How have Indian clubs fared in AFC Champions League and AFC Cup?

Let's take a look at the performance of Indian clubs in AFC competitions over the years...

India has been represented at the continental level since the late 1960s and except for a few editions in the early 1990s and 2000s.

Last season's I-League champions Chennai City are taking part in the ongoing AFC Cup competition. Indian Super League (ISL) 2018-29 champions Bengaluru FC have crashed out. The 2019-20 season has given India three slots in Asian and three Indian Super League (ISL) clubs - FC Goa, ATK-Mohun Bagan and Chennaiyin FC - are set to take part in the next edition of the AFC tournaments - AFC Champions League and AFC Cup.

Over the years, Indian clubs have had struggled to compete at the Asian level. Apart from a few standout campaigns, Indian clubs have so far not been able to make an impact in AFC competitions. How has India fared in Asia? Let's take a look.

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The ACL and the AFC Cup as we know it started in 2003 and 2004 respectively. Before that branding, clubs like Mysore State, West Bengal, Mohun Bagan and East Bengal have showcased their quality at the highest level of football in the continent.

In fact, Mysore State was the first Indian team to reach the semi-final of an AFC club competition when they achieved the feat in the Asian Club Championship in 1969.

They won two matches in the group stage and advanced to the knockouts as the runners-up from Group A with five points (two points for a win) from four matches. In the semis, they met eventual winners Maccabi Tel Aviv but went down 6-1 to the Israeli side.

1970

West Bengal represented India in this edition. They could win only one match in the group stages and hence failed to progress further. Iran's Esteghlal won the championship in that edition.

1971

FC Punjab Police was chosen as the representative by the All India Football Federation for this season. But they could not win even a single match. In the preliminary round, they were humiliated 8-1 by Al Arabi. Along with Perak FC of Malaysia, they became the only other team that could not register a single point in the entire tournament.

The tournament was not held between 1972-1984.

1985

East Bengal qualified to represent India in 1985-86, courtesy of winning the Federation Cup. They won all the five matches in the qualification round but were knocked out in the group stages as they lost both the encounters.

All qualification round matches were played in Sri Lanka.

Winners: Daewoo Royals

1986: N/A

1987

After East Bengal, it was Mohun Bagan's turn to carry the tricolour at the continental stage. They put up a valiant fight in the qualification stage but still could not progress to the final round as they came second behind mighty Al Rasheed.

Winners: Yomiuri FC

1988-89

The Mariners once again got the opportunity to take part in the Asian Club Championship and this time they won all the matches in the qualification round to progress to the final round. But against superior opponents in the group, they not only lost all the matches but even failed to score a single goal.

Winners: Al Sadd

1989-90

Goan outfit Salgaocar SC made their first Asian appearance in this edition. But they made an early exit after getting ousted from the qualification stages.

In the next three editions, no Indian team made an appearance in the Asian Club Championship.

1994-95

It was Mohun Bagan once again from India who took part in the competition. The green and maroon brigade remained unbeaten in the group stages but got knocked out in the next round to Thai Farmers Bank FC. They lost 4-0 in the first leg away from home. But due to a plague threat in India, AFC ordered that the return leg will be played in Malaysia. Bagan objected to the decision but the apex governing body in Asia was not convinced. Instead, the Indian club was ejected from the competition, fined $3000 and banned from AFC competitions for three years. The ban was later removed.

1995

Mohun Bagan made successive appearances in the competition but could not better their previous record. In the very first round, they were shown the door after they lost to Maldivian outfit Club Valencia. In the first leg, Bagan won 2-1 but went down narrowly by a goal away from home. Valencia progressed taking advantage of an away goal.

1996-97

JCT made their first appearance in the elite competition for the first time in this season. They beat New Road Team from Nepal in tie-breakers after the two teams could not be separated over the two legs (2-2) in the first round. In the second round, they were up against New Radiant FC from Maldives. The textile makers won the first leg 1-0 at home but were outplayed 2-0 in foreign conditions.

1997-98

In this campaign, Churchill Brothers went on to represent India. But, they had a forgetful debut outing as the Goan outfit was knocked out in the very first round by Vietnamese club Dong Thap. The Red Machines lost 1-0 at home and could only muster a 1-1 draw in the return leg to make an early exit.

1998-99

In the 18th edition of the annual international club football competition, East Bengal made a return after a hiatus of more than a decade. But the Red and Golds were unfortunate to draw against mighty Chinese club Dalian Wanda and they conceded six goals over the two-legs to bow out from the tournament.

Mohun Bagan made their fifth appearance in Asia after winning the National Football League (NFL) under the guidance of Subrata Bhattacharya. They maintained their impressive first-round record as they defeated Muktijodha Sangsad 2-1 in aggregate. But in the next round, they meekly surrendered to eventual runners-up Jubilo Iwata. In the first leg, the Japanese outfit won 8-0 and upon mutual agreement, the return leg was not played.

Once again in the next two editions, there were no representatives from India.

2002-03

The Asian Club Championship was rechristened as the AFC Champions League in 2002-03. Mohun Bagan (National Football League and Federation Cup winners) and Churchill Brothers (National Football League runners up) were the two participants. But both the clubs were knocked out in the qualification round.

2004

The 2004 AFC Cup was the 1st edition of the AFC Cup. East Bengal (NFL winners) and Mahindra United (Federation Cup Winners) qualified for Asia. While Mahindra got knocked out from the group stages, the Kolkata giants reached the quarterfinals.

