However, the Indian club progressed to the last eight as one of the two best third-placed teams across the three groups. East Bengal FC suffered a 2-0 defeat against North Korean side 4.25 SC in their final Group B fixture of the AFC Women’s Champions League 2026-27 in Kolkata on Saturday but secured a historic place in the quarter-finals, according to Olympics.com. The result at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan left East Bengal third in Group B with three points and a goal difference of -4.
Under the tournament format, the top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-placed sides, qualify for the quarter-finals. Uzbekistan’s Nasaf finished as the best third-placed team with six points, while East Bengal and Group A’s Ayeyawady of Myanmar were tied on three points. With this achievement, East Bengal became the first Indian club to reach the quarter-finals of the AFC Women’s Champions League. East Bengal pushed forward in the closing stages in search of a goal but failed to breach the North Korean side’s organised defence. Despite the defeat, the Indian club’s qualification marked a significant milestone in its continental campaign.
East Bengal secured qualification due to their superior goal difference of -4 compared to Ayeyawady’s -6. The last-eight matches are scheduled to take place in March 2027, with the draw set for December 2026.
