TEHRAN - Iranian club Bam Khatoon were drawn alongside Kitchee SC from Hong Kong, and Bhutan’s Royal Thimphu College in Group B of the preliminary stage of the 2024/25 AFC Women's Champions League.

The Iranian team will travel to Bhutan to play in the preliminary stage, which will be held in a centralized league format from August 25 to 31.

Thirteen sides will contest the preliminary stage, which features four groups – one group of four teams and three groups of three. The four group winners will qualify for the 12-team group stage, joining the other eight clubs that have qualified directly.

The group stage comprises three groups of four teams and will also be contested in a centralized league format from October 6 to 12.

Clubs were seeded and placed in pots for the draw according to their respective member association rankings, based on the FIFA women's world ranking (as of March 15, 2024).

The top two finishers of each group and the two best third-placed sides will progress to the quarterfinals, to be played on March 22 and 23, 2025.

A knockout stage draw will be conducted prior to the quarterfinals to determine the four pairings, which will be contested in a single-leg format, with the higher-ranked team of each tie to serve as the home side.

This will be followed by a centralized finals, which will see the semi-finals and final – all single-leg ties – being played out from May 21 to 24, 2025, to determine the first ever champions of the tournament.

Preliminary Stage

Group A: Myawady Women Football Club (MYA), Young Elephants FC (LAO), Abu Dhabi Country Club (UAE), Al Nassr Club (KSA (H)

Group B: Odisha Football Club (IND), Lion City Sailors FC (SGP), Etihad Club (JOR (H)

Group C: PFC Nasaf (UZB), Sabah FA (MAS (H), APF Football Club (NEP)

Group D: Bam Khatoon FC (IRN), Kitchee SC (HKG), Royal Thimphu College FC (BHU (H)