Who are East Bengal FC's AFC Champions League Two Opponents?
The Red and Gold Army thrashed Al-Arabi 4-1 to qualify for the Group Stage
East Bengal FC are set to represent India in the AFC Champions League Two (ACL 2), as the only men’s team to be playing on the continental stage in the 2026/27 season. After winning the qualifier on August 12th, 2026, they have now been placed in Group D of the competition.
Having just beaten their arch-rivals Mohun Bagan in the Durand Cup 2026 final, matching the Mariners’ Durand Cup crown tally of a staggering 17, the Red and Golds are in very high spirits. They will be hoping to take this momentum onto the Asian stage, where they play their first match on September 17.
In this article, we take a deeper look at the club profiles of their opponents in Group D – Al-Hussein, Al-Shorta, and Al-Seeb.
Al Hussein (Jordan)
Catch Every Update, Anytime, Anywhere
Al Hussein has been the strongest team from Jordan in recent history, winning three of the last four Jordan Pro League titles. The Irbid-based team has also managed to reach the knockout stages of the competition in their last two attempts, losing to Al Ahli in the Quarterfinal in 2025-26.
Five players from Al Hussein featured for Jordan in the FIFA World Cup 2026. The squad has, however, undergone an overhaul with seven new players signed and have lost their top scorer from last season – Sisa, to the Algerian Ligue-1.
With three new centre forwards to pick from, it will be interesting to see how quickly Al-Hussein find rhythm with new faces. For East Bengal, they must try and strike while the iron is still hot against this formidable side.
Al-Shorta (Iraq)
Al-Shorta is one of the oldest and most prestigious clubs from Iraq. Based in Baghdad, the club has won 8 Iraqi top-flight league titles and has been around since 1932. “The Harp”, as the team is often called, won four consecutive Iraq Stars League before finally falling short and finishing runners up in the 2025-26 season.
Mohanad Ali, one of the brightest talents to have come out of Iraq in recent years, plies his trade for Al-Shorta. Having scored a staggering 79 goals for the club in 141 games, averaging more than one goal in every two matches.
The 26-year-old striker will be the man for East Bengal’s defense to look out for, as he marks his return to The Harp after a season away in the UAE First Division League.
Al-Seeb (Oman)
Al-Seeb has won the last three Oman Professional League titles, a streak they will look to extend this season. They won the AFC Cup, the former equivalent of the ACL 2 in 2022, so they have experience of performing on the continental stage.
Al-Seeb has faced an Indian opponent in the past – FC Goa in 2025, where they fell short against the Gaurs. East Bengal will be hoping to replicate their fellow Indian outfit’s success against the Omani team.
Which competition will East Bengal FC play in during the 2026/27 season?
East Bengal FC will represent India in the AFC Champions League Two (ACL 2) during the 2026/27 season.
Who are East Bengal FC’s opponents in Group D?
The Red and Gold Army will face Al-Hussein of Jordan, Al-Shorta of Iraq and Al-Seeb of Oman.
For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.