Bam Khatoon qualifies for AFC Women's Champions League 2026/27

Marzieh Jafari, head coach of the Bam Khatun team, expressed pride in her athletes, emphasizing that her team is a worthy representative of the country in this tournament.

Jafari commented on her team's performance in the group stage of the AFC Women's European Championship, stating that the squad was seriously weakened by injuries to three key players. She specified that Negin (Zandi) could not participate, and Mona (Hamedi) sustained an injury. Furthermore, Fatemeh (Gerai) faced an issue in the 20th minute of the first match and unfortunately could not play for the remainder of the tournament.

The coach characterized the group as a 'death group.' She noted that CSKA Dushanbe possessed not only full national teams from Tajikistan but also attracted four high-quality foreign players from Africa. Despite these circumstances, the Bam Khatun players showed good results and managed to secure a victory.

During the match against Al-Nassr, the coach expressed respect for the opponent. She acknowledged that Al-Nassr is a very strong team with high-level players from various countries, including France, Portugal, Bahrain, and Japan, and that they have invested significantly in their squad.

Jafari added that they expected a difficult match, and perhaps the players were somewhat intimidated by the name 'Al-Nassr.' She also noted that they could have utilized their chances better. In the 85th minute, the referee awarded Al-Nassr a penalty, which was converted, but the players continued to fight and equalized the score in the 95th minute, maintaining hope.

Moreover, she pointed out Khatun's long break from competitive activity. Since their local league concluded in February, about seven months had passed, and the lack of playing practice complicated the task. In contrast, teams like Al-Nassr and Al-Ittihad participated in West Asian tournaments last month and played friendly matches, being in a very strong position due to the number of national players and quality foreigners.

Despite all the difficulties, Jafari firmly supported her team, stating: 'Despite all these conditions, the players worked incredibly hard and achieved good results. As the head coach, I am proud of my players, and I believe that Khatun are worthy representatives of our beloved country in this tournament.'

She also emphasized the importance of planning and setting clear goals. Jafari stated that she always insisted on the necessity of having a plan and goals, following a clear path to achieve them, because one cannot simply play match by match, constantly chasing results. She expressed hope that in the final match, scheduled for Sunday, the team will show good results and conclude the campaign in the best possible way with a favorable outcome.

In the preliminary round of the 2026/27 AFC Women's Champions League, Bam Khatoon FC drew with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, ending the match 1-1.

A goal by Sara Didar, scored six minutes after the end of regular time, allowed the Iranian team to take the lead in Group E. On Sunday, they will play against Etihad from Jordan, while Al-Nassr will face FC CSKA Dushanbe from Tajikistan.

The 2026/27 AFC Women's Champions League will be the third edition of this tournament, which is Asia's premier women's club football competition and is organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

Naeghoyan are the reigning champions.

Iran's women's football champion, Bam Khatun, is preparing for a new challenging tournament on the Asian stage as the team returns to the AFC Champions League to strengthen its reputation as one of Iran's leading clubs.

Khatun's team has established itself as a dominant force in Iranian women's football. The Bam club has won the domestic championship 12 times and increasingly demonstrates its presence in continental competitions. Their progress is particularly noticeable in recent editions of the main AFC tournament for women's clubs, where they have shown that Iranian women's football can compete with some of Asia's strongest teams.

Bam Khatun is Ready for Another Asian Challenge

The upcoming AFC Women’s Champions League 2026/27 will be a new test for Khatun. The Iranian champions have been placed in Group E of the preliminary round alongside Al-Nassr from Saudi Arabia, Etihad Club from Jordan, and CSKA Dushanbe FC from Tajikistan. The group matches will take place from August 17 to 23, and only the group winners will advance to the next stage of the competition.

Khatun's first match is scheduled against CSKA Dushanbe on Monday, followed by games against Al-Nassr and Etihad Club. The tournament format leaves no room for errors, making every earned point and every goal potentially decisive. Since only one team advances from each preliminary group, Khatun must maintain concentration throughout the tournament.

Jafari noted that Iran's opponents have made significant investments before the start of the competition, highlighting the strength of Al-Nassr from Saudi Arabia, which boasts high-class foreign players from Portugal, France, Brazil, Japan, and several African countries. She also pointed to Etihad from Jordan, which has hired several strong foreign players, and CSKA from Tajikistan, which can count on many international players, as well as four quality foreign players.