WE League Executive Committee announced that they are considering Japan's bid to host the semi-finals and finals of AFC Women's Champions League, which will start next season.https://t.co/J1KBvofe2O— Wo So JAPAN (@WoSoJAPAN) May 29, 2024
So I forgot about this from the very first post, but this is not how it's going to play out, at least initially - for the first four years of the tournament, byes to the group stage will be determined by the nation's FIFA ranking, and only after that will a proper club ranking be used. So KOR's success to date doesn't matter. If all 22 nations do end up entering a team, that would mean the two clubs through to the group stage this first year would be from JPN (Urawa) and AUS (Melbourne City). For the Korean representative (TBD, and won't be the 2024 champions since their season goes through the end of Sept. and the preliminary stage is to be in Aug.) to get a bye to the group stage, we would need no more than 20 nations to officially enter a team. That's because South Korea is currently 5th among AFC nations in the FIFA ranking but effectively 4th because North Korea isn't one of the 22 initial submitting nations. At most 20 actual entrants means at least 4 spots directly to the group stage. As of right now, it looks like we only have 10 of the 22 nations with a club officially confirmed to enter, though I'm sure at least several more will be announced soon as fall-to-spring leagues finish up.
The Football Association of Malaysia announced that the 2023 National Women's League champions, Sabah will compete in the 2024 AFC Women's Champions League qualifying round which is scheduled to take place from 25 to 31 August 2024. pic.twitter.com/Kcy5h5LwDj— Wosoworld (@karlyboy71) June 8, 2024
The Asian Football Confederation has today announced that their inaugural Women's Champions League will involve clubs from 22 of their 47 member associations with the winners set to earn at least $1.3 million in prize money. For @ForbesSports https://t.co/6i5JvHBflH pic.twitter.com/st58ClT3PO— Asif Burhan (@AsifBurhan) June 14, 2024
List of clubs 1. (JPN) Urawa Red Diamonds 2. (DPK) Naegohyang 3. (AUS) Melbourne City 4. (CHN) Wuhan Jiangda 5. (KOR) HS Red Angels 6. (VIE) Ho Chi Min City 7. (PHI) Kaya FC-Iloilo 8. (TPE) Taichung Blue Whale 9. (THA) tbc* 10. (UZB) PFC Nasaf 11. (MYA) Myawady 12. (IRN) Bam Khatoon 13. (IND) Odisha 14. (JOR) Etihad 15. (HKG) tbc* 16. (LAO) Young Elephants 17. (MAS) Sabah FA 18. (NEP) APF 19. (UAE) Abu Dhabi Country Club 20. (SGP) Lion City Sailors 21. (BHU) RTC 22. (KSA) Al Nassr Club *domestic season still going or not confirmed yet (source)
Congratulations 🎊 to the BGC College who clinched the championship defeating Bangkok 2-1. It was their 6th championship success. BGC will represent Thailand 🇹🇭 in the AFC Women's Champions League. pic.twitter.com/oUH1s4vGkt— Wosoworld (@karlyboy71) July 7, 2024
Official twitter account for AFC Women's Champions League and Asia woso 😮 This Kiko Seike strike for Urawa ♦️#AWCL pic.twitter.com/VsiB8YPfmb— AFC Women’s Football (@TheAWCL) July 2, 2024
The group stage will be played from 6 to 12 October 2024. Teams in each group play one another in a centralised single round-robin format in each group. The top two finishers in each group, together with the two best third-placed teams, will advance to the knockout stage. (hosts) - Wuhan Jiangda (A), College of Asian Scholars (B), Ho Chi Minh City (C) The preliminary stage will be played from 25 to 31 August 2024. Teams in each group play one another in a centralised single round-robin format in each group. Preliminary stage group winners advance to Group Stage. (hosts) - Al Nassr (A), Etihad (B), Sabah FA (C), Royal Thimphu College FC (D)
New FIFPRO Asia/Oceania report assesses experience of women’s players in Asian club competition Report identifies challenges facing women’s players participating in Asian club competition FIFPRO Asia/Oceania provides three recommendations to enhance competitions Report launched ahead of inaugural AFC Women’s Champions League, commencing Sunday 25 August FIFPRO Asia/Oceania has today released a report assessing players’ experiences during the 2023/24 AFC Women’s Club Championship (AWCC). The report, Lessons from the AFC Women’s Club Championship (in PDF format), gathers insights from 88 players from the eight clubs who competed in last season’s invitational tournament. The competition served as a pilot for the 2024/25 AFC Women’s Champions League, which begins on Sunday. The report provides a comprehensive overview of players’ careers, profiles, and experiences in Asia’s continental club competition. It also examines key aspects such as professional status, remuneration and working conditions. Additionally, the report analyses the AWCC format, scheduling, finances, and the 2024 AWCC final, offering valuable insights ahead of the AFC Women’s Champions League's inaugural season. Key Findings Less than two-thirds (62%) of players identified as professional players; Less than half earned over USD 10,000 annually from football; One quarter (25%) indicated football was not their primary source of income; Over half of the players reported that the AWCC disrupted their domestic league schedules last season, with some players facing financial losses due to conflicts with non-football employment; Despite satisfactory accommodation, concerns were raised regarding local transport, high-performance facilities, and overall tournament readiness. 