Mohun Bagan Super Giant, the reigning Indian Super League (ISL) Shield champions, have been drawn in Group A of the 2024-25 AFC Champions League Two. The draw, conducted at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, pits the Kolkata-based club against Al-Wakrah SC of Qatar, Iran’s Tractor FC, and FC Ravshan of Tajikistan.
Mohun Bagan SG secured their spot in the competition by winning the ISL Shield. They had previously finished third in the 2023-24 AFC Cup Group Stage, failing to qualify for the knockout stage. Their group opponents are also experienced campaigners in Asian football. Al-Wakrah SC qualified by finishing fourth in the 2023-24 Qatar Stars League, making their first appearance in Asian competition since the 2001-02 Asian Club Championship. Tractor FC, the Iranian side, also qualified with a fourth-place finish in the 2023-24 Persian Gulf Pro League, reaching the Round of 16 in the AFC Champions League twice previously. FC Ravshan, the Tajikistani team, secured their place as the runner-up of the 2023 Tajikistan Higher League. They have featured in the AFC Cup four times but never progressed beyond the group stage.
The Champions League Two features 32 clubs, divided into eight groups (four West, four East) with four teams each. The group stage, played in a home-and-away round-robin format from September 17 to December 5, will determine the top two teams from each group who will advance to the Round of 16 in February 2025. The tournament will then continue with the quarterfinals in March, semifinals in April, and culminate in a single-leg final on May 17 next year.
Meanwhile, East Bengal FC, the other Indian club competing in the 2024-25 AFC club competitions, will feature in the 2024-25 AFC Challenge League (third-tier) after losing their Champions League Two qualifying round match to FC Altyn Asyr on Wednesday. The draw for the Challenge League Group Stage will be conducted on August 22.
