Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Asian women's football is gearing up for a new chapter with the launch of the preliminary rounds for the first-ever AFC Women’s Champions League, marking the latest step in the Asian Football Confederation's efforts to develop women's football across the continent.

The women’s team of Al-Nassr Club will represent Saudi Arabia, hoping to advance past the preliminary round and compete in the inaugural edition of the tournament. The preliminary matches will take place at Al-Awwal Park.

A total of 13 clubs, divided into four groups, will compete for a spot in the group stage of this historic continental tournament for women, promising to deliver top-tier competition.

The preliminary round matches will be played in a centralized format with a single round-robin league from August 25 to 31.

The top team from each of the four groups in this round will qualify to join the eight clubs that have already secured a spot in the group stage, which will feature three groups, each consisting of four clubs.

With the exception of Iran's Bam Khatoon and Uzbekistan's Nasaf, all clubs participating in the preliminary round will be making their debut at the continental level.

The four teams in Group A will begin their quest for a spot in the group stage in Riyadh, with the opening matches set for Sunday.

Al-Nassr, the two-time Saudi Women’s League champions, will host Myanmar’s Myawady at Al-Awwal Park. Myawady had an unbeaten run in 2023 to claim their first Myanmar Women’s Football League title since 2018, raising their total to three record titles.

At Al-Nassr's stadium, Lao’s Young Elephants, the 2023 Lao Women’s Football League champions, will face Abu Dhabi Club, the first-ever professional women’s team in the UAE and the 2023-2024 UAE Women’s League champions.

The prestigious trophy was unveiled at the official draw ceremony for the preliminary and group stages of this historic 2024-2025 tournament by Kanya Keomany, Chairperson of the AFC Women’s Football Committee, and attended by Japanese icon Mana Iwabuchi.

According to the competition format, the top team from each preliminary group will advance to the group stage. Group B includes Odisha of India, Jordan’s Al-Ittihad, and Singapore’s Lion City. Group C features Uzbekistan’s Nasaf, Malaysia’s Sabah, and Nepal’s APF. The fourth group includes Iran’s Bam Khatoon, Hong Kong’s Kitchee, and Bhutan’s Royal Thimphu College.

The four teams that advance from the preliminary round will secure their places in the group stage, scheduled to take place from October 6 to 12 in a centralized format with a single round-robin league. The groups were determined during the official draw held last month.

Group A will consist of China’s Wuhan, South Korea’s Hyundai Steel, along with the winners of Group C and Group A from the preliminary rounds. Group B includes Australia’s Melbourne City, the Philippines' Kaya, and Thailand’s Ekkamai College, with the Group D winner from the preliminary round joining them. Group C will feature Japan’s Urawa, Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City, and Taiwan’s Taichung, along with the Group B winner from the preliminary round.