Kuala Lumpur, July 3 (IANS) East Bengal FC were drawn alongside Kitchee SC (Hong Kong) and Phnom Penh Crown FC (Cambodia) in Group E of the AFC Women’s Champions League Preliminary Stage, following the draw conducted at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Thursday.

East Bengal, the champions of the 2024-25 Indian Women’s League (IWL), will travel to Cambodia to play the Preliminary Stage, which will be held in a centralised round-robin format from August 25 to 31.

Nineteen clubs from across the continent will play the Preliminary Stage, which features five groups – four groups of four teams each, and one group consisting of three clubs.

The five group winners will advance to the Group Stage, where they will join clubs from the top seven AFC Member Associations in the AFC Women’s Club Competition Rankings 2024-25 – Melbourne City FC (Australia), Suwon FC Women (Korea Republic), Tokyo Verdy Beleza (Japan), defending champions Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC (China), Ho Chi Minh City Women’s FC (Vietnam), Bam Khatoon FC (IR Iran), and a to-be-determined club from the United Arab Emirates.

After the conclusion of the Preliminary Stage, a draw will be conducted in September, to determine how the Group Stage will pan out.

Draw result:

Group A: Stallion Laguna FC (PHI), ISPE WFC (MYA, H), Strykers FC (GUM), Khovd Western FC (MNG)

Group B: College of Asian Scholars (THA), PFC Nasaf (UZB, H), APF FC (NEP), Al Nassr Club (KSA)

Group C: Kelana United FC (MAS, H), Etihad Club (UAE), Lion City Sailors FC (SGP), SDYUSHOR SI – Asiagoal (KGZ)

Group D: Kaohsiung Attackers FC (TPE), Naegohyang Women’s FC (DPR), Master FC (LAO, H), RTC FC (BHU)

Group E: East Bengal FC (IND), Kitchee SC (HKG), Phnom Penh Crown FC (CAM, H)

–IANS

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