East Bengal, the Kalinga Super Cup champion, had its group-stage opponents confirmed for the AFC Challenge League, following the draw at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Thursday.
The Red-and-Gold Brigade lost its AFC Champions League 2 preliminary round knockout match 2-3 against Altyn Asyr on August 14, ending its hopes to play in the second tier of Asian football.
As a result, it will play in the Challenge League this season, with the team drawn with Nejmeh SC, Bashundhara Kings and Paro FC in Group A. Sportstar looks at who the opponents are and their performances in their respective countries.
Nejmeh SC - Lebanon
Nejmeh Sporting Club is a Lebanese Premier League giant, having won the top division nine times, including the last season. It is the joint-second-most successful team in the top division of Lebanese football, below rival Al Ansar, which has 11 titles.
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Nejmeh became the first club from Lebanon to reach the final of the AFC Cup when it beat Sun Hei from Hong Kong 6-2 in the semifinal in 2005. But its last run past the group stage was in 2014 when it reached the round of 16.
The club, beyond the league titles, has won the Lebanese FA Cup eight times, the Lebanese Elite Cup 12 times and the Lebanese Super Cup seven times.
Nejmeh’s strength is its physical defence, led by captain Kassem El Zein, who has previously played against Indian footballers at the Kings’ Cup 2023. He was also part of Lebanon’s squad for the AFC Asian Cup in Qatar, earlier this year.
Bashundhara Kings - Bangladesh
Bashundhara Kings is the top division champion from Bangladesh, winning the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) with a 10-point margin. It is the second-most successful team in BPL with five titles, one less than Abahani Dhaka.
It has played thrice in Asia – 2021, 2022, 2023 – and has not gone past the group stages in any of the editions.
In the AFC Cup last season, it was drawn with two Indian sides in last year’s AFC Cup – Odisha FC and Mohun Bagan Super Giant – but failed to qualify beyond the group stage, finishing second.
The most important player for the Kings has remained their captain Robinho. The Brazilian, with 21 goals in the BPL, is their highest-ever goalscorer in the league and poses the risk of scoring through quick counter-attacks.
Paro FC - Bhutan
Paro is the most successful team in the Bhutan Premier League, with four titles, including the latest edition in 2023.
Founded just six years ago, Paro has had a remarkable run in the Bhutanese top flight since, finishing second just once and winning the league the remaining seasons.
It recently made headlines when it signed Japanese veteran Keisuke Honda on a one-match contract for its AFC Challenge League playoff against Chruchboys United from Nepal
Paro won that match 2-1, making history by qualifying for continental competitions for the first time.
Though it looks strong side in the Bhutanese football ecosystem, it will be the weakest opponent on paper for East Bengal.
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