Indian football clubs have entered several Asian football competitions since the 1960s.[1] The Asian Champion Club Tournament started in 1967, but there was no Indian representative during that inaugural season. Indian teams have participated every year in Asia, except for the early years between the 1990s and early 2000s.[2]
Slots for Asian competitions
| Competition | Slots | Teams |
|---|---|---|
| Men's | ||
| AFC Champions League Two Group Stage | Indian Super League champion | 1 |
| AFC Champions League Two Qualifier | AIFF Super Cup champion | 1 |
| Women's | ||
| AFC Women's Champions League Qualifier | Indian Women's League champion | 1 |
| SAFF Club Women's Championship | 1 | |
AFC competitions record
AFC Champions League Elite/AFC Champions League/Asian Club Championship/Asian Champion Club Tournament
1 Santosh Trophy winners entered tournament.
2 Federation Cup winners entered tournament.
| Year | Team | Progress | Score | Opponents | Venue(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990–91 | Mohun Bagan | First Round | 0–5 | Template:Flagicon Dalian | 0–1 in First leg 0–4 in Second leg |
| 1991–92 | East Bengal | Quarterfinals | 1–7 | Template:Flagicon Nissan | 1–3 in First leg 0–4 in Second leg |
| 1992–93 | Mohammedan | First Round | w/o1 | Template:Flagicon Fanja | Withdrew |
| 1993–94 | East Bengal | Second Round | 1–5 | Template:Flagicon South China | 0–1 in First leg 1–4 in Second leg |
| 1994–95 | East Bengal | First Round | w/o2 | Template:Flagicon Telephone Org. Thailand | 1–4 in First leg Withdrew after first leg |
| 1995–96 | East Bengal | Second Round | 2–3 | Template:Flagicon New Radiant | 0–3 in First leg 2–0 in Second leg |
| 1996–97 | None Entered | ||||
| 1997–98 | East Bengal | Second Round | 3–5 | Template:Flagicon Verdy Kawasaki | 2–5 in First leg 1–0 in Second leg |
| 1998–99 | Salgaocar | First Round | 1–4 | Template:Flagicon Beijing Guoan | 1–0 in First leg 0–4 in Second leg |
| 1999–2000 | None Entered | ||||
| 2000–01 | |||||
| 2001–02 | |||||
1 Mohammedan withdrew.
2 East Bengal withdrew after first leg.
| Year | Team | Progress | Score | Opponents | Venue(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AFC President's Cup1 | |||||
| 2005 | None Entered | ||||
| 2006 | |||||
| 2007 | |||||
| 2008 | |||||
| 2009 | |||||
| 2010 | |||||
| 2011 | |||||
| 2012 | |||||
| 2013 | |||||
| 2014 | |||||
| AFC Challenge League | |||||
| 2024–25 | East Bengal | Quarterfinals | 1–3 | Template:Fbaicon Arkadag | 0–1 at Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata 1–2 at Arkadag Stadium, Arkadag |
| 2025–26 | None Entered | ||||
AFC women's competitions record
| Year | Team | Progress | Score | Opponents | Venue(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AFC Women's Club Championship1 | |||||
| 2019 | None Entered | ||||
| 2021 | Gokulam Kerala2 | Third place | N/A | Template:Flagicon Amman Template:Flagicon Shahrdari Sirjan Template:Flagicon Bunyodkor |
Aqaba Development Corporate Stadium, Amman |
| 2022 | Gokulam Kerala | N/A | Template:Fbaicon Bam Khatoon Template:Fbaicon Sogdiana Template:Fbaicon |
Markaziy Stadium, Qarshi Could not participate due to AIFF suspension | |
| 2023 | Gokulam Kerala | 2nd in Group Stage | N/A | Template:Flagicon Urawa Red Diamonds Template:FlagiconHualien Template:Flagicon Bangkok |
Chonburi Stadium, Chonburi |
| AFC Women's Champions League | |||||
| 2024–25 | Odisha | 4th in Main Group Stage | N/A | Template:Flagicon Taichung Blue Whale Template:Flagicon Urawa Red Diamonds Template:Flagicon Hồ Chí Minh City |
Thống Nhất Stadium, Ho Chi Minh City |
| 2025–26 | East Bengal | 3rd in Main Group Stage | N/A | Template:Fbaicon Wuhan Jiangda Template:Flagicon Nasaf Template:Flagicon Bam Khatoon |
Tazihu Football Training Centre, Wuhan |
SAFF mens's competitions record
| Year | Team | Progress | Score | Opponents | Venue(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAFF Club Championship1 | |||||
SAFF women's competitions record
| Year | Team | Progress | Score | Opponents | Venue(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAFF Women's Club Championship1 | |||||
| 2025 | East Bengal | 1st in Group Stage & Playoffs : Champion | N/A | Template:Flagicon APF Template:Fbaicon Nasrin Template:Flagicon Transport United Template:Flagicon Karachi City |
Dasharath Rangasala, Kathmandu |
Other Asian competitions record
Invitational competitions won by Indian clubs/teams
| Clubs/teams | Tournaments | Confederation | Countries | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Army | Tribhuvan Challenge Shield | AFC | Template:NEP | 1955, 1956 | [3] |
| Mohammedan Sporting | Aga Khan Gold Cup | AFC | Template:BAN | 1960 | [4] |
| Birpur XI | Tribhuvan Challenge Shield | AFC | Template:NEP | 1967 | [3] |
| Brothers Club Kerala | Tribhuvan Challenge Shield | AFC | Template:NEP | 1969 | [3] |
| Bangalore XI | Tribhuvan Challenge Shield | AFC | Template:NEP | 1982 | [3] |
| Punjab Electricity Board | Tribhuvan Challenge Shield | AFC | Template:NEP | 1984 | [3] |
| Darjeeling United | Birthday Cup | AFC | Template:NEP | 1985 | [3] |
| East Bengal | Central Asia Champions' Cup | AFC | Template:SRI | 1985 | [5] |
| East Bengal | Wai Wai Cup | AFC | Template:NEP | 1993 | [6] |
| Kerala SC | POMIS Cup | AFC | Template:MDV | 1993 | [7] |
| Belgeria SC | Budha Subba Gold Cup | AFC | Template:NEP | 1999 | [3] |
| East Bengal | ASEAN Club Championship | AFC | Template:IDN | 2003 | [8] |
| Mahindra United | POMIS Cup | AFC | Template:MDV | 2003 | [9] |
| East Bengal | San Miguel International Cup | AFC | Template:NEP | 2004 | [10] |
Statistics
Head to head (men's)
Head-to-head records against clubs form 35 nations whom they have played to date only in AFC Competitions.
| Against | Region | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | %Win |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Fb | AFF | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | SAFF | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | WAFF | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | SAFF | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | EAFF | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | EAFF | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | AFF | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | CAFA | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | WAFF | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | – | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | EAFF | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | WAFF | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | WAFF | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | AFF | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | WAFF | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | AFF | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | SAFF | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | AFF | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | SAFF | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | WAFF | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | EAFF | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | SAFF | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | AFF | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | WAFF | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | WAFF | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | AFF | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | WAFF | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | EAFF | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | SAFF | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | CAFA | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | AFF | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | CAFA | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | EAFF | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | WAFF | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | CAFA | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | AFF | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | WAFF | ||||||||
| Template:Fb | AFF | ||||||||
| Total | 36 nations |
- Last Updated on 27 November 2025.
Top scorers
| Pos | Player | Team | ACL2/AC | ACL/ACC | ACWC | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Template:Flagicon Ranti Martins | Dempo East Bengal |
22 | — | — | 22 |
| 2 | Template:Flagicon Sunil Chhetri | Churchill Brothers Bengaluru FC |
18 | 1 | — | 19 |
| 3 | Template:Flagicon Bhaichung Bhutia | East Bengal JCT Mohun Bagan |
4 | 2 | 8 | 14 |
| 4 | Template:Flagicon Sisir Ghosh | Mohun Bagan | — | 11 | 2 | 13 |
| Template:Flagicon Jeje Lalpekhlua | Mohun Bagan | 12 | 1 | — | 13 | |
| 6 | Template:Flagicon Beto | Dempo | 12 | — | — | 12 |
| 7 | Template:Flagicon Chidi Edeh | Dempo East Bengal |
9 | — | — | 9 |
| 8 | Template:Flagicon Debasish Roy | East Bengal | — | 8 | — | 8 |
| 9 | Template:Flagicon Carlton Chapman | East Bengal JCT |
— | 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Template:Flagicon Cristiano Junior | East Bengal | 6 | — | — | 6 | |
| Template:Flagicon Sony Norde | Mohun Bagan | 6[21] | — | — | 6 | |
| Template:Flagicon Yusif Yakubu | Mahindra United East Bengal |
6[11][18] | — | — | 6 |
See also
- AFC Champions League Elite
- AFC Champions League Two
- AFC Challenge League
- Indian Super League
- I-League
- Indian football league system
- Australian soccer clubs in continental competitions
- Bangladeshi football clubs in Asian competitions
- Chinese football clubs in Asian competitions
- Hong Kong football clubs in Asian competitions
- Indonesian football clubs in Asian competitions
- Iranian football clubs in Asian competitions
- Iraqi football clubs in Asian competitions
- Japanese football clubs in Asian competitions
- Malaysian football clubs in Asian competitions
- Myanmar football clubs in Asian competitions
- Philippine football clubs in Asian competitions
- Qatari football clubs in Asian competitions
- Saudi Arabian football clubs in Asian competitions
- South Korean football clubs in Asian competitions
- Thai football clubs in Asian competitions
- Vietnamese football clubs in Asian competitions
References
- ↑ Indian Clubs in the Asian Cup Winners Cup, Chaudhuri, Arunava. indianfootball.de. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ↑ How have Indian clubs fared in AFC Champions League and AFC Cup?. goal.com. Goal(1 April 2020). Retrieved 23 March 2021.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Nepal — List of Champions and Cup Winners: Tribhuvan Challenge Shield – Other Cup Tournaments. RSSSF(1996). Retrieved 6 July 2014.
- ↑ Aga Khan Gold Cup (Dhaka, Bangladesh): Aga Khan Gold Cup 1960. RSSSF(2003). Retrieved 4 February 2021.
- ↑ THROWBACK: When East Bengal FC became the Champions of Central Asia!, Chakraborty, Sabyasachi(29 May 2020). Retrieved 30 June 2021.
- ↑ 100 years of East Bengal: A timeline of Kolkata giant's key milestones(1 August 2020). Retrieved 29 June 2021.
- ↑ Maldives - List of Cup Winners: POMIS Cup (President of Maldives Invitational Soccer Cup). RSSSF(1997). Retrieved 1 March 2021.
- ↑ Making a mark in Asia: East Bengal's 2003 Asean Cup win – a defining moment for Indian club football, Nayak, Nicolai. www.scroll.in. Scroll(26 July 2020). Retrieved 25 September 2021.
- ↑ Local teams struggle while foreign teams confirm participation in POMIS Cup. haveeru.com(21 September 2003).
- ↑ East Bengal win Nepal tournament(3 January 2005). Retrieved 22 May 2020.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Afc Cup 2006. RSSSF. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Afc Cup 2008. RSSSF. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
- ↑ Ranti Martins Profile. Soccerway.com. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
- ↑ Sunil Chhetri Profile. Soccerway.com. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
- ↑ Sunil Chhetri named among 13 strikers to choose all-time best three in AFC Cup. The Times of India. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Afc Cup 2004. RSSSF. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
- ↑ Afc Cup 2005. RSSSF. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Afc Cup 2007. RSSSF. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Jeje Lalpekhlua Profile. Soccerway.com. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
- ↑ Chidi Edeh Profile. Soccerway.com. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
- ↑ Sony Norde Profile. Soccerway.com. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
Further reading
- The Last Goal – Remembering Cristiano Junior, Ghosh, Soumo. the-aiff.com. All India Football Federation(22 September 2021). Retrieved 15 February 2023.
Template:Football in India Template:Indian Super League Template:I-League Template:AIFF Super Cup Template:Indian Women's League Template:Association football clubs in Asian competitions