emirates7 - The journey to triumph in the AFC Women’s Champions League 2025/26 will officially begin this Thursday, when the draw for the Preliminary Stage takes place at 3 PM at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Marking its second season, the tournament continues its mission to elevate women’s football across Asia, now welcoming a record number of 26 participating clubs—five more than the previous edition.
Of these, 19 clubs will kick off their campaigns in the Preliminary Stage. Notably, five Member Associations (MAs) will make their debut in continental women’s club football: Cambodia, the Republic of Korea, Guam, Kyrgyzstan, and Mongolia.
The draw will organize the 19 teams into five groups—four groups of four teams and one group of three. These matches will follow a centralised league format and take place from August 23 to 31. Only the winner of each group will progress to the Group Stage.
The five group winners will then join seven direct entrants—top-ranked teams in the AFC Women’s Club Competition Ranking 2024/25: Melbourne City FC (Australia), Abu Dhabi sports team (UAE), Suwon FC Women (Korea), Tokyo Verdy Beleza (Japan), reigning champions Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC (China), Ho Chi Minh City Women’s FC (Vietnam), and Bam Khatoon FC (Iran)—forming a 12-team Group Stage lineup.
Among the 19 teams in the Preliminary Stage, 10 will make their AFC competition debut: Kaohsiung Attackers FC, Stallion Laguna FC, East Bengal FC, Kelana United FC, Naegohyang Women’s FC, Master FC, Strykers FC, Phnom Penh Crown FC, Khovd Western FC, and SDYUSHOR SI – Asiagoal.
The teams have been seeded into four main pots based on the AFC Women’s Club Competition Ranking 2024/25 (issued May 26), along with a separate pot for host clubs:
Pot 1:
Kaohsiung Attackers FC (TPE, Rank 8)
Stallion Laguna FC (PHI, Rank 9)
College of Asian Scholars (THA, Rank 10)
East Bengal FC (IND, Rank 11)
Pot 2:
Naegohyang Women’s FC (PRK, Rank 13)
Etihad Club (JOR, Rank 16)
Kitchee SC (HKG, Rank 17)
Pot 3:
APF FC (NEP, Rank 19)
Strykers FC (GUM, Rank 22)
Lion City Sailors FC (SGP, Rank 23)
Pot 4:
Khovd Western FC (MNG, Rank 25)
Al Nassr Club (KSA, Rank 26)
SDYUSHOR SI – Asiagoal (KGZ, Rank 29)
RTC FC (BHU, Rank 33)
Hosts Pot:
Kelana United FC (Malaysia)
PFC Nasaf (Uzbekistan)
ISPE WFC (Myanmar)
Master FC (Laos)
Phnom Penh Crown FC (Cambodia)
After the Preliminary Stage, a separate draw in September will determine the group compositions for the Group Stage. The main tournament action is scheduled to resume in November, promising more thrilling women’s club football at the continental level.
Marking its second season, the tournament continues its mission to elevate women’s football across Asia, now welcoming a record number of 26 participating clubs—five more than the previous edition.
Of these, 19 clubs will kick off their campaigns in the Preliminary Stage. Notably, five Member Associations (MAs) will make their debut in continental women’s club football: Cambodia, the Republic of Korea, Guam, Kyrgyzstan, and Mongolia.
The draw will organize the 19 teams into five groups—four groups of four teams and one group of three. These matches will follow a centralised league format and take place from August 23 to 31. Only the winner of each group will progress to the Group Stage.
The five group winners will then join seven direct entrants—top-ranked teams in the AFC Women’s Club Competition Ranking 2024/25: Melbourne City FC (Australia), Abu Dhabi sports team (UAE), Suwon FC Women (Korea), Tokyo Verdy Beleza (Japan), reigning champions Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC (China), Ho Chi Minh City Women’s FC (Vietnam), and Bam Khatoon FC (Iran)—forming a 12-team Group Stage lineup.
Among the 19 teams in the Preliminary Stage, 10 will make their AFC competition debut: Kaohsiung Attackers FC, Stallion Laguna FC, East Bengal FC, Kelana United FC, Naegohyang Women’s FC, Master FC, Strykers FC, Phnom Penh Crown FC, Khovd Western FC, and SDYUSHOR SI – Asiagoal.
The teams have been seeded into four main pots based on the AFC Women’s Club Competition Ranking 2024/25 (issued May 26), along with a separate pot for host clubs:
Pot 1:
Kaohsiung Attackers FC (TPE, Rank 8)
Stallion Laguna FC (PHI, Rank 9)
College of Asian Scholars (THA, Rank 10)
East Bengal FC (IND, Rank 11)
Pot 2:
Naegohyang Women’s FC (PRK, Rank 13)
Etihad Club (JOR, Rank 16)
Kitchee SC (HKG, Rank 17)
Pot 3:
APF FC (NEP, Rank 19)
Strykers FC (GUM, Rank 22)
Lion City Sailors FC (SGP, Rank 23)
Pot 4:
Khovd Western FC (MNG, Rank 25)
Al Nassr Club (KSA, Rank 26)
SDYUSHOR SI – Asiagoal (KGZ, Rank 29)
RTC FC (BHU, Rank 33)
Hosts Pot:
Kelana United FC (Malaysia)
PFC Nasaf (Uzbekistan)
ISPE WFC (Myanmar)
Master FC (Laos)
Phnom Penh Crown FC (Cambodia)
After the Preliminary Stage, a separate draw in September will determine the group compositions for the Group Stage. The main tournament action is scheduled to resume in November, promising more thrilling women’s club football at the continental level.