Now Reading: East Bengal drawn with Al Hussein, Al Shorta, Al Seeb in AFC CL Two group
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East Bengal drawn with Al Hussein, Al Shorta, Al Seeb in AFC CL Two group
East Bengal FC has been placed in Group D of the AFC Champions League Two 2026-27 alongside Jordan's Al Hussein, Iraq's Al Shorta, and Oman's Al Seeb, the draw announced on August 18. This marks the Kolkata club's ninth appearance in Asia's second-tier club competition and its first since 2015, when the tournament was known as the AFC Cup.
The Indian Super League champions booked their group-stage berth with a dramatic 4-1 extra-time win over Kuwait's Al-Arabi SC last Wednesday. Al-Arabi led from a 75th-minute penalty, but Jay Gupta equalised in the 90th minute. Mohammed Rashid, David Lalhlansanga, and Rohit Danu scored in extra time to complete the comeback.
East Bengal will play each opponent twice in a double-round robin format. The group stage runs from September 15 to December 9, 2026. The knockout rounds begin with the round of 16 in February 2027, leading to the final on May 15, 2027.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Both Sportstar and NDTV frame East Bengal's group as difficult, but neither outlet acknowledges that the club has not advanced past the group stage since 2013. Sportstar emphasises the club's historic return to the competition, while NDTV focuses on the intensity of the challenge. The media's balanced coverage overlooks East Bengal's current squad strength relative to opponents like Al Hussein, who have recent continental experience. What to watch is the group stage opener on September 15, 2026, to see if Kolkata's revamped lineup can break the quarterfinal drought.
Sources (2): sportstar.thehindu.com, sports.ndtv.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above. Methodology and corrections.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
