AFC Women's Champions League
A cast of 12 clubs has been finalised following the conclusion of the Preliminary Stage—which witnessed a record number of participants—on Sunday, ahead of the third edition of the Continent’s premier women’s club tournament.
They will be split into three groups of four clubs each to contest a single round-robin centralised league in November, with eight sides—comprising the three group winners, three group runners-up and two overall best-ranked third placed teams—to advance to the Knockout Stage.
Six clubs have qualified directly—defending champions Naegohyang Women’s FC and the top-ranked quintet of Melbourne City FC, Hwacheon KSPO WFC, INAC Kobe Leonessa, Beijing Jingtan Football Club and Ho Chi Minh City Women’s FC—and are joined by the six group winners from the Preliminary Stage as they set their sights on the ultimate prize.
Five clubs are making their AFC competition debuts: Hwacheon KSPO, Kobe Leonessa, Beijing Jingtan, 4.25 SC and Ayeyawady FC - Women.
The cast has been seeded into four pots and an additional Hosts Pot for the draw based on the AFC Women’s Club Competitions Ranking 2024/25, as follows:
Pot 1: Naegohyang Women’s FC (PRK; Titleholder), Melbourne City FC (AUS; Rank: 1), Hwacheon KSPO WFC (KOR; 2)
Pot 2: INAC Kobe Leonessa (JPN; 3), Beijing Jingtan Football Club (CHN; 4), Ho Chi Minh City Women’s FC (VIE; 5)
Pot 3: Bam Khatoon FC (IRN; 7), Kaya FC-Iloilo (PHI; 9)
Pot 4: 4.25 Sports Club (PRK; 13)
Hosts Pot: East Bengal FC (IND; 11), PFC Nasaf (UZB; 14), Ayeyawady FC - Women (MYA; 15)
The country protection principle will be enforced, meaning that the two DPR Korea clubs—Naegohyang and 4.25 Sports Club—will not be drawn into the same group.
A Knockout Stage draw will be held in December 2026 prior to the commencement of the Quarter-finals, which will be hosted by the top four clubs—the three group winners and best-ranked runner-up—and played in March as single-leg ties.
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