2005

Dempo and East Bengal were the two clubs from India in the second edition of AFC Cup. But this time East Bengal could not replicate their success and Dempo too bowed out from the group stage.

Dempo

Winners: Al Faisaly

2006

In this year Dempo (NFL winners) and Mahindra United (Federation Cup) booked their tickets to Asia from India. But once again both the teams crashed out from the group stages.

Mahindra United

Dempo

2007

Mohun Bagan (Federation Cup winners) and Mahindra United (NFL winners) got the opportunity to play in the second-tier continental competition. Riding on the shoulders of Yusif Yakubu, Mahindra United progressed from the group stages to the quarter-finals. But they went down narrowly against Al Nejmeh in the round of eight. Whereas, Mohun Bagan finished their campaign on a disappointing note as they could not make it to the knockouts.

Mahindra United

2008

Dempo became NFL Champions and the Goan club along with East Bengal, Federation Cup Winners, were the two representatives from India in this season. Dempo bettered their own record and reached the semi-finals under the guidance of Armando Colaco. But East Bengal could not progress beyond the group stage.

2009

Dempo SC qualified for AFC Champions League but got knocked out by Sharjah FC (3-0) in the playoffs. After getting eliminated they progressed till the Round of 16 in AFC Cup. On the other hand, Mohun Bagan's AFC Cup campaign ended soon enough as the Mariners could not go ahead from the group stages. They lost all six games.

2010

Churchill Brothers started their campaign in the AFC Champions League but after getting defeated 5-2 to Al-Wahda in the Qualifying playoff round they dropped to AFC Cup where they were joined by Federation Cup winners East Bengal.

The Red Machines managed to progress to the Round of 16 where they were eliminated by Al-Qadsia. But East Bengal were ousted from the group stages as, like Mohun Bagan in the previous campaign, they lost all the matches.

2011

Dempo by virtue of being the I-League champions got a shot at the AFC Champions League but were eliminated by Al Sadd 2-0 in the playoffs. They reached the Round of 16 stage and got eliminated by Duhok FC of Iraq. Whereas, East Bengal were knocked out from the group stages.

2012

Salgaocar made their debut appearance in this edition of the AFC Cup after winning both the I-League and the Federation Cup. On the other hand, East Bengal made their way to Asia after coming second in I-League. Both teams were knocked out from the group stages.

2013

Dempo won the I-League with 57 points and yet did not take part in the continental challenge due to stadium issues. The Nehru Stadium in Margao, remained booked for the 2013 Lusophony Games, whereas Tilak Maidan in Vasco and Duler Stadium in Mapusa were not fit to host AFC matches. Hence third-placed Churchill Brothers took their place, whereas East Bengal got to participate on merit after winning the Federation Cup.

Although Churchill got ousted from the group stages, the Red and Golds had a dream run in the competition and reached the semi-finals. They even topped the group and remained unbeaten.

2014

In this season Pune FC made their debut in the AFC Champions League. Since the submission deadline arrived before the Federation Cup, the league runners-up were chosen to represent India. But they got relegated to AFC Cup after losing 3-0 to Hanoi FC in Qualifying play-off Round 1. Churchill Brothers joined them in the second tier. The Red machines reached the Round of 16 but Pune could not even survive the group stages.

2015

Bengaluru FC won the I-League in their debut season and went on to participate in the AFC Champions League. But they lost 2-1 to Johor Darul in Preliminary Round 1 and went on to participate in AFC Cup. They were knocked out in the Round of 16, whereas East Bengal could not progress from the group.

2016

Mohun Bagan progressed into Preliminary Round 2 in AFC Champions League after beating Tampines Rovers 3-1. But then the Mariners meekly surrendered to Shandong Luneng in the next round. Thereafter, in the AFC Cup, they lost to the same opponents in the Round of 16.

In this season Bengaluru created history as they became the first side to reach the final of the AFC Cup.

2017

Bengaluru FC once again got to try their luck in the AFC Champions League but got knocked out by Al-Wehdat in Preliminary Round 2. In the AFC Cup, they progressed from the group stages to reach the Inter-zone play-off finals. Whereas, Mohun Bagan had a disappointing campaign as they finished in the group.

Mohun Bagan

2018

In 2018, Aizawl FC made their debut appearance in Asia courtesy of winning the I-League. They got eliminated from the AFC Champions League in Play-off round by losing 3-1 to Zob Ahan. In the AFC Cup, they could not progress from the group stages whereas Bengaluru FC reached the Inter-Zonal semi-final.

2019

Minerva Punjab started their campaign in Asia from the AFC Champions League Preliminary Round 2. But the Warriors got eliminated to Saipa FC. Chennaiyin FC joined them in the AFC Cup but both teams could not progress from the group stages.

2020

Chennai City made their debut appearance in Asia in this season. They got knocked out from the AFC Champions League when they lost 1-0 to Al Riffa in the Preliminary Round 1. They are now plying their trade in the group stage of the AFC Cup. Whereas, Bengaluru FC have already been knocked out as they lost to Maziya in the qualifying play-off Round 2.

2021

FC Goahmade their AFC Champions League debut in 2021. The Gaurs put up a commendable performance in their debut as they finished third in the group amongst fierce West Asian opponents. They drew thrice and lost on the three other occasions. Meanwhile, ATK Mohun Bagan reached the knockout stages in the AFC Cup but got thrashed by Nasaf FC 6-0 in the West-Asia Zonal semifinals.FC Goa ACL Campaign