting to the move, Tanaka said, “I am honoured and excited to join East Bengal FC, a club with such a rich legacy and passionate fanbase. Playing in the AFC Women’s Champions League for the best South Asian club is a prestigious challenge, and I am ready to give my absolute best to help the team succeed and make our supporters proud on the continental stage.”
The signing arrives as East Bengal prepare for a group stage that will test the depth and organisation of the reigning Indian Women’s League champions. East Bengal secured their second IWL title in May 2026, completing their campaign with a 2-0 victory over Sribhumi. The club had already secured the championship with a match to spare.
Their continental campaign has followed a similar upward trajectory. East Bengal topped their AFC Women’s Champions League preliminary group in Kota Kinabalu after victories over Rajshahi Stars and Rovers FC before defeating Malaysia’s Sabah FA 2-0 to seal qualification. The achievement made them the first Indian club to reach the competition’s group stage in consecutive seasons.
The challenge ahead is considerably tougher. East Bengal have been drawn in Group B alongside Hwacheon KSPO WFC of Korea Republic, Ho Chi Minh City WFC of Vietnam and 4.25 SC of DPR Korea. Kolkata will host the group from November 1 to 7, marking the first time the AFC Women’s Champions League group stage will be played in India.
That home setting could make the campaign particularly significant for East Bengal. With the club having already demonstrated its ability to navigate the preliminary stage, the group matches will provide a stronger measure of where Indian women’s club football stands against established teams from across Asia. Tanaka’s arrival is significant beyond the signing itself.
It reflects East Bengal’s increasingly international approach to building a squad for continental football. Her European experience could be particularly valuable in a group where East Bengal will encounter different footballing styles and higher levels of tactical and physical intensity. Her ability to play both defence and midfield also gives the coaching staff an additional option when managing a demanding week of three group matches.
For East Bengal, the objective is no longer simply to qualify for the AFC Women’s Champions League group stage. Having achieved that milestone for a second consecutive season, the focus now shifts to competing effectively once there. Tanaka’s experience in Spain and the Netherlands could form an important part of that next step, with the Japanese defender arriving at a club that is steadily expanding its ambitions beyond the domestic game.
