East Bengal FC Women are set for a landmark financial boost from their first-ever appearance in the AFC Women’s Champions League (AWCL).
With official prize money structures now in place and two of their three group matches completed, the club has already secured a substantial sum, with the potential to earn more than $1.3 million if they enjoy a deep run in the tournament.
Guaranteed earnings so far
The club has locked in $170,000 from their AWCL campaign to date.
This includes:
$50,000 travel grant, awarded to all participating teams.
$100,000 group-stage participation fee, guaranteed regardless of results.
$20,000 performance bonus from their 3–1 win over Bam Khatoon.
These figures already surpass the cumulative rewards of most domestic Indian women’s tournaments.
Group Stage progress and remaining potential
East Bengal opened their campaign with a commanding victory over Bam Khatoon, earning their lone performance bonus so far.
They fell 0–2 to Wuhan Jiangda in the second match and will next face PFC Nasaf.
A victory in the final group game would add another $20,000, pushing their group-stage earnings to $190,000.
Even a draw could still keep them in contention for the quarterfinals, depending on results elsewhere.
Knockout Round prize money structure
If East Bengal advances beyond the group stage, additional rewards follow a clearly tiered system:
Quarterfinal qualification: +$80,000
Semifinals: +$120,000
Runners-up: +$500,000
Champions: +$1,000,000
With bonuses stacking cumulatively, teams reaching the final stages take home transformative sums. For East Bengal, a perfect run, including a win against Nasaf, progression through all knockout rounds, and the title, would bring their total earnings to $1.37 million.
Complete earnings scenarios
| Stage | Scenario |
Cumulative Prize (USD) |
|
Participation |
Travel + Group stage entry |
$150,000 |
|
Group Stage |
1 win (already secured) |
$170,000 |
|
Group Stage |
2 wins (if they beat Nasaf) |
$190,000 |
|
Quarterfinals |
If they qualify |
$250,000 |
|
Semifinals |
If they reach the last four |
$370,000 |
|
Runners-up |
If they reach the final and lose |
$870,000 |
|
Champions |
Winners of AWCL |
$1,370,000 |
Significance for Indian Women’s Football
Regardless of whether East Bengal progresses further, their confirmed earnings mark a watershed moment for Indian women’s clubs.
The financial rewards from AWCL participation stand far above existing domestic prize structures and could help drive improvements in player contracts, training infrastructure, and recruitment in upcoming seasons.
Should East Bengal reach the knockouts or beyond, their earnings could exceed ₹9 crore, setting new benchmarks and accelerating the growth of women’s football in India.
-
Should you drink cold or hot water on an empty stomach in the morning? Dr. Hansa Yogendra said ‘this’ water will be effective for the body
-
Ban on SMS fraud! TRAI implemented strict rules to stop fake messages
-
What is Cloudflare? Websites like ChatGPT, X, Spotify also stopped due to this outage
-
IND vs SA 2nd Test: Team India’s tension increased due to Gill’s injury, names of Sarfaraz-Karun-Eshwar were suggested, but Gambhir-Agarkar did not accept the suggestion.
-
Finally announced the team! Karun Nair’s Miraculous Comeback! ‘These’ players were included in the playing eleven
