Which clubs have had both men’s and women’s teams qualify in AFC club competitions in same season?

East Bengal men’s and women’s team all set to represent India in 2026-27 Asian club competitions

For any football franchise, it is the highest honour to represent their country in the topmost level of continental football. From Bengaluru FC reaching AFC Cup Finals in 2016 to East Bengal winning the ASEAN Club Championship in 2023, Indian clubs had their fair share of chances.

Since 2021, even women’s teams from India have gone on to compete in the AFC women’s competitions and in their maiden attempt, Gokulam Kerala women’s team managed to clinch a bronze medal in the AFC Women’s Club Championship in 2021.

But hardly a few franchises had the honour of having both their men’s and women’s teams in the AFC club competitions in the same season. After all, that requires a lot of effort, investment in women’s football and too many permutations to be in order.

In this article, we take a look at the list of clubs that went on to create history when both their men’s and women’s teams qualified for the AFC Club competitions.

Gokulam Kerala FC (2022-23 Season)

Gokulam Kerala women’s team

The most successful team in the history of IWL, Gokulam Kerala, were coming after winning consecutive IWL Trophies, and after their triumph in the 2021-22 IWL season, they automatically booked their berth in the AFC Women’s Club Championship for the second edition.

In the previous edition, which marked their debut in the competition, they went on to clinch a bronze medal. However, FIFA handed down a ban to India. The team actually travelled to Uzbekistan and was ready to play. However, because FIFA suspended the All India Football Federation for third-party interference, the team had to return without playing any minutes.

Gokulam Kerala men’s team

The Gokulam Kerala men’s team also won the 2021-22 I League under Italian gaffer Vincenzo Alberto. It was for the first time that both men’s and women’s teams of any club qualified for the AFC Club competitions in the same season.

Unfortunately, both Indian sides, Gokulam and Mohun Bagan, were drawn in the same group, and despite Gokulam thrashing Mohun Bagan in the opening game, they lost against Basundhara and Maziya, leaving them at the bottom of the table.

East Bengal FC (2025-26 Season)

East Bengal FC women’s team

In the 2024-25 IWL Season, East Bengal’s women’s team went on to lift their maiden IWL title and secured their first-ever continental spot in the AFC Women’s Champions League 2025-26. They were drawn alongside Wuhan Jiangda of China, Nasaf of Uzbekistan and Bam Khatoon of Iran.

In their first game in AWCL, goals from Ikwaput, Hemam and Nanziri saw them cruising past the Iranian outfit to win the game 3-1. But defeats in the next two games saw them failing to make it to the knockout stage after being behind Nasaf by just a solitary point.

East Bengal FC men’s team

After a defeat to Turkmen outfit Altyn Asyr in the ACL 2 Qualifiers, East Bengal were drawn alongside Nejmeh of Lebanon, Paro of Bhutan and Basundhara Kings of Bangladesh. The Red and Gold Brigade topped their group after winning two of their three games.

In the quarterfinals, they faced another Turkmen outfit, Arkadag, who defeated them 1-0 and 2-1 in the two-legged game. That defeat ended East Bengal’s campaign in Asia, and eventually, Arkadag went on to become the champions of the AFC Challenge League that season.

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