East Bengal to face Rajshahi Stars in AFC Women’s Champions League preliminary round in Kota Kinabalu on August 17, 2026
East Bengal FC will open their AFC Women’s Champions League preliminary-stage campaign against Bangladesh’s Rajshahi Stars FC at Likas Stadium in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia on Monday, August 17, 2026, with kickoff scheduled for 13:30 IST. The fixture is part of the 2026-27 preliminary round of the continental competition.
East Bengal arrive as reigning Indian champions after winning the Indian Women’s League (IWL) 2025-26 season, and the club’s squad — nicknamed the Moshal Girls — will seek progression into the main phase of the AFC Women’s Champions League. Rajshahi Stars are Bangladesh’s league winners and completed their domestic campaign unbeaten, recording 10 successive victories to secure the title.
East Bengal will travel to Kota Kinabalu with a squad that includes 18 national players, but manager Anthony Andrews will be without forwards Fazila Ikwaput and Resty Nanziri for the opener. Defender Abena Opoku is absent as she is with the Ghana national team, and Soumya Guguloth remains in recovery and will not feature for the Red & Gold.
Rajshahi Stars will also be missing a key player: Bangladesh international Ritu Porna Chakma will not be available because of issues with her International Transfer Certificate. The Rajshahi side are identified in the draw as a Bangladesh Premier League outfit and will begin their Asian campaign without her.
Among East Bengal’s nationally capped players named in the squad are Afeida Khandaker, Rupna Chakma, Alpi Akter, Sauravi Akanda Prity and Sheuli Azim, providing the club’s spine as they contest the preliminary stage. Anthony Andrews has limited familiarity with Rajshahi Stars as an opponent, according to the club’s pre-match notes.
Viewers in India can watch East Bengal’s AFC Women’s Champions League 2026-27 preliminary-stage matches on FanCode. For additional coverage and updates, Khel Now directs readers to its Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube channels and to its Android and iOS apps, as well as its WhatsApp and Telegram communities.
The match between East Bengal FC and Rajshahi Stars FC is East Bengal’s opening fixture in the AFC Women’s Champions League preliminary stage; kickoff is confirmed for 13:30 IST on Monday, August 17, 2026, at Likas Stadium, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.
Rohit Mistri is a sports journalist from Kolkata with over two years of experience in the field. He has extensively covered Indian football, including major tournaments such as the Calcutta Football League and the Indian Super League.
