From West Asia to the continent.
Just weeks after making their international debut at the WAFF Women’s Club Championship in Jordan, Banaat FC embarked on their next international challenge — the AFC Women’s Champions League 2026/27.
This time, the stage was bigger.
📅 14–16 August 2026
📍 Qarshi, Uzbekistan
🏆 AFC Women’s Champions League – Preliminary Stage
What is the AFC Women’s Champions League?
The AFC Women’s Champions League is the premier women’s club competition in Asian football.
Now entering its third edition, the competition brings together the leading clubs from across the continent. The 2026/27 edition features a record 24 clubs representing 24 AFC Member Associations, competing for just six places in the Group Stage.
The Preliminary Stage is divided into six groups of four, played in a centralised format. Only the winner of each group progresses, joining six clubs who have already qualified directly for the Group Stage.
Among those direct qualifiers are defending champions Naegohyang Women’s FC, alongside Melbourne City FC, Hwacheon KSPO WFC, INAC Kobe Leonessa, Beijing Jingtan FC and Ho Chi Minh City Women’s FC.
From there, 12 clubs will compete across three groups, with the strongest sides advancing to the quarter-finals and eventually the centralized Finals.
For Banaat FC, simply reaching the Preliminary Stage represented another significant milestone.
After winning the UAE Women’s Football League and reaching the WAFF semi-finals on their first international tournament, the club was now entering Asia's premier women's club competition.
Group C: Qarshi, Uzbekistan
Banaat FC was drawn into Group C, with the Preliminary Stage hosted in Qarshi, Uzbekistan.
The group brought together four clubs from four different countries:
Banaat FC – UAE
Royal Thimphu College FC – Bhutan
Master FC – Laos
PFC Nasaf – Uzbekistan
With only the group winner guaranteed to progress, there was little room for error.
The schedule was set:
17 August — Banaat FC vs Royal Thimphu College FC
20 August — Master FC vs Banaat FC
23 August — Banaat FC vs PFC Nasaf
Before any of those matches could be played, however, there was a journey to make.
The Journey Continues
Jordan was the beginning.
Uzbekistan was the next level.
On 14 August, the team began their journey to Uzbekistan.
A four-and-a-half-hour flight took the squad from Dubai to Tashkent, followed by a leisurely journey south to Qarshi.
Upon arrival, the team checked into the Sultan Hotel, their base for the duration of the competition. After the journey, the priority was simple: settle in, recover and prepare.
First Training in Uzbekistan
The following day brought Banaat FC's first training session in Uzbekistan.
The squad trained on pitches provided by the tournament's gracious hosts, beginning the process of adapting to their new surroundings and preparing for the demanding schedule ahead.
With three matches to come across the next six days, preparation, recovery and managing the team's energy would be crucial.
Getting Ready for the Competition
On the 16th of August, preparations continued with a team meeting, technical meeting, press conference and another training session.
The team meeting focused on the schedule ahead, training expectations and ensuring everyone was prepared for the demands of the week.
The technical meeting provided another introduction to the formalities of AFC competition. Coaches and staff covered everything from kit requirements and color coordination to match regulations, etiquette and media protocols.
For Head Coach Wafa Nacha, the meeting also represented another notable moment. She was the only female head coach in Group C, continuing to represent Banaat FC and women's football in the UAE on an increasingly visible international stage.
Later that day, Nacha also represented Banaat at the official Head Coaches' press conference.
Finding Our Feet
As preparation continued, there was also time to experience Qarshi away from the training ground.
Between sessions, the squad found moments to unwind and explore, continuing a tradition that had begun during the WAFF campaign: the international coffee walk.
A chance to step away from football, discover the local surroundings and spend time together, these smaller moments became an important part of life on the road.
With the first match approaching, the squad was settling into its new environment, building connections and finding its rhythm.
The football was about to begin.
The Continental Challenge Begins
The AFC Women’s Champions League represented a new level of competition for Banaat FC.
Jordan had provided the club with its first taste of international football. Uzbekistan offered the next test — and an opportunity to compete within Asia's premier women's club competition.
The squad had travelled thousands of kilometres from Dubai, but the objective was clear.
Three matches. One group. One place in the next stage.
The AFC journey was about to begin.
Next: Banaat FC vs Royal Thimphu College FC — Match Report
