In the sweltering heat of Phnom Penh, under the glare of unfamiliar floodlights, a group of young women from East Bengal Women FC’s did what generations of Indian footballers could only dream about they punched their ticket to Asia’s grandest stage.
East Bengal FC’s women’s team, the Moshal Girls, etched their names into history on August 31, 2025, securing a gritty 1-1 draw against Hong Kong’s Kitchee SC in the AFC Women’s Champions League preliminary stage.
It wasn’t flashy, it wasn’t dominant, but it was theirs. Sangita Basfore’s early strike, followed by a wall of resilience to hold off a late Kitchee push, capped off a perfect group run: a 1-0 win over hosts Phnom Penh Crown FC just days earlier, thanks to Fazila Ikwaput’s composed finish. For a club synonymous with men’s football rivalries, this was a quiet revolution one that puts Indian women’s football on the continental map while the men’s game still knocks on the door.
This isn’t just another qualification; it’s the second time an Indian club has reached the main draw of the AFC Women’s Champions League, following Odisha FC’s trailblazing run last season. But for East Bengal, champions of the 2024-25 Indian Women’s League (IWL), it’s a maiden voyage into the unknown.
Coach Anthony Andrews, who has molded this squad with a blend of local grit and international flair, called it “a dream we’ve chased in silence.” The Moshal Girls, backed by the club’s youth academy, represent more than a team they’re a beacon for girls in the bylanes of Salt Lake and beyond, proving that the red-and-gold torch can burn just as bright on the women’s side.
A Tough Road Awaits: Fixtures That Test Fire
The real fireworks start soon. The group stage draw on September 11 in Kuala Lumpur landed East Bengal in Group B—a pool that reads like a who’s who of Asian powerhouses. They’ll face defending champions Wuhan Jiangda FC (China), who host the group and lifted the trophy in the inaugural 2024-25 edition; Bam Khatoon FC (Iran), last season’s quarter-finalists with a reputation for unyielding defense; and PFC Nasaf (Uzbekistan), 16-time domestic queens known for their clinical counters. It’s a gauntlet, no doubt, but one that could forge legends.
The action unfolds from November 17 to 23, 2025, in Wuhan, China, with East Bengal’s slate looking like this on November 17, 2025 Bam Khatoon FC (Iran), second match on November 20, 2025 blockbuster vs hosts and champs crowd pressure will be immense with Wuhan Jiangda FC (China), and the third match on November 23, 2025 with PFC Nasaf (Uzbekistan).
With all matches away in a centralized setup, travel fatigue and jet lag will be foes as much as the opposition.
The format is straightforward: three round-robin games per group, with the top two teams plus the two best third-placers advancing to the knockout rounds in early 2026. For East Bengal, even a point or two would mark progress, but stars like Basfore (fresh off heroics in India’s Asian Cup qualifiers) and Ikwaput (a Ugandan import with two IWL Golden Boots) will need to shine. Keeper Elangbam Panthoi’s reflexes, which denied Kitchee a winner, could be the difference in holding firm against Wuhan’s attacking depth.
As the Moshal Girls step up, eyes will be on more than just the scoreboard. First, the tactical evolution: Andrews’ side thrives on quick transitions and set-piece threats, but facing Bam Khatoon’s physicality and Nasaf’s speed will demand defensive steel they’ve honed in the IWL. Watch for how they adapt to higher pressing and faster paces—lessons from the preliminary stage, where they absorbed pressure like pros.
Player spotlights are a must. Sangita Basfore, the 22-year-old midfielder who’s become a national sensation, embodies the homegrown talent East Bengal nurtures. Pair her with Ikwaput’s finishing nous, and you’ve got a front line that could unsettle anyone on a good day. Then there’s the mental game: Away from Kolkata’s roaring Salt Lake crowds, this is about quiet confidence, cultural adaptation, and turning jet-lagged nerves into fuel.
Broader angles? The visibility boost for women’s football in India. Matches stream live on AFC platforms and Indian broadcasters like Sports 18, potentially drawing eyeballs that the IWL has long craved. And let’s not forget the intangibles nutrition, recovery, even language barriers in a multi-nation squad. If East Bengal navigates these, they won’t just compete; they’ll inspire.
Gains That Echo Far Beyond the Pitch
For East Bengal FC, this is gold dust. The club, already a colossus in Indian football with its men’s teams chasing ISL glory, gains a new dimension: credibility in women’s development. The Moshal Academy, which funnels talents like Basfore into the senior side, gets validated on the biggest stage, attracting sponsors, scouts, and maybe even better funding. A deep run means prize money (group stage guarantees around $100,000, with knockouts adding more) and global exposure think partnerships with Asian brands eyeing India’s growing women’s market.
Zoom out to the country, and it’s a masterstroke at a time when Indian men’s clubs are sidelined from the elite fray. No Indian men’s team graces the 2025-26 AFC Champions League Elite; with the nation’s coefficient languishing outside the top 12 associations, teams like Mohun Bagan and FC Goa are stuck in the secondary Champions League Two. It’s a stark reminder of the gulf men’s squads battle for scraps while the women claim a historic first in the top-tier continental club event.
This qualification elevates India’s AFC women’s ranking, potentially unlocking more slots for future IWL winners and pressuring the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to invest equally. For a nation where women’s football is surging (hello, recent Asian Cup progress), East Bengal’s run spotlights the disparity, fueling calls for parity in resources and visibility. It’s not just points on a coefficient; it’s progress that trickles down to grassroots girls picking up a ball for the first time.
As the November chill sets in Wuhan, East Bengal’s women aren’t just playing for a trophy they’re laying bricks for a foundation. Success here could mean quarter-finals or better, but even a respectable group exit builds invaluable experience: scouting reports, rival tactics, the sheer thrill of competing with the best. Post-tournament, Andrews plans friendlies against regional sides to keep the momentum, while the club eyes bolstering the academy with more international coaches.
For Indian football, the path is clear: Double down on women’s programs. If the Moshal Girls can top a preliminary group in Cambodia, imagine what sustained investment could do. The men’s game has its giants like Bengaluru FC’s past glories, but the women are the future’s spark. As Basfore said after the Kitchee draw, “This is for every girl who dreamed big in a small backyard.” East Bengal’s historic qualification isn’t an endpoint; it’s a launchpad.
Watch this space the red and gold are rising, and they’re taking Indian women’s football with them.
