India’s women’s football club East Bengal got out of the ongoing AFC Women’s Champions League 2025-26 held at the Hankou Culture Sports Centre in Wuhan, People’s Republic of China. On Sunday, they lost their third and final Group B match against Uzbekistan’s PFC Nasaf by 3-0.
The Indian team needed a draw to secure themselves a spot in the knockout stage, but instead they failed to get over the line and finished with just three points in three games in the league stage.
At the start of the tournament, East Bengal created history by becoming the first Indian team to win a game. The victory came in their first match against the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Bam Khatoon FC.
Meanwhile, PFC Nasaf with the win got four points and a guaranteed spot after finishing in the quarter-finals after finishing in second place. The last Group B match will be played between Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC and Bam Khatoon FC. Nasaf’s automatic qualification will come only if Jiangda defeats Khatoon.
This is the second season of the AFC Women’s Champions League currently ongoing. In the inaugural season, Odisha FC represented India but suffered an early exit in the group stage.
PFC Nasaf vs. East Bengal match summary
Captain Nilufar Kudratova gave Nasaf the control in the fifth minute after driving into the box, but Bengal’s Anoma Opoku closed her down. Nilufar became determined in the 18th minute of the game while running into the box and managed to pick out Diyorakhon Khabibullaeva for a tap-in.
On the other hand, Nasaf was able to score once during the 17th minute of the game, with two more added in the second half. Diyorakhon scored a brace, while Zarina Norboeva struck in the second half.
After failing in the first half, East Bengal somehow managed to set their target in the 39th minute of the game, but the free kick from Ftazila Ikwaput was well guarded by Nasaf’s Maftuna Jonimqulova.
They got another opportunity for a goal in the 61st minute when Amnah Nababi played Soumya Guguloth through on goal, but the ball went straight to Jonimqulova. Again, in the 66th minute, Bengal got a chance with a flick on by Khabibullaeva past Elangbam Panthoi.
After a disappointing loss, East Bengal will now prepare themselves for the inaugural season of the SAFF Club Women’s Championship, scheduled to be held from December 5 to 20 in Kathmandu, Nepal.
