AFC Champions League 2: Mohun Bagan SG to play Al-Wakrah SC, Tractor FC and FC Ravshan in Group A

Indian Super League (ISL) club Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG) was drawn alongside Al-Wakrah FC (Qatar), Tractor FC (IR Iran) and FC Ravshan (Tajikistan) in Group A of the 2024-25 AFC Champions League Two in the draw conducted at the AFC house in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Friday (August 16). 

MBSG qualified for the newly-rebranded second tier AFC club competition by winning the 2023-24 ISL Shield. The Mariner's finished on top of the league standings last season courtesy of collecting 48 points from 22 games, just a solitary point clear of second-placed Mumbai City FC. 

Al-Wakrah FC qualified for AFC Champions League 2 courtesy of finishing fourth in the 2023-24 Qatar Stars League. The Blue Waves are set to make their first appearance in the continental competition since the 2001-02 Asian Club Championship. 

Tractor FC also qualified with a fourth-place finish in the 2023-24 Persian Gulf Pro League. The Red Wolves earned a top four finish courtesy of collecting 54 points from 30 games, 14 adrift of champions Persepolis. Meanwhile, the Iranian top flight side have twice reached the knockout stages of erstwhile AFC Champions League, in 2021 and 2016. 

FC Ravshan, on the other hand, earned a spot in the group stages of the tournament by virtue of runner-up finish in the 2023 Tajikistan Higher League. Ravshan Kulob has made four appearances in the AFC Cup but never managed to progress from the group stage. 

The AFC Champions League 2 features 32 teams, divided into eight groups- four West, four East- of four teams each for the group stage, which will be played in a home-and-away round-robin format from September 17 to December 5. Top two teams from each group will advance to the round of 16, to be played in February 2025. 

Mohun Bagan SG are currently competing in the Durand Cup. The Mariners have won their first two games against the likes of Downtown Heroes FC and Indian Air Force FT, and are sitting at the top of Group A, level on points with second-placed East Bengal FC, but separated by goal-difference. Since only the group-winners advance to the quarterfinals, Sunday's Kolkata derby will decide who goes through last eight stage.