27% rated local transport as poor and 23% reported excessive strain from the tournament format. Commenting on the report’s findings, FIFPRO Asia/Oceania Chair Takuya Yamazaki said: "The report highlights the players’ continued commitment to the development and growth of football across the region, but equally it illustrates the enormous challenges faced by female footballers. "Participating in continental club competitions in Asia significantly impacts players, whether through increased workload, fixture disruption, or challenges in balancing football with other commitments. "The tournament’s schedule and structure must consider the semi-professional status of many female players to minimise disruption and reduce, rather than compound, the financial strain these players are feeling. "The AFC's unilateral decision-making must change to ensure the success of continental competitions. We continue to recommend a genuine partnership between professional footballers, clubs, leagues, and the AFC, which is crucial to unlocking the potential of Asian football." FIFPRO Global and Asia/Oceania board member, former Australia international and 2010 AFC Women’s Player of the Year Kathryn Gill said: "The players share the same interests as the AFC and the broader region in seeking to develop the women’s game across Asia as swiftly as possible. "Whilst the potential of the women’s game in Asia is immense, we must ensure it is developed in a way that is responsive to the lived realities illustrated in this report. This can only occur through establishing a genuine partnership between the AFC, leagues, clubs and players, and not through unilaterally overlaying regulations that are fit for men’s competitions onto female competitions." Key Recommendations A Collaborative Approach to Decision-Making Four out of five footballers (81%) surveyed believe that players should have a greater say in AFC decisions regarding the structure, scheduling, and financial aspects of the competition. Higher Minimum Standards Competition regulations for the AFC Women’s Champions League should safeguard players from substandard conditions while using the tournament's leverage to promote professionalism across the continent. Increased Visibility and Commercial Opportunity With the commercial potential of women’s football rapidly growing, the AFC must invest in increasing the visibility of women’s continental club competitions. The Preliminary Stage of the AFC Women’s Champions League kicks off this Sunday. It features 13 club sides in one group of four teams and three groups of three teams. Bhutan, Jordan, Malaysia, and Saudi Arabia will each host one group. The teams will play in a centralised league format between 25 and 31 August, with the four group winners advancing to the Group Stage.
The stage is set for the final round. Key matches: (31st August) Group A Abu Dhabi Country Club vs. Al Nassr Abu Dhabi needs only a draw, Al Nassr needs to win*** Group B Odisha FC vs. Etihad Club Etihad needs only a draw, Odisha needs to win*** Group C FC Nasaf vs. Sabah FA Nasaf needs only a draw, Sabah needs to win Group D BAM Khatoon FC vs. Kitchee SC BAM Khatoon needs only a draw, Kitchee needs to win*** ***(if tiebraker when equal on points is GD)
Yup, that should be how it works out at least. The tournament regulations give H2H tiebreaks priority over any overall-group tiebreaks, but if the two teams tie in their H2H match and are otherwise tied on points, then overall group stage GD is the next tiebreak up (p.20): https://assets.the-afc.com/download...ns-League-2024_25-Competition-Regulations.pdf
A draw would have been enough for Etihad, but Odisha managed to find the win they needed to advance. Their players from overseas were instrumental to that: Nigerian monumental Center-Back Maryam Ibrahim and Ghanaian FW Jennifer Yeboah, who scored the winning brace. It has to be said, though, that she scored both goals through major blunders by Etihad's defense, especially by their keeper. The Indian side, instead, seemed to have a slightly more competent GK (at least enough to deflect over the bar some dangerous headers). When Etihad temporarily equalized in the 2nd Half, a member of their staff, after running and flailing like mad, even knelt to kiss the ground next to the side-line: it was a little too early for that. I have to say that I may be biased, but "Etihad" sounds like overabundant financial power to me, so, although I know nothing about their women's team, I am not unhappy that they were eliminated...
Abu Dhabi Country Club, Odisha, Sabah and Bam Khatoon advance to group phase AFC Women's Champions League@ameeruszkai @GolazodelGringo@RichJLaverty @RoshanG_K @Lechus79 @ajabbarukPreliminary RoundAbu Dhabi Country Club stun Al Nassr to qualify for the AFC Women's Champions League Group stage Result Al Nassr 0-1 Abu DhabiRekha Poudel 68 pic.twitter.com/SMlUUTYqYc— Wosoworld (@karlyboy71) August 31, 2024
AFC Women's Champions League will be streamed live on youtube AFC Hub (it's geoblocked for Japan, China, India, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and North African countries of Mediteranean Sea and also in Arabian Peninsula). Where to watch outside youtube. Matchday 1 Group A 3rd October Wuhan Jiangda - Abu Dhabi Incheon Red Angels - Sabah FA Group B 6th October Melbourne City - Bam Khatoon FC Kaya FC-IloIlo - College of Asian Scholars Group C 6th October Urawa Red Diamonds - Odisha FC Ho Chi MIn City - Taichung Blue Whale
AFC Womens Champions League starts with an upset as Abu Dhabi beat Wuhan Jiangda 2-1 ! 2 goals at the death within 4 mins (90' and 90'+3) from Naeema Ibrahim. Abu Dhabi - Wuhan Jiangda 2 goals 1 9 total shots 15 3 shots on target 8 5 out of 9 Abu Dhabi total shots - including 2 goals - were made past 88th min