East Bengal have become the first Indian club to reach the knockout stages of the AFC Women’s Champions League. They lost 0-2 to North Korea’s 4.25 SC in Kolkata on Saturday, 7 November, but still went through as one of the two best third-placed teams. The quarter-finals are on 27-28 March 2027. The draw is on 3 December.
01. Key takeaways
- East Bengal are the first Indian club to reach the AFC Women’s Champions League knockouts.
- They lost 0-2 to 4.25 SC of North Korea in their last Group B match on 7 November in Kolkata.
- They finished third in Group B with 3 points and a goal difference of -4.
- They went through as one of the two best third-placed teams, ahead of Ayeyawady of Myanmar on goal difference (-4 vs -6).
- The 2-1 win over Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam was the result that made the difference.
- Quarter-finals: 27-28 March 2027. Draw: 3 December in Kuala Lumpur.
East Bengal lost on Saturday. And still made history.
The Kolkata club lost 0-2 to 4.25 SC of North Korea in their last Group B match of the AFC Women’s Champions League. The match was played at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on 7 November.
But the loss did not stop them. East Bengal became the first Indian club ever to reach the knockout stages of the AFC Women’s Champions League. That is a first for Indian football, men or women, at this level.
02. How did they go through after losing?
The tournament takes the top two teams from each group, plus the two best third-placed teams, into the quarter-finals.
East Bengal finished third in Group B with 3 points from 3 matches — one win and two losses. Their goal difference was -4.
That was enough. Uzbekistan’s Nasaf finished as the best third-placed team with 6 points. East Bengal and Ayeyawady of Myanmar were tied on 3 points. East Bengal went through because their goal difference (-4) was better than Ayeyawady’s (-6).
The result that made it happen was the 2-1 win over Ho Chi Minh City WFC of Vietnam. Without that win, East Bengal would not have gone through.
03. A year of waiting
Last year, East Bengal narrowly missed the quarter-finals on goal difference. This time, goal difference went their way.
The players are known as the Moshal Girls. After the match, they lifted head coach Anthony Andrews in celebration. A defeat had never felt so good.
East Bengal are the champions of the Indian Women’s League. They are now the first Indian club, in the women’s or the men’s game, to reach the last eight of Asia’s top club competition.
04. What happens next?
The quarter-final draw will take place at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 3 December. East Bengal will be unseeded. They will play away from home.
Their possible opponents are defending champions Naegohyang Women’s FC of North Korea, Group C winners PFC Nasaf of Uzbekistan, or Melbourne City FC of Australia, the best second-placed team.
The quarter-finals are scheduled for 27-28 March 2027, in a single-leg format. The semi-finals and final will be played at a central venue.
| Team | Points |
|---|---|
| 4.25 SC (North Korea) | 9 |
| Hwacheon KSPO (South Korea) | 6 |
| East Bengal (India) | 3 |
| Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) | 0 |
05. FAQs
Did East Bengal win their last group match?
No. They lost 0-2 to 4.25 SC of North Korea on 7 November. But they still qualified for the quarter-finals as one of the best third-placed teams.
Why is this historic?
East Bengal are the first Indian club, men’s or women’s, to reach the knockout stages of the AFC Women’s Champions League.
When are the quarter-finals?
On 27-28 March 2027. The draw is on 3 December 2026 in Kuala Lumpur.
