Which clubs will represent India in AFC Champions League 2 2025-26?

The second-tier Asian club football tournament is expected to feature Indian clubs for the 2025-26 season.

The conclusion of the Kalinga Super Cup 2025 has officially cleared the field for two clubs from India, who are going to be participating in the 2025–26 AFC Champions League Two. Ahead of the 22nd edition of Asia’s second-tier club football tournament, organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), Mohun Bagan and FC Goa are going to be playing next season.

A competition which will feature 32 teams in the group stage, Mohun Bagan will be the direct entrant representing India, having won the Indian Super League (ISL) shield championship. On the other hand, FC Goa will be part of the qualifying playoffs after winning the 2025 Kalinga Super Cup.

Here’s how both teams from India have earned a place in the next season’s AFC Champions League Two:

Mohun Bagan

The Mariners will be the direct entrant from India after winning the ISL shield and being crowned the 2024-25 champions. After accumulating 56 points from 24 games, Mohun Bagan qualified for the AFC Champions League Two after a historic campaign.

The 2024-25 season saw them accumulate a historic points total and a record number of clean sheets, with players from India like Vishal Kaith, Subashish Bose and Dippendu Biswas enjoying standout seasons.

The club also made a notable run in the ISL playoffs and also beat Bengaluru FC en route to lifting the ISL title and completing the domestic double. While they failed to win the Kalinga Super Cup after fielding a very young squad of players with some senior players, Jose Molina’s men will be looking to leave an indelible mark in the AFC Champions League Two next season.

FC Goa

The Gaurs will be playing in the qualifying playoffs as India’s representative after winning the 2025 Kalinga Super Cup following their 3-0 triumph over Jamshedpur FC. After beating Gokulam Kerala FC comfortably in the first round courtesy of an Iker Guarrotxena hat-trick, the Gaurs got past Punjab FC in the dying embers of a 2-1 game courtesy of goals from Borja Herrera and Mohammed Yasir.

The semifinals will pit FC Goa against ISL champions Mohun Bagan, with both sides eyeing a historic place in the Final. Despite a nervy start, it was the Gaurs who dumped the Mariners out of the competition courtesy of goals from Brison Fernandes, Borja Herrera and Iker Guarrotxena.

The Gaurs closed out their impressive Kalinga Super Cup campaign in style with a clinical 3-0 win over Jamshedpur FC. Individual brilliance from Dejan Drazic and a fantastic brace from Borja Herrera was enough for the Gaurs to earn a place in the qualifying playoffs as a representative from India in the 2025-26 AFC Champions League Two.

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