Which Indian club have played in AFC Challenge League?
FC Goa set to play the AFC Challenge League.
FC Goa will feature in the AFC Challenge League 2026-27, AFC’s third-tier football competition, after they failed to qualify for the AFC Champions League Two, losing out to FK Arkadag in the Preliminary Stage.
However, this is not the first time that an Indian club will feature in the AFC Challenge League, in fact FC Goa will be the second Indian club to feature in the AFC Challenge League.
The AFC Challenge League, despite being the third-tier AFC football competition, holds great significance as it is a stage where clubs from across Asia can test themselves and prove their worth at the continental level.
In this article, we will take a look at the Indian club that featured in the AFC Challenge League before FC Goa.
East Bengal represented India in inaugural AFC Challenge League
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East Bengal FC became the first Indian club to feature in the AFC Challenge League. Under the leadership of Oscar Bruzon, the Torchbearers managed to reach the quarterfinals of the tournament in the 2024-25 season.
The Red and Gold Brigade drew their first game against Bhutan’s Paro FC and later went on to defeat Basundhara Kinga and Nejmeh SC to book their spot in the knockout rounds of the AFC Challenge League.
East Bengal FC topped Group A with seven points under their belt and displayed a good brand of football.
However, things didn’t go East Bengal’s way in the quarterfinals against FK Arkadag, where the Torchbearers lost to FK Arkadag 3-1 on aggregate and bowed out of the tournament.
FC Goa are set for the AFC Challenge League
FC Goa lost 0-3 to FK Arkadag in the AFC Champions League Two 2026-27 Preliminary Stage at the Arkadag Stadium, meaning the Gaurs will now compete in the AFC Challenge League 2026-27, the third-tier of Asian club football.
The Gaurs will be the second Indian club to feature in the AFC Challenge League 2026-27 season, after East Bengal FC represented India in the inaugural edition.
Despite the AFC Challenge League being the third-tier competition, it will not at all be easy for the Gaurs. FC Goa will need to maintain their focus and give their best to do good in the AFC Challenge League.
Which Indian club have played in the AFC Challenge League?
East Bengal FC became the first Indian club to compete in the AFC Challenge League, featuring in the inaugural 2024-25 edition.
Where will FC Goa play at the continental stage in the 2026-27 season?
FC Goa will compete in the AFC Challenge League 2026-27.
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Rohit Mistri is a sports journalist from Kolkata with over two years of experience in the field. He has extensively covered Indian football, including major tournaments such as the Calcutta Football League and the Indian Super League. His work spans on-ground reporting, match coverage, and in-depth storytelling, along with interviews of prominent sporting personalities. Rohit brings strong communication skills and a deep passion for sports narratives to everything he writes.