New Delhi: Odisha FC will face Jordan’s Etihad Club and Lion City Sailors FC of Singapore in the preliminary stage of the inaugural AFC Women’s Champions League.
The Indian side were drawn in Group B in the draw conducted in AFC’s headquarters of Kuala Lumpur on Thursday.
Odisha qualified for the top-tier continental tournament after becoming the champions of the 2023-24 Indian Women’s League.
They will have to travel to Jordan to participate in its preliminary stage that will be staged in a centralised league format from August 25 to 31.
A total of 13 teams will be divided into four groups – one group will consist of four teams and three groups will have three – in the preliminary stage.
The four group winners will qualify for the 12-team group stage, joining the other eight clubs that have qualified directly.
The group topper of the preliminary stage will qualify for the group stage and if Odisha advance they will take a place in Group C alongside Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies, Chinese Taipei’s Taichung Blue Whale, and Ho Chi Minh City Women’s FC of Vietnam.
A total of 12 teams broken up in three groups will compete in the group stage that will be held in a centralised league format from October 6 to 12.
The draw was held according to FIFA’s world ranking as of March 15, 2024, with teams seeded and placed in the draw as per their countries ranking.
According to the format, the top two sides of each group and two best third-placed teams will move to the quarter-finals, which will be played on March 22 and 23, 2025.
The quarter-finals will be single leg affairs with ranking determining who will host the match. The draw for the knockouts will be held before the quarters to conform the four pairings.
The single leg semi-finals and final will be held in a centralised venue and would be rolled put from May 21 to 24, 2025.
Odisha FC were drawn in Group B in the draw conducted in AFC’s headquarters of Kuala Lumpur on Thursday. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
