Red and yellow Sangita in tough group of AFC Women's Champions League.
Photo BS News Agency.
Sonali Halder, BS News Agency, Desk: Indian Women's League (IWL) champion East Bengal's women's football team has already made history by reaching the group stage of the 2025-26 AFC Women's Champions League. The red and yellow girls advanced to the group stage after topping the preliminary round held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia at the end of August. The group stage draw was held at the AFC headquarters in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday.
The East Bengal women's football team has been drawn in Group B. Sangita Basford's opponents are the host country and last year's champion China's team Yuhan Jiangda W FC, Iran's Bam Khatun FC, and Uzbekistan's PFC Nasaf. Yuhan Jiangda, a five-time champion of China's Women's Super League and 2024-25 AFC Champions League champion. Iran's Bam Khatun is a quarterfinalist last time. Nasaf is the 16-time champion team of the Uzbekistan League. Undoubtedly, the red and yellow girls will face tough opponents. These Group B matches will be held in Wuhan, China from November 17 to 23. The top teams of the 3 groups, the 3 group runners-up and the 2 best third-placed teams will get a chance to play in the quarterfinals.
East Bengal women's team coach Anthony Andrews said about the tough group and opponents, 'We are in a tough group. Every opponent is strong. The fight is not easy. But we have to take up the challenge to do something good. Our focus or goal is very clear. We have to prepare with discipline. We have to fight on the field with passion. Keeping in mind the honor of the club, fans and the country. For us, this is not just a competition, but a prestigious stage to showcase our identity and power as a club. We have to make good use of that.’
East Bengal Club’s star female footballers Sangeeta Basfor, Fazila Ekwuaput, Soumya Guguloth, Amina Nababi will take to the field with that in mind and give their best in the competition wearing red and yellow jerseys.
East Bengal matches: Bam Khatun FC (November 17), Yuhan Xiangda W FC (November 20), PFC Nasaf (November 23).