East Bengal FC have been drawn with Hwacheon KSPO WFC, Ho Chi Minh City WFC and 4.25 SC in Group B of the 2026–27 AFC Women’s Champions League. The draw took place at AFC House in Kuala Lumpur on September 3, 2026.
Kolkata to stage the group
Group B will be played in Kolkata from November 1 to 7. The All India Football Federation says this will be the first time the AFC Women’s Champions League is staged in India.
East Bengal open against Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City WFC on November 1, meet South Korea’s Hwacheon KSPO WFC on November 4 and play North Korea’s 4.25 SC on November 7.
A demanding group
East Bengal enter as Indian Women’s League champions. Their opponents are also established domestic champions: Hwacheon KSPO represent South Korea’s WK League, Ho Chi Minh City are Vietnamese champions and 4.25 SC compete at the top level in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
The group therefore presents a substantial test of East Bengal’s ability to compete against different playing styles and deeper continental experience.
How East Bengal qualified
The Kolkata club reached the group stage for the second consecutive season after finishing first in Preliminary Stage Group A in Kota Kinabalu. They placed ahead of Sabah FA, Rovers FC and Rajshahi Stars FC.
The 2026–27 competition has 12 clubs divided into three groups of four. The three group winners, three runners-up and two best third-placed teams will advance to the knockout stage.
Quarter-final format
A separate draw is scheduled for December 2026, with quarter-finals to be played in March 2027. The three group winners and the best-ranked runner-up will host quarter-final matches, according to AIFF’s competition summary.
Opportunity for Indian women’s football
Hosting the group gives East Bengal home support and reduces travel, but it does not reduce the quality of opposition. Strong attendance and professional organisation could help raise the visibility of women’s club football in India.
The tournament will also provide a benchmark for the Indian Women’s League. East Bengal’s results can show where domestic clubs stand in areas such as tempo, squad depth, conditioning and tactical execution.
What happens next
The club has nearly two months to prepare its squad and match plan. Fitness, player registration and competitive preparation will be important before three matches in seven days. The verified schedule provides certainty; claims about likely qualification should wait until the games are played.
