Indian Women's League (IWL) champions Gokulam Kerala will open their campaign in the AFC Women’s Club Championship against home side Sogdiana-W in Qarshi, Uzbekistan on August 23. The Kozhikode-based side will then face Bam Khatoon FC of Iran on August 26. (More Football News)
Gokulam Kerala had also participated in the last edition of the continental pilot tournament last year and had finished third in the four-team event. Six clubs from as many member associations of Asia will feature in the expanded competition which will be held across two regions for the first time.
The competition for East Zone -- with three clubs in the fray -- starts on August 15 in Chonburi in Thailand. The West zone competitions, which will also have three clubs including Gokulam, will begin at the Markaziy Stadium in Qarshi, Uzbekistan from August 20 with the match between Sogdiana-W and Bam Khatoon FC.
The final of the tournament will be played between the two top teams from East and West zones on October 22, the same day of the title clash of the AFC Cup. In the East region, Chonburi in Thailand will host the home side College of Asian Scholars, ISPE WFC from Myanmar, and Taichung Blue Whale from Chinese Taipei.
The AFC Women’s Club Championship – Pilot Tournament spearheads the preparations for the launch of the AFC Women’s Champions League in 2024.
