Which teams have qualified for the AFC Champions League 2 group stage?

Mohun Bagan and FC Goa will represent India in AFC Champions League 2 group stage.

With FC Goa sealing their spot in the AFC Champions League 2 group stage, excitement in Indian Football is at an all-time high. For the first time, two Indian clubs — Mohun Bagan Super Giant and FC Goa — will compete together in Asia’s second-tier continental competition, raising hopes of a deep run.

The group stage draw, set for August 15, will reveal their path to glory and the formidable opponents they must face. From powerhouse Middle Eastern clubs to strong East Asian sides, the challenge will be immense. Yet, the opportunity to chase continental silverware has never felt more real.

Take a look at the teams that have qualified for the AFC Champions League 2. Mohun Bagan Super Giant and FC Goa will represent India at the continental stage! The draw is scheduled for tomorrow at 12.30 PM IST!#IndianFootball #AFC pic.twitter.com/UnVZhvYkX9

— Khel Now (@KhelNow) August 14, 2025

Also Read: AFC Champions League Two group stage draw Live: Follow Live Updates

With two representatives and the draw set to happen soon, let’s look at the teams that the Indian sides will have to overcome in their quest to bring a continental silverware to the country.

AFC Champions league 2 West Region Teams

FC Goa

Indian side FC Goa gained entry in AFC Champions League 2 after gaining victory in the playoffs against 2022 AFC Cup winners Al Seeb in a tough and competitive match. The victory allowed Goa to join the tournament proper as the second Indian side, having clinched the Super Cup title last season in India.

Al- Nassr

The most popular team in the draw, and by a large margin, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr will take part in the AFC Champions League 2 after finishing third in the 2024-25 Saudi Pro League. With new signings like Inigo Martinez and Kingsley Coman to bolster their structure, Al Nassr will be one of the favourites of the competition.

Al- Wehdat

Al-Wehdat is making their 14th appearance in the AFC Champions League 2 , and has reached the Semifinals three times and the Zonal Semifinals twice. The Jordanian Cup Winners reached the Round of 16 last time, losing out to Shabab Al-Ahli with an aggregate score of 3-6.

Al-Hussein

Jordanian Pro League Champions Al-Hussein are a silent favourite to win it all. They reached the Round of 16 last year in the AFC Champions League 2 before bowing out to eventual winners Sharjah on penalties after the aggregate score finished 1-1

Al-Zawraa

Iraqi team Al-Zawraa is one of the more experienced sides in this competition, having played six times in the second tier of Asian football. They qualify after finishing second in the Iraq Stars League. Their best ever finish in the competition was the Zonal Semifinals in the 2017 season, which they will look to improve this time around.

Al-Muharraq

The only team on the list to have won this AFC Champions League 2 before, Muharraq qualified after finishing as the champions of the football league in Bahrain. The two-time AFC Cup winners will look to join Al-Quwa Al-Jawaiya and Kuwait SC as three time winners this time around.

Al-Khadiya

The second team from Bahrain, Al-Khadiya won the 2024-25 Bahraini King’s Cup. They had unfortunately missed out on the league title by six points to Al-Muharraq, but nevertheless will be looking to be a contender with their strong play.

Andijon

Uzbekistan Cup winners Andijon will be making their first appearance in the AFC Champions League 2 this season. They will be looking to emulate Nasaf Qarshi’s victory in 2011 and get another silverware for the Uzbeks.

Al Ahli

2024-25 Qatar Stars League fourth place finish ended up giving Al Ahli a spot in the ACL 2 group stage. The star-studded squad will look to pose a stern challenge and clinch their first continental trophy this season.

Al Wasl

Al-Wasl is making their first appearance in the second tier of the AFC Club Competitions. They had previously made three appearances in the AFC Champions League, crashing out of the group stage all three times. They will be hoping that their luck will change in the AFC Champions League 2 this time around.

Istiklol

Tajikistan powerhouses Istiklol will be looking to make their 8th appearance count. Last season, they had a disappointing campaign as they finished last in their group, without a single point and scoring just one goal in the six matches they played.

Sepahan

Iranian side Sepahan join the AFC Champions League 2 as part of two teams that were demoted from the ACL Elite after losing their qualification playoffs to Qatari side Al-Duhail. The 2024-25 Persian Gulf Pro League Runners-Up will, however,  be one of the stronger sides in the tie and thereby will have hopes of clinching the title.

Esteghlal

Iran’s second representative Esteghlal is making their first appearance in the second tier of the Asian Club competitions. They had won the Champions League twice in 1970 and 1991, and will look to add one more trophy to that list this time around.

Arkadag

Turkmenistan League and Cup winners Arkadag could easily be one of the dark horses of the tournament. The powerhouses did a treble last year, winning the AFC Challenge Cup, Yokary Liga and the Turkmenistan Cup. They won the league with a one-hundred per cent winning record, finishing with 90 points in thirty matches. They currently have 17 wins in 17 matches in the league this season.

Ahal

Turkmentistan has dual representation this time around. Ahal joins the ranks of the AFC Champions League 2 after a fighting victory over Tajikistan side Regar-TadAZ Tursunzoda. The 2-1 victory was enough for the Yokary Liga runners-up to make their sixth appearance in the competition. 

Mohun Bagan

The other Indian side will be a force to be reckoned with in the competition. Mohun Bagan SG has been quietly dominating the Indian footballing landscape, with two league titles in the last two years. The dominant Kolkata side will look to do well in the group stage and prove their mettle in the knockouts.

East Region Teams

Macarthur FC

Macarthur FC is Australia’s only representative this season in the AFC CL 2. This will be the Australian Cup winners second appearance in the competition, after having reached the Zonal Finals in 2023-24 before losing to fellow Australian team Central Coast Mariners.

Ratchaburi

Thailand has three representatives in the competition this season with Thai League 1 fourth placed Ratchaburi being one of them. This is Ratchaburi’s first appearance in the AFC Champions League 2 and they will be looking to make the most of it.

BG Pathum United

Another Thai team that is making a debut in the competition is Pathum United. The team finished above Ratchaburi in the Thai First Division League, gaining automatic entry to the second tier of Asian Football.

Bangkok United

The second team to drop from the ACL Elite playoffs, Bangkok United has been quietly improving. They have had three consecutive runner-up finishes in the league, the last of which allowed them qualification to the ACL Elite Playoffs. The Angels are a potent threat and will look to spearhead the triple-headed Thai contingent.

Gamba Osaka

One of three teams in the entire draw to have won a continental tournament, 2008 AFC Champions League winners Gamba Osaka qualified for the AFC Champions League 2 campaign this season after a disappointing fourth place finish in Japan’s Football League. They will be one of the stronger teams and the trophy is well within their sites

Tampine Rovers

Singaporean giants Tampine Rovers earned qualification after claiming the runner-up spot in the Singapore Premier League last season. They are the most experienced side in the draw, having made 16 appearances in the competition.

Lion City Sailors

The other Singaporean side is the Lion City sailors, who won the League and the Cup last season. They are making their 12th appearance in the tournament and will be looking to take the next step after losing in the final last year to Sharjah in the last stage of regulation.

Eastern

One of Hong Kong’s two representatives, Eastern had a forgettable last season in the continental competition, finishing last in the group stages with just three points from  six matches. Easter gained qualification by winning their second consecutive Hong Kong FA Cup last season.

Tai Po

Tai Po won the Hong Kong Premier League by two points last season to gain qualification to the competition. This will be the side’s third appearance in the ACL 2, having reached the Group stage twice but failed to qualify to the knockouts both times.

Cong An Ha Noi

Similar to Hong Kong, Vietnam also has two representatives in the AFC Champions League 2. Cong An Ha Noi earned qualification by winning the cup competition last season, thereby making their debut in ACL 2.

Nam Dinh

Nam Dinh are the current V League 1 champions and are making a second consecutive appearance in the competition. They reached the Round of 16 in their debut competition, before losing in a one-sided affair to Sanfrecce Hiroshima. Improvement will be in the back of their minds this time around.

Selangor

Malaysian side Selangor are the only Malaysian side in this year’s ACL 2 competition. They will be making their 7th appearance in the competition after having finished as the runner-up in the 2024-25 Malaysian Super League to Johor Darul Ta’zim

Beijing Guoan

Chinese team Beijing Guoan earned qualification after finishing fourth in the Chinese Super League last season. Guoan will be making their first appearance in the competition.

Pohang Steelers

Korean FA Cup winners from last year, Pohang Steelers will be the sole representative from South Korea in the competition. Similar to Beijing Guoan, the Steelers are also making their first appearance in the AFC Champions League 2.

Kaya – Iloilo

Philippine side Kaya Iloilo, crashed out of the AFC Champions League 2 group stage last year. They will be making their sixth appearance in the competition this time and will look to reach the knockout stages and more, and improve on their Round of 16 finish in 2016.

Persib

The Indonesian side is the third side to have come through the playoffs, having achieved initial qualification courtesy of winning the Indonesian Premier League last season. They ousted Philippines side Manila Diggers with a score of 2-1 to ensure their participation in AFC Champions League 2.

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