East Bengal’s 2026-27 season is set to be historic, as they will not only defend the ISL crown but also participate in the group stage of the AFC Champions League Two for the first time after a dramatic victory over Al-Arabi in the preliminary round. It will be their ninth appearance in the group stage of Asia's second-tier men's club competition and the first since 2015 when they played in the erstwhile AFC Cup.
The Red and Gold earned the right to play continentally after banishing ghosts of the past to finally crown themselves league winners last season, their first top-flight title in 22 years. Due to uncertainty about the ISL's future, the league experienced a long delay and was played in a truncated format. Despite having much fewer games than a normal season, East Bengal FC seized upon the opportunity to finish at the top in an intense title race involving four to five clubs.
They finished on the same points as their city rivals, Mohun Bagan Super Giant, but ended their two-season dominance in the league by edging them on goal difference.
Although the mastermind behind the role, Oscar Bruzon, left the club as well as their star man behind the success, Miguel Ferreira, switching from Red and Gold to Green and Maroon in an eye-raising move, East Bengal has strengthened themselves significantly with key arrivals like Dani Ramirez of Punjab FC and bringing in the most successful manager in ISL, Antonio Habas. The ex-Mariner boss checked off his first major task by helping the side earn a place in the main stage of the AFC Champions League 2 this season.
Initially, the Torch Bearers seemed to squander the chance of playing in the competition as they did in 2024 when the Kuwaiti side took the lead from the spot in the 79th minute after the home side missed a catalogue of opportunities to wrap up the game early. However, backed by the crowd in Salt Lake, East Bengal roared back into the game with left-back Jay Gupta’s stunning headed equalizer and then curved open the opposition defense to eventually win 4-1.
Their efforts now put them on the big stage, where they will battle with Al-Hussein from Jordan and Iraq’s Al-Shorta and Al-Seeb from Oman in Group D of the West Region in the 2026-27 AFC Champions League Two.
East Bengal 2026-27 AFC Champions League Two Group D Opponents
Al-Hussein (Jordan)
Easily the toughest opponent East Bengal will face in the group stage of the 2026-27 AFC Champions League Two, Al-Hussein are the frontrunners to progress to the Round of 16 as winners of Group D West Region. They were crowned the 2025-26 Jordanian Pro League champions, which allowed them to enter the preliminary round of the AFC Champions League Elite, the premier competition of Asian club football.
However, a 3-0 loss to Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor FC in that round means they will instead compete in the group stage of the second-tier competition, ACL2. It was Al-Hussein’s third straight league title, alongside winning their first-ever Jordan FA Cup title in a historic domestic double. It showed the remarkable resurgence they experienced in recent years.
Historically a smaller footprint compared to local rivals Al-Faisaly and Al-Wehdat, Al-Hussein has broken into regular continental fixtures recently, putting up highly competitive group-stage displays in Asia's second-tier tournament. Hence, the Red and Gold will have quite a challenge to face.
Al-Shorta (Iraq)
The next big challenge in the group will be thrown by Al-Shorta of Iraq, who has the most experience among all members in AFC club competitions. Popularly nicknamed "Al-Qithara," they are one of the most decorated clubs in Iraq. They hold the elite domestic record for the most consecutive league crowns in Iraq Stars League history, winning four consecutive league titles between 2022 and 2025, while also possessing an Iraq FA Cup trophy and two Iraqi Super Cups.
However, they ended as runners-up in the 2025-26 Iraq Stars League, losing their outright dominance to Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, which resulted in them ending up in the group stage of the AFC Champions League Two this season. A historically significant club, Al Shorta famously reached the final of the 1971 Asian Champion Club Tournament (refusing to play against Israeli opposition) and won the inaugural Arab Club Champions Cup in 1982. They are seasoned veterans of both the top-tier AFC Champions League Elite and second-tier competitions.
Al-Seeb (Oman)
The third opponent in the group that the Kolkata giants will clash heads with is Oman’s Al-Seeb. They earned a place in the group stage of the competition by winning their nation's top division last season. Al-Seeb has dominated Omani football over the last decade, transitioning from chronic mid-table finishers to multi-time domestic league champions and also cup winners. Known as the ‘Masters of the Clubs,' they have not lost their grip on the league title since the 2021–22 season, showing their remarkable pedigree.
They also hold a historic achievement on the continental stage, notably becoming the first-ever Omani club to win an Asian continental trophy when they captured the AFC Cup title, the predecessor to ACL 2, in 2022. Even though they are not strongholds like the other two in the group, with East Bengal fancying the two fixtures against them to gain some points, Al-Seeb are certainly not pushovers and will be determined to prove that on the pitch.
East Bengal 2026-27 AFC Champions League Two Fixtures
Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Al Hussein vs East Bengal - Al-Hassan Stadium, Irbid (21:30)
Tuesday, 13 October 2026
East Bengal vs Al-Shorta - Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata (19:15)
Tuesday, 27 October 2026
Al-Seeb vs East Bengal - Al-Seeb Stadium, Seeb (21:30)
Tuesday, 3 November 2026
East Bengal vs Al-Seeb - Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata (19:15)
Tuesday, 24 November 2026
East Bengal vs Al Hussein - Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata (19:15)
Tuesday, 8 December 2026
Al-Shorta vs East Bengal (21:30)
East Bengal 2026-27 AFC Champions League Two Prediction
East Bengal will call themselves fortunate not to have been drawn against Middle Eastern giants like Saudi Arabia, Iran, or Qatar, which might have ended their continental campaign prematurely. However, it doesn’t mean they have a relaxing period whatsoever, as no games are easy at this level. The Red and Gold will face some of the best clubs from other nations in the region, Jordan, Iraq, and Oman, making it a grueling challenge for them. On top of it, they need to balance an intense schedule in the ISL, making the task even tougher.
The primary objective for Habas’s men is to avoid finishing bottom of the group, as that won’t be a good look for the excellent work they have done to reach this stage after struggling for so many years. Aiming for the top two in the group to qualify for the Round of 16 is not a far-fetched goal, as East Bengal can realistically challenge Al-Seeb of Oman.
At least seven points out of nine games could be enough to achieve it, with the ISL champions hoping to make the Salt Lake Stadium a fortress, as they will be confident of facing any opponent with the backing of their noisy support. However, Al-Hussein and Al-Shorta would likely take the top two of the group. Finishing third and showing a battle to be proud of is what East Bengal will be banking on in their Asian journey